Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

78 reviews

corabookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

In 1955, in an event called the Mass Dragoning, thousands of women transformed into dragons and disappeared into the sky, leaving fire and destruction in their wake. Alex’s aunt was one of them. Shamed into silence, the girl struggles within the dynamics of her family and the oppressive world they live in.

When I read this book back in January, I expected exactly what the blurb pitched: a fiery feminist historical fantasy focused on female rage. Which I got. But (at least the first half of) this book was so much more. It covered complex themes of grief and motherhood and sisterhood and loss and love and shame and guilt and I devoured every single word. (And cried. Parts of this book struck close to home and OUCH.)

The concept itself is intriguing, and Barnhill’s execution is brilliant, packed with gorgeous prose and raw emotion. Parts of the story remain almost a mystery, unraveling through the passages between chapters and little clues scattered throughout the pages. 

This book definitely has its flaws, as well. A few other reviewers have pointed out that this book views feminism through a very white and middle-class lens, which is a fair criticism and something to think about while reading. There’s some events that stretch reality a little (not including the whole turning-into-dragons thing) and it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea–it’s slow-paced, with lots of focus on characters and concepts. 

However, if you enjoy literary fiction and historical fantasy, with a focus on the complexities of girlhood and female relationships, I’d check this one out! (Also there’s women. And dragons. <3)

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Homophobia and Lesbophobia

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Panic attacks/disorders

victoria29's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

There were aspects that I enjoyed. Overall, I felt like it was heavy handed. People and situations were either good or bad with little nuance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Cancer, Homophobia, Abandonment, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Death of parent

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

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

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

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

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

heartmarierose's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Alcoholism and Infidelity

atsuanna's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful slow-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

3.75

“All women are magic. 

Literally all of us. It's in our nature. 

It's best you learn that now."

Oh goodness… words cannot describe how this book made me feel? It’s so different from what I normally read so it was really difficult to get through at some points, it felt longer then it needed to be for me. But I adore how Alex grew into herself and as a character, the sister dynamics that tug your heart, the overall message, there’s just so much to talk about. This book is for all the women who feel stuck in place, who have seen the women they admire and love the most be worn down but a society that wasn’t ready to see their light or hear their words, who have seen the pure joy and love you can only feel with each other, who want to be more then society tells them they are. This book is heartbreaking in all the best ways, the kind of book that feels like an elder telling you a story of their life. It’s honestly magic. 

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Content Warnings

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

Minor: Homophobia

cheye13's review

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.

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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

linnea1801's review

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

There are badass lesbian scientists and dragons. Do I need to say more?

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Alcoholism