Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Quan les dones eren dracs by Kelly Barnhill

134 reviews

jeleigh16's review against another edition

slow-paced

3.25

The concept for this book is phenomenal. It would have made for a spectacular short story! Unfortunately for me, as a novel, I think it made a promise that it didn't quite keep. It said, "I'm going to tell you about the time thousands of women became dragons (for whatever their individual reasons might be), but then I'm just going to talk around that event for a few hundred pages and never really dig into the thick of it, okay?" I wanted to be alongside a woman who "dragoned". I wanted to see a POV other than the one we are given of a teenage girl whose aunt "dragons" in the 1955 event. The teen's perspective was interesting, yes, but I felt like it would have been even more intriguing if we saw a couple of other perspectives in this novel, mainly one of the women who turns into a dragon. There are so many missed opportunities here. So many. This is billed as a feminist rage novel by many, but I thought it was way too quiet for most of the book. Where was the rage?? It's there, sure, but I really had to search for it. I wanted more. 

I did appreciate the protagonist's story as a girl who is left behind and the narrative of her dealing with essentially raising her cousin after everything falls apart. I also appreciated the choice to include the reports of the events in between the chapters from the protagonist's POV - which helped give background - but I wished I could have seen those events as scenes instead. That's the stuff I wanted to dive into!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Misogyny

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Violence and Blood

gluntv's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

 I feel extremely conflicted on this book… On one hand I really enjoyed it and found Alex’s perspective incredibly relatable and enjoyed how feminist it was. On the other hand, the ending was underwhelming and it felt like the author was trying to go in multiple directions for why women dragoned.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness

savshanae's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

If “Labour” by Paris Paloma was a book, this would be it. To be frank, I was enraged for most of it. I don’t even know if I would really recommend this book to someone, unless they were looking to be so full of feminine outrage they wanted to burst into flames. But if that is what you want, this book is it. 
The writing was emotional and painted vivid pictures (it was also wordy). Sometimes repetitive, but I think it adds to the story by the end. 
The self-expression and ideas that it inspired are challenging and thought provoking, and I really enjoyed that it is written to feel like you are being TOLD a story, someone’s thoughts and life experiences. 
This book made me very angry, made me cry (lots), made me want to stop reading it. But it’s definitely worth the read and the rage. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Bullying, Sexism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Blood, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Minor: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Animal death, and Domestic abuse

scarlett_f's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Death, Grief, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Outing

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Biphobia, and Addiction

Minor: Sexual content, Cursing, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Panic attacks/disorders

vatakarnic33's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Child abuse, Homophobia, and Misogyny

Moderate: Bullying and Cancer

Minor: Death of parent and Alcoholism

sydniv's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Abandonment, Cancer, and Sexism

Minor: Lesbophobia

fiddleysticks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Sexism, Violence, and Cancer

bmpicc's review against another edition

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? Yes

3.0

Good but... This story is a lot of things I enjoy. Coming of age, 1950's, feminist ideals, queer positive, marriage, family, quest for knowledge, and the librarians are obviously the best. What bothered me is the ideas & connections were almost too obvious. I enjoy having to think a little. I like peeling back the onion and unveiling things. I didn't have to do that at all with this one.

I sort of wish the POV was the dragons and not those left behind... I'm not mad I read it, but it is not what I was hoping for.

 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexism, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cancer and Homophobia

joayenne's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Infuriating. Overwhelming. Blazing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

jellyfishleila's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Abandonment