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adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautifully told. It flowed well. I loved the writing style. The characters were well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maybe three years after publication, this book already feels a little stale, or I was never really going to like it. I had high hopes, but I was disappointed at how un-subtle it all was. Alex's personal coming-of-age story was lovely, and honestly I kind of wish it had just been that. Instead, the clunky feminist messages—very white woman feminism—and disjointed fantasy elements—dragons, magic knots, etc—were distracting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
I went from having a tough time hearing about these young girls experiences to almost wishing this was all real. There is also a hilarious quote about politicians not ever wanting it to look like they are anti education.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Misogyny
Minor: Abandonment
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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:
Yes
Kelly Barnhill’s lush, lyrical prose drew me in like a hand beckoning a lost child into a forest and then blew me apart with revelations for the next 350 pages. This book made my heart ache so tenderly and reminded me of all my own frustrations, pressures, and pains as someone living as a woman in this world. It’s a master stroke. I can’t wait to read it again and pick up more of her work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism
Minor: Alcoholism
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Death, War
Minor: Racism
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A great interesting take on womanhood, how our society treats taboo topics around womanhood, coming into your own, and following your own path!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is wonderfully empowering and embraces female rage. It is slower paced, but it also kind of makes sense within the tone of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, Infidelity, Grief, Lesbophobia, Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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:
Complicated
What a beautifully written book that touches on the world back in the day but also current day (if you look enough). I think women turning into dragons is a very interesting concept and the way that it was written out was also compelling. It's not something you can stop, or predict, and even really document.
Who benefits when knowledge is buried? Who gains when science succumbs to political expediency?
Told alongside research and writings from a scientist looking into the dragoning it gave me a very good view into the world that this book takes place in, even if it's not our world it felt like it could been. Who says there aren't dragons out there and the gov't hasn't covered it up like they did in the book - has anyone checked on Barnhill since publication?
When power belongs, not to the violent, and not to the wealthy and well-connected, but to the people, a different sort of future begins to present itself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer, Gaslighting
Too many questions not getting answered, inconsistent main character, and no explanation of the magic (and frankly, not enough exploration of it). I felt this would make a great novella!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment