Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

115 reviews

1_800_fuck_off's review

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

wow…. WOW 

this book!!!!! 

one of my favorite reads this year for fucking sure 

the MESSAGE??!!! the ROMANCE??!! THE DRAGONS???? THE CULTURE?!?!? THE CHARACTERS!!!!!!
 

perfect everything perfect 

i don't even usually like romance but this one just hit different it ended exactly how i wanted it to and it's the first of its kind that i've read (IT’S POLYYYY POLY ROMANCE IS SO RARE AND THIS ONE!! UGH this book set up such a perfect path for the romance to enhance in the second book for SURE) i'm so in love with it and guys the characters can not empathize them enough!! i loved the mc and her friends and her family they're the best especially my boy sander he'll live in my heart forever and i just can't recommend this book enough it has such an important message to society about how indigenous people are treated and have been treated for years it also shows just how beautiful their culture is and just how necessary it is to listen to their voices and how society could stand to adopt at least a little bit of the way they see the world 

it would be a much better place 

can not wait for the next book <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Violence, Bullying, Genocide, Death, Sexism, Murder, and Colonisation

Minor: Slavery, Homophobia, Blood, Gun violence, War, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, and Transphobia

literatehedgehog's review

adventurous 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? No

5.0

LOVED IT. I went into this without knowing much about it other than few key words, and I really enjoyed being surprised. So here's just a list of things this book touches upon, in case some of them really check your boxes too.
*Indigenous author and protagonist, centering first nation peoples 
*Queer characters 
*Alternate history (with more Norse influence on culture, language, holidays, myths, etc)
*Steampunk, heavy on the chemistry but also with magic. Magical chemistry? 
*Magic school (but it's not called magic)
*Dragon companions!

I loved the characters, the world, the clear love for the planet and magic and science the protagonist (and author) has, the depth of thought and care that went into this novel. The tone and style took few chapters to hook me, but it was immersive soon after I got going.
I do not love that I have no idea when the sequel would be out!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism and Colonisation

philineselavy's review

adventurous hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

must read. i loved the inventiveness of the skiltakraft magic, the strong main character anequs. the subtle but powerful deconstruction of a society build on colonialism, racism and white supremacy. it was perfect. i cannot wait for the sequel 🔥

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, Ableism, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, and Homophobia

breezer's review against another edition

adventurous reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

The dragon school and discussions on colonialism were great but the writing style didn't mesh with me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Genocide, Colonisation, Suicide, Sexism, Classism, and War

Moderate: Animal death

quartz's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Racism, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Classism, and Bullying

Moderate: Colonisation, Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Death

Minor: War and Genocide

jainabee's review

adventurous challenging inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I couldn't put this down and I told each and every one of my friends, colleagues, and quite a few strangers that they really ought to read this book! I can barely wait for the next one—so curious to see where the story goes from the astonishing set-up of the first book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Colonisation, Classism, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual harassment, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Gaslighting, Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

The great thing about the challenging content is that is is witnessed from the point of view of a very confident young woman of color who calls out that %$#!

bisexualwentworth's review against another edition

• 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

This is my new favorite book. it delivered on every possible level. I adored the characters and the worldbuilding and the writing style. I will come back and write a longer review when I can express my love for this book more coherently, but wow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Misogyny, Violence, Xenophobia, Bullying, Death, Colonisation, Classism, and Ableism

Moderate: Homophobia, Genocide, Death of parent, War, Slavery, and Murder

Minor: Animal death

emilyready's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Racism and Classism

Minor: Gun violence, Hate crime, Bullying, and Ableism

garrettcz's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Colonisation, Racism, Ableism, and Classism

Moderate: Hate crime, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Racism, Genocide, Murder, and Grief

Minor: Racism, Racial slurs, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Confinement, Child abuse, Sexism, Colonisation, Animal death, Biphobia, Classism, Murder, Lesbophobia, Death, and Death of parent

anazap's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book tackles a lot of heavy topics (colonialism, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism) but I think it does it well. Anequs was an easy character to like, though I felt she had less depth than many of the other characters. This was definitely more character driven than plot driven, which was not necessarily what I was expecting but I am excited to see where the series goes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Classism, and Ableism

Moderate: Misogyny

Minor: Transphobia, Animal death, and Homophobia