Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

137 reviews

tamara_joy's review

challenging emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Transphobia

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Abandonment, and Grief

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Cancer, and Panic attacks/disorders

dynila's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent and Misogyny

Minor: Cancer

rcaudf's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

This was a fantastic book that touched me in ways I can’t really begin to describe. I’m going to recommend it to my mother. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Cancer and Homophobia

jennmichelle_otsr's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective fast-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? No

4.75

I really did love this read, but something is keeping me from giving it five stars. Some of the imagery in the second half made me want to grab my sketchbook because Ms. Barnhill painted some vivid pictures with her words. I think ultimately the reason I am giving it a 4.75 is because at points the main messages got a little more heavy-handed than was needed. It is a beautiful story. It made me laugh, cry, and made me get angry at points (I’m looking at you, Mr. Green.). Good stories do that. They also make you look back at things when they pop up later. Strong threads go throughout this entire tale. Blending in history with the fantasy was a stroke of genius.  It will probably be among my top reads of 2024 when all is said and done because I really did enjoy it. I want to read some of the author’s YA books now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Cancer, Infidelity, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Violence

The prom sequence gets a little graphic when it is finally spelled out what happens during a dragoning.

rachel101's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was slow to start but definitely worth staying with, I was completely lost in it and couldn’t put it down…

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders

scrubsandbooks's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

3.5

A novel about feminine rage featuring queer characters and dragons, AND sisters, a topic that is particularly close to my heart. Honest, emotional, heart-warming. The plot itself moved really slow but this is mainly focused on the characters, anyway.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Cancer

mj_86's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Cancer and Alcoholism

kerrygetsliterary's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Terminal illness

atricapillus's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Misogyny

Moderate: Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcoholism

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia

sundayfever's review

reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I wanted to love this, but it was just hard for me to get into. Maybe it was the writing style and the academic tone of it. The ending and sudden integration of all characters into society felt unrealistic. Misogyny persists stronger than that.  Also white feminism vibes. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Cancer and Homophobia