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bookishkale's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What a book! I was pleasantly surprised by this, and I know that it was fairly popular on booktok and the like, but I don't feel like anyone truly did it justice.
The story is set up in an exciting way, where you are not fully sure what is happening until it starts, and then you want to devour it, or at least I did! The story is structured almost like a memoir, but not fully, intermixed there are academic excerpts. It's very creative, and one of the first books that attempted to do something like that, and did it well! The book is set from the 1950s to the '60s. I think this is the best period of time to set this in, because any later or early, the Author wouldn't have succeeded in curating this particular feeling around Dragoning.
The story is told from the point of view of Alex Green, who we 'see' grow up. I personally liked Alex's character, though, I did find her to be frustrating at times. However, she is a product of the people around her, and the people around her did not care for her the way she should have. I love Beatrice and her spunk, and their Aunt Marla. I loved Sonja and the Librarian whose name I can't remember. Their importance in the story was palpable, without any of them, Alex wouldn't be Alex. Overall, I would say the characters all meshed well together, their reactions to the happens of the book make sense, and they are enjoyable. However, I don't know how I feel about Alex's character development by the end of the book, however, I understand the choices that were made and it does not sour the book for me.
The only thing keeping me from rating this higher was the lack of intersectional feminism. There are virtually none, or very, very few, people of color in this book at all. I understand that this book isn't about that, and it's written in a specific time period, but you have fucking dragons in your book... I think you can add a person of color without it being out of place. It would have been so interesting to see someone from any other background talk about their experience with Dragoning with Alex. I do appreciate that there is sapphic love in this story, I don't think it could be the same without it, and I find that wonderful! I wish more exploration could have gone into transwomen and their dragoning. I just love the dragoning experience that the author portrays and I want more and more and more.
Overall, a great read, I did enjoy it and I think it only could have been better. Please check out the content warnings for this book, it can get a bit heavy at times. I buddy read this with my friend Coletta, who also enjoyed this book a lot!
The story is set up in an exciting way, where you are not fully sure what is happening until it starts, and then you want to devour it, or at least I did! The story is structured almost like a memoir, but not fully, intermixed there are academic excerpts. It's very creative, and one of the first books that attempted to do something like that, and did it well! The book is set from the 1950s to the '60s. I think this is the best period of time to set this in, because any later or early, the Author wouldn't have succeeded in curating this particular feeling around Dragoning.
The story is told from the point of view of Alex Green, who we 'see' grow up. I personally liked Alex's character, though, I did find her to be frustrating at times. However, she is a product of the people around her, and the people around her did not care for her the way she should have. I love Beatrice and her spunk, and their Aunt Marla. I loved Sonja and the Librarian whose name I can't remember. Their importance in the story was palpable, without any of them, Alex wouldn't be Alex. Overall, I would say the characters all meshed well together, their reactions to the happens of the book make sense, and they are enjoyable. However, I don't know how I feel about Alex's character development by the end of the book, however, I understand the choices that were made and it does not sour the book for me.
The only thing keeping me from rating this higher was the lack of intersectional feminism. There are virtually none, or very, very few, people of color in this book at all. I understand that this book isn't about that, and it's written in a specific time period, but you have fucking dragons in your book... I think you can add a person of color without it being out of place. It would have been so interesting to see someone from any other background talk about their experience with Dragoning with Alex. I do appreciate that there is sapphic love in this story, I don't think it could be the same without it, and I find that wonderful! I wish more exploration could have gone into transwomen and their dragoning. I just love the dragoning experience that the author portrays and I want more and more and more.
Overall, a great read, I did enjoy it and I think it only could have been better. Please check out the content warnings for this book, it can get a bit heavy at times. I buddy read this with my friend Coletta, who also enjoyed this book a lot!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Cancer, Chronic illness, Grief, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying and Infidelity
The book is very in-depth with sexism and misogyny, it's kind of the whole premise of the book, if you don't feel like you can handle any amount, I would avoid it. However, from what I remember, there is no violence toward women, from what I remember. Mainly just through comments and the social structures at the time.spaceseagull321's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Terminal illness
Moderate: Chronic illness, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Child abuse and Lesbophobia
bubbadina's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Homophobia, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
keenanmaree's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What a gorgeous, weird, and wonderful book. As bizarre and fantastical as it is, it still manages to provide an incredibly grounded exploration of what it is like to grow up feminine in a world that has declared so many aspects of femininity to be taboo. It is a powerful study of gender, relationships, and what happens when we allow too much to remain unsaid simply because “we don’t talk about that.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Cancer, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Grief, Religious bigotry, and Emotional abuse
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