Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

48 reviews

cheye13's review against another edition

mysterious 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? No

5.0

This reads very much like a false history or a fictional memoir, which is my absolute favorite genre. The articles and papers inter-spliced were very cool, but I wish there'd been more of them, or that they tied in with Alex's story more. It did feel like it had about ten endings, but I did enjoy seeing where everyone ended up. 

Everything up until the final part (which was primarily that series of endings) was perfect to me. The tangibility of the time periods, the snippets of everyday magic, the characters reaching out to each other. The whole book really embodies a very specific feeling I have reading about being a woman in those times.

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Infidelity, Cancer, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

amandaboyer's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Sexism, Grief, Misogyny, and Abandonment

sadiaa's review against another edition

2.75

The premise of the book is interesting, women suddenly turning into dragons and societies denial of the existence of dragons. This book took me forever to finish, I kept picking it up and putting it down. I found myself skipping pages at a time, I was only interested in Alex and Beatrice's story. I found myself angry at the misogyny Alex faced, "no point getting an education when you'll just become a wife and mother", it was infuriating and testament to how women deal with adversity.
I loved the female rage aspect of the book,

when the dragons attack the abusive men in their lives, I wish Alex got her revenge on her teacher, he was insufferable.

It just failed to hold my interest and I struggled through this book, determined not to dnf 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Grief, Homophobia, Death, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

arwinadrea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, and Cancer

Minor: Lesbophobia, Dysphoria, and Outing

Cold War, Women's Lib, Toxic Patriarchy, and Traumatic Childhood meets hopeful coming of age magical realism!

tostita's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Death of parent, Cancer, Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Terminal illness, Misogyny, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, and Infidelity

Minor: Sexual harassment and Physical abuse

ka_ke's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• 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

Calling all feminists, this book is a must read. A carefully balance mix of fantasy and memories, When Women Were Dragons shares the stories and the struggles of those who fought for the rights we have (for now at least) so that we may preserve their memories and work towards a better future. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body shaming, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Sexism, Misogyny, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Classism, Dysphoria, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders

scytheria's review

adventurous 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Gun violence, War, Transphobia, and Homophobia

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 

---

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

eegekay's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Gaslighting, Death, Death of parent, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, and Cancer

thereadinghammock's review

Not only is the misogyny of the 1950s/1960s a major contextual element, but the way the story is being told just isn't jiving with me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Gaslighting

Moderate: Grief, Cancer, Sexism, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, and Abandonment