Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

26 reviews

joa_price's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

This book is wonderful and heartbreaking and has made me rethink all of my family ties with a kinder heart. I loved this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, and Grief

abi_g_mac's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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

Amazing, loved it. Such an interesting way to discuss the constraints and disrespect faced by women in a patriarchal society, and the reactions of people in power when those they oppress start to expand their lives and take control of their own bodies. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Domestic abuse

antimony's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

good!! i liked the writing style a lot and i really liked the ending as well :) also i know goodreads got rid of the recommendation feature but i think this would be so good for fans of the once and future witches

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Death of parent

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Cancer

Minor: Alcoholism

kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-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

5.0

Exquisite. Exquisite! I can write paragraphs of nitpicky thoughts about books I like but books I love often turn my brain to mush. This is one of those books I think

This book is full of love, rage, vindication, revenge, grief,… do yourself a favor & just read it! 

A quick but lasting read 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Cancer, Sexism, Misogyny, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Transphobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Abandonment, Terminal illness, and Alcoholism

Minor: War and Racism

larkken's review

I don't need additional reasons to rage at circumstances beyond my control, I'm already a woman living in the patriarchy. If we had managed to get to the "fun" part of this book before the half-way point, I could have put up better with the misery set-up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Sexism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse

aocean's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse

elizea's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse

booksthatburn's review against another edition

I was hoping for dragons, what I got was a book about not talking about dragons. The metaphor is clear, but repetitive and slow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Alcoholism

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Drug use

breadwitchery's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexism, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Animal death, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Infidelity

amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

3.0

Ugh 😫 the first half of this book was delightful. The middle was a challenge, and the end complicated.

The premise is unique. In the 50s, a bunch of women turned into dragons, and they left. Alex, the primary's story, is one of remembering and forgetting as her culture remembers and forgets.

If you read it as a memoir, the story flows like water. 

It centers rage, trauma, and healing, and it leans into an idea that if women had more power the world would be better. I find this challenging since colonialism and white supermacy wield white feminism as both a shield and a knife. 

It's a book I'm going to be thinking about for a long time. It is both tragic and hopeful, sad and sweet, and creative and destructive. 

I can't get over the how it centers white people in stories of black and brown people though. If recommend it to a specific type of reader. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Xenophobia