Reviews

I thought the concept of a mass dragoning as a metaphor for the consequences of oppression under 1950s housewife culture was very interesting, but the plot lacked the necessary depth to deliver on it.

It started off strong with this topic but it felt very much like a grueling read of watching horrible things happen to the women in the protag's life and the protag herself without much nuance or meaningfulness. Many of the male characters felt flat and as if they were written only to antagonize the woman within the story. This isn't a negative response against the feminist themes of the book, or a "not all men" response, I just think the themes could have been employed better. Overall it felt grueling, repetitive and not fun so I DNF'd it.

Might just not be my cup of tea.

sourpatch's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

4.5

vfarrell's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

jilyne's review against another edition

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4.0

I devoured the first half of this book, anxious to learn what caused the “mass dragoning,” and why the US refused to acknowledge it happened and even gaslit everyone who witnessed it and wanted to talk or learn more about it. However, I was a little disappointed that it took almost 80% into the book to get into anything beyond Alex (the protagonist) being silenced and questioning her own beliefs. The gaslighting got exhausting. I craved a little more depth to the plot and explanation to what it means to transform into a dragon. Overall, this book is right up my alley with feminist themes and a story about the need for women to step into their power, knowing, and truest selves. But I felt it lacked the depth and detail I craved.

valkari's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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