Scan barcode
curlicuereads's review
adventurous
emotional
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
4.75
nerp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This and So Let Them Burn should be THE dragon books of the decade, but I digress: To Shape a Dragon’s Breath was absolutely fabulous, and I cannot wait for the sequel.
There’s no attempt here to make the cultures in the book unrecognizable, and for a story about colonization, it works. Yet even so, there’s a complexity and acknowledgment of the heterogenous nature of empire that I rarely see, and that was deeply refreshing.
What I also love about this is how unapologetic Anequs is about herself and her people. In some ways, she doesn’t quite grow in this book—just becomes more firm in her convictions and understanding of who she is, while also becoming more savvy in the dance of not stepping on too many colonizer toes for safety’s sake.
Also, the autism rep made me cry.
Absolutely fabulous.
There’s no attempt here to make the cultures in the book unrecognizable, and for a story about colonization, it works. Yet even so, there’s a complexity and acknowledgment of the heterogenous nature of empire that I rarely see, and that was deeply refreshing.
What I also love about this is how unapologetic Anequs is about herself and her people. In some ways, she doesn’t quite grow in this book—just becomes more firm in her convictions and understanding of who she is, while also becoming more savvy in the dance of not stepping on too many colonizer toes for safety’s sake.
Also, the autism rep made me cry.
Absolutely fabulous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Ableism
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Sexism, Murder, and Hate crime
arigoat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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? Yes
4.5
momototato's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH.
aczafir's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
alannathelioness's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
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
kkulmel's review
3.0
great idea, slightly less great execution
I enjoyed this book a lot, but was also a little disappointed in the execution of this very good idea there are points at which the educational matter got a bit tedious, especially when it was just assigning new words to already existing concepts, such as geography and chemistry. I would’ve liked this book to have either an entirely novel magical system, or much briefer explanations of the copied chemistry. Despite that, I would recommend reading this book because it is a great concept and I would like to see it explored further in book 2.
I enjoyed this book a lot, but was also a little disappointed in the execution of this very good idea there are points at which the educational matter got a bit tedious, especially when it was just assigning new words to already existing concepts, such as geography and chemistry. I would’ve liked this book to have either an entirely novel magical system, or much briefer explanations of the copied chemistry. Despite that, I would recommend reading this book because it is a great concept and I would like to see it explored further in book 2.
justhayl's review against another edition
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? No
4.0