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epsilonecho's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A riveting exploration of an indigenous girl's journey into an unfamiliar, often hostile, colonial culture. Most of the story focuses on Anequs' experiences at school, while slowly developing a larger, more intricate plot in the background.
Possibly one of my favorite books I've ever read. Scratches the character-focused school story itch I obtained in childhood. Don't let some negative reviews about "lack of action" fool you: not all stories need to be directly about violence or conflict. This book proves that by immersing you into Anequs' life, not just her battles.
I've also seen criticisms that the dragons don't so much in this book:by the end of the book, most of the main character's dragons are just about a year old! While dragons provide the impetus for the plot, they are not what the story is about. The story is about Anequs and her journey into this unfamiliar world.
Possibly one of my favorite books I've ever read. Scratches the character-focused school story itch I obtained in childhood. Don't let some negative reviews about "lack of action" fool you: not all stories need to be directly about violence or conflict. This book proves that by immersing you into Anequs' life, not just her battles.
I've also seen criticisms that the dragons don't so much in this book:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death of parent, Ableism, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, War, Death, and Genocide
Minor: Animal death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Gun violence
All of the themes are treated very respectfully by the author, but they are serious and their impact on people shouldn't be lessened. Overall, I was never uncomfortable reading this book, and I felt the author handled all of these very delicate ideas very well as to not trigger readers, while also ensuring the emotional weight is understood.bookish_afrolatina's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
An incredible start to a historical fantasy series! I devoured this book quickly despite the length of it because the main character and alternate timeline were captivating. Anequs was kind, smart, matter-of-fact, open-minded, and brave. Anglish society’s rules and customs didn’t have a hold on her unless they could help someone. She was relatable and her friends, for the most part, were from varied backgrounds.
According to the author Moniquil Blackhoose, “To Shape a Dragon’s Breath takes place in southern New England (Rhode Island, Massachussetts) in the 1840s in a very alternate timeline — the Roman Empire never existed, the British Isles were settled by Scandinavian seafarers, and the European colonization of the east coast of the US is proceeding differently. “ Therefore, all of the names of the countries, religious practices, and culture of the colonizers of Turtle Island are almost entirely different from our reality.
I think that Blackgoose handled discussions of race, eugenics, queerness, polyamory, and the autism spectrum with care despite ableism, homophobia, and racism being acceptable by Anglish society. Anequs is our moral guide, in a sense.
I loved the pacing of this book. I found that no matter how many times I thought I knew what would happen next, I was wrong! So that was such a treat. I especially loved the way the characters shared their cultural stories.
The audiobook was lovely thanks to the narrator Charley Flyte! Part way through it I began to wish I had a print copy. Now that I’ve finished the book I know I absolutely want the print since I expect I’ll reread it before the second book comes out.
Y’all need to read this!!!
According to the author Moniquil Blackhoose, “To Shape a Dragon’s Breath takes place in southern New England (Rhode Island, Massachussetts) in the 1840s in a very alternate timeline — the Roman Empire never existed, the British Isles were settled by Scandinavian seafarers, and the European colonization of the east coast of the US is proceeding differently. “ Therefore, all of the names of the countries, religious practices, and culture of the colonizers of Turtle Island are almost entirely different from our reality.
I think that Blackgoose handled discussions of race, eugenics, queerness, polyamory, and the autism spectrum with care despite ableism, homophobia, and racism being acceptable by Anglish society. Anequs is our moral guide, in a sense.
I loved the pacing of this book. I found that no matter how many times I thought I knew what would happen next, I was wrong! So that was such a treat. I especially loved the way the characters shared their cultural stories.
The audiobook was lovely thanks to the narrator Charley Flyte! Part way through it I began to wish I had a print copy. Now that I’ve finished the book I know I absolutely want the print since I expect I’ll reread it before the second book comes out.
Y’all need to read this!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Child abuse, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Racism, Ableism, Classism, Colonisation, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
Moderate: Hate crime, Animal cruelty, War, Biphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Alcohol
caseythereader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death of parent, Genocide, Ableism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Gun violence, Slavery, Sexism, Violence, Alcohol, Bullying, and Classism
Moderate: War
Minor: Suicide
readthesparrow's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was a Dragon Kid.
I read the first Eragon book to tatters, and obsessively read the third around four times a year. Dragonology was my favorite -ology book. It was Lady Trent’s Memoirs, a series about dragon naturalism, that broke me out of my four year reading slump.
I haven’t read a good dragon book in a while, but I’ve been itching for one. To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is exactly what I needed to scratch that itch.
WORLDBUILDING
The story is set in an alternate history version of America based upon not Christian English beliefs but Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, and Old English religion and culture. I loved how Blackgoose reinterpreted and structured these inspirations; for example, the political system is a cross between the real world early American democracy and the Anglo-Saxon aristocratic system with a king, thanes, and halls.
The magic system, too, is so well-done. It’s more of a magical alternate science system, which I would describe as a cross between chemistry and alchemy. Though the vocabulary is different (for example, iron is called isen and elements are called skiltas), the foundational concepts are the same, making it easy to follow as we learn about it beside Anequs.
I adore dragon fantasy stories that reinterpret our own history and natural science through its own lens. That’s no easy feat to accomplish, much less do it well. With To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, Blackgoose has created not only a fantastic science fantasy but also one of the best dragon fantasy books I have ever read.
FOLKLORE IN TO SHAPE A DRAGON’S BREATH
I could write an essay on the way Blackgoose implements folklore into her storytelling. However, this is a book review, and as such I shall restrain myself to a few paragraphs.
Folklore—more specifically, the telling of stories—is a major theme in To Shape a Dragon’s Breath. More than one chapter is a story within a story, framed by Anequs asking another character to tell her a story or telling a story herself. It’s obvious to me that Blackgoose is passionate about folklore, reinterpreting lore from real-world cultures with care.
Even the presentation of the novel itself has links to folklore. The chapter titles, when considered together, read as a bare-bones bedtime story version of the narrative. It’s so clever, and I absolutely cannot wait to see how Blackgoose continues the theme of folklore in the rest of the series.
PLOT
I sometimes struggle to enjoy some fantasy titles, as they tend to incorporate tropes and narrative beats I find tiring (for example, the love triangle and poorly handled fantasy racism).
However, Blackgoose not only avoids these tropes but actively challenges them. In example, although Anequs is interested in two characters, she plans to pursue both of them, avoiding a tiresome love triangle that so often drags books down for me. She also handles racism and bigotry on several levels. For example, by reflecting problematic tropes and narratives present in real-world literature through in-world books Anequs encounters, and exploring how those racist narratives effect Anequs’ life and relationships.
And now we come to the only caveat I have to say about To Shape a Dragon’s Breath.
The plot is largely concerned with worldbuilding, society, and culture. If you’re expecting a high-octane adventure fantasy, you will be disappointed. There are no sky battles or magic duels or special ancient weapons.
I’ve seen some other reviewers complain that nothing happens in this book. I disagree.
Things do happen, it’s just that those things concern cultural, scientific, and political worldbuilding, the navigation of social settings, and the development of character relationships.
At its core, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath about exploring a world through the eyes of an Indigenous teenager living in a colonial world and moving through a restrictive social structure she refuses to assimilate into.
The plot, therefore, is about what she learns and who she learns it with. For someone expecting dragon battles or a fantasy boarding school mystery, it may feel as though nothing is happening, but something is happening: an exploration of the crossroads of race, gender, religion, class, and culture in this fictional setting throug nuanced, well-written dialogue between diverse, well-written characters.
It is a slow paced book, but like a good hike, the pleasure is in the journey and who you’re walking with.
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath provides a breathtaking trail and excellent company.
FINAL THOUGHTS
After finishing To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, I already missed the characters and the world. This is the first installment in a series, and I cannot wait to see what else Blackgoose has in store for us.
If you love dragons, science fantasy, or well-written diverse characters, I cannot recommend To Shape a Dragon’s Breath enough.
Thank you to Del Ray for providing a digital ARC via Netgalley. If you are interested in To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, it is available now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Colonisation, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Genocide, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Classism, Confinement, Homophobia, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Death, Transphobia, and Medical content
ezwolf's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I always struggle with what to say when I really enjoy books and I really enjoyed this one.
Anequs is a fantastic protagonist and I loved her relationship with her family and her people and also the way she gathered other students. Her refusal to conform to Anglish societal rules and her dedication to wanting to learn only to help manipulate her dragon's breath to help her village. I wasn't sure what to make of Marta at first, but I'm glad that she was held accountable for her actions by the author and by Anequs.
The dragon's mythology was unique and made me consider aspects of bonded to a dragon I hadn't thought of before. Another thing I found really cool was the way the author presented a story told by a character. It would have its own separate chapter titled "This is the story that ____ told".
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Anequs is a fantastic protagonist and I loved her relationship with her family and her people and also the way she gathered other students. Her refusal to conform to Anglish societal rules and her dedication to wanting to learn only to help manipulate her dragon's breath to help her village. I wasn't sure what to make of Marta at first, but I'm glad that she was held accountable for her actions by the author and by Anequs.
The dragon's mythology was unique and made me consider aspects of bonded to a dragon I hadn't thought of before. Another thing I found really cool was the way the author presented a story told by a character. It would have its own separate chapter titled "This is the story that ____ told".
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Blood, Ableism, Bullying, Classism, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Genocide, Grief, and Gun violence
Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, Animal death, and Transphobia
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