Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

193 reviews

casualk's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death of parent, and Abandonment

searedfish's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Abandonment, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Death, and Death of parent

leslie_overbookedsocialworker's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

willow_witch's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Panic attacks/disorders

3bobbielee's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Violence and Death of parent

katvanfos's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent, Cancer, and Homophobia

Minor: Alcoholism

bb_11's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

2.25

"Is it possible for a book to say feminist things yet not be feminist?", was possibly my book clubs best discussion topic after reading this book.  Ultimately, we decided yes it is possible and we have "When Women were Dragons" to thank for it.  This book was all over the place narratively and thematically. Any single issue the author was willing to tackle was burdened by her attempt to tackle 15 other things all at once. This led to a strangely paced, contradictory, and emotionally whiplashing plot. 

 Another sentiment my bookclub shared:  we couldn't wait for the first half of the novel to be over, but then the second half made us miss the first half!  The end of book "climax" completely invalidates the main character's development and obliterates the stakes all at once. 

Would recommend if you want to challenge yourself to critically deconstruct feminish literature and uncover evidence as to why a novel needs more than women>men to say something powerful.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Misogyny

Minor: Body horror

vagrantheather's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Cancer, and Grief

Minor: Death and Lesbophobia

beebowbabe's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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

4.25

Thought provoking and creative 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Homophobia, Cancer, and Transphobia

Minor: War, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, and Infidelity

iloponis's review against another edition

3.0

didnt hate it but was expecting more

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent