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lady_valhella's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The societal challenges women face are so briliantly and ridiculously exposed in this book. Well maybe not exposed. But the analogy of how we don’t talk about all of the issues that affect us because it is indicent or inappropriate to talk about our reproductive health or our desires or our pain. How the society we built prefers to pretend those things don’t exist and yet we persist and defy and thrive. Thank you for writing this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Cancer, and Chronic illness
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)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Abandonment, Cancer, Death of parent, and Sexism
Moderate: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Panic attacks/disorders
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
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Cancer and Homophobia
arood's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Alcoholism, Grief, Dysphoria, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
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…
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
booking_along's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
i went into this book expecting a bit of a strange read and while that certainly is part of this book, it was also an extremely honest an real look at women and their life’s and while it had this magical realism fantasy aspect of women turning into dragons- the actual overall topic was very much about women in general - at least for me.
it was almost a commentary about what women went through and how that could have gone if women would have been more physical powerfully - how men couldn’t have kept pushing women down as much and wouldn’t have gotten away with as much so easily as they did and still do.
now you don’t have to read too much into this book.
you can also just read it as a story of a girl growing into a women and more or less sharing her life story and how the world was that she grew and old in with the ability of women to become dragons.
it’s written in a bit of a slower sometimes almost meandering tone, so don’t go into this expecting a fast paced or action packed story.
each book by this author -i read at least 3 of hers now- were completely different and had nothing to do with the other. they differentiated from tone to topic to amount of fantastic elements and plot completely.
this author isn’t one that just because you liked one book means you enjoy an other or the other way around - or you can love them all because they are all so different and in ways uniquely done.
i really enjoyed this and while k did thing that the middle part dragged a little bit and i would have absolutely loved this if it would have verbs little bit shorter it was a fantastic read and such a different book that i know i want to come back and experience it all over again at some point.
it was almost a commentary about what women went through and how that could have gone if women would have been more physical powerfully - how men couldn’t have kept pushing women down as much and wouldn’t have gotten away with as much so easily as they did and still do.
now you don’t have to read too much into this book.
you can also just read it as a story of a girl growing into a women and more or less sharing her life story and how the world was that she grew and old in with the ability of women to become dragons.
it’s written in a bit of a slower sometimes almost meandering tone, so don’t go into this expecting a fast paced or action packed story.
each book by this author -i read at least 3 of hers now- were completely different and had nothing to do with the other. they differentiated from tone to topic to amount of fantastic elements and plot completely.
this author isn’t one that just because you liked one book means you enjoy an other or the other way around - or you can love them all because they are all so different and in ways uniquely done.
i really enjoyed this and while k did thing that the middle part dragged a little bit and i would have absolutely loved this if it would have verbs little bit shorter it was a fantastic read and such a different book that i know i want to come back and experience it all over again at some point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Sexism, Alcohol, and Grief
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Terminal illness
racheldonna14's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It felt like this book was written for me. Each line felt purposeful and intentional and I want to remember each and every detail for the rest of my life. Alex's range of emotions leap off the page and are deeply relatable to any person raised as a girl in Catholic School. The expectation of silence, not questioning authority, and maintaining appearances was so relatable and rage inducing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Death of parent, Grief, and Religious bigotry
micaelacccc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
This book means so much to me, it speaks to what our world could be if we only cared for one another and took care of each other, if we only let ourselves experience the freedom we want so badly. Beautiful beautiful writing, I loved it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexism, Abandonment, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Cancer