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arwinadrea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Lesbophobia, Outing, and Dysphoria
Cold War, Women's Lib, Toxic Patriarchy, and Traumatic Childhood meets hopeful coming of age magical realism!joa_price's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Grief, and Abandonment
mandi_lea's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury
cryfest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexism, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Dysphoria
miniingrid's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexism, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol
ka_ke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Lesbophobia, Dysphoria, and Classism
percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
When Kelly Barnhill wants you to believe in something, she puts her whole soul into it. By the end of this book, I was convinced that dragoning was real, and wondering why I couldn't dragon myself away, or even if I could. I know at times her metaphor can fall apart at the seams, but that's honestly what helped ground it for me. These are dragons, these are women. Dragoning can mean everything and it can mean nothing, though the latter would be unusual. Pretty much every time, that meaning made me want to cry. Often, I did cry while reading this book. And after finishing it too. It struck a chord in me so forcefully: the depiction of female generational trauma and the mixing of rage and sadness and hurt and unfairness and love one can have for their mother.
At times, I was a bit frustrated with Barnhill's decisions throughout the book. I needed a bit more about trans people and what dragoning meant for them, and I know I am not alone in feeling like the intersectional aspects of feminism were a bit lacking, though in some ways that seems par for the course of the 50s and 60s. This book filled me with emptiness at the lack of catharsis in some areas. There was a lot of build up and not enough resolution for me at times. Which, in some ways, feels perfect for the messiness of life, that truthfully we don't often get the catharsis we need. But I disliked the hollowness and in the end, I felt dissatisfied and want to scream, "Why?" and "It isn't fair!"
Do not look to this book to heal you, it will wring you dry. I can't wait for the day I will reread this, and pick things apart more. And maybe by then I'll have actually settled on a star rating for this book. For now, I leave that empty. This book is too much for me now.
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Outing, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Murder, Alcohol, and War
tallandblonde's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Physical abuse
fairytalefootnotes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity
kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition
- 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
This book is full of love, rage, vindication, revenge, grief,… do yourself a favor & just read it!
A quick but lasting read
Graphic: Cancer, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Transphobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Racism and War