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kymirakythe 's review for:
To Shape a Dragon's Breath
by Moniquill Blackgoose
challenging
informative
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:
No
To Shape a Dragon's Breath centers indigenous experiences, and that makes it exceptionally different from other dragon magical school books, worth a read, and a valuable addition to the fantasy canon.
Anequs is a smart, level-headed person, and above all, she's practical. When it becomes clear that she cannot learn what she needs to know to be Nampeshiweisit (companion to a dragon) on her home island of Masquapaug, she enrolls in a colonizers' school to gain the knowledge that she needs. She knew going in that she would face some absolutely horrid attitudes - the conversation she's forced to have about eugenics being perhaps most appalling, but the constant attitude that she should want to be "uplifted into civil society" perhaps being the most wearing - but she is dedicated to the well-being of her dragon and to her people. And despite the prevailing attitude of many of the colonizers, Anequs forges connections, particularly with Sander, who is clearly autistic, and with the only other nackie (indigenous person) at school, Theod. She manages something neutral with her roommate, Marta, the only other female dragoneer; I really liked that Anequs's relationship with Marta is fraught.
Having grown up among her own people, Anequs is secure in her indigenous identity, so the conflict that she faces is the external racism and classism that are dominating themes and critiques of the book. She's not an uninteresting character, but I was much more drawn to Theod's experience. Theod was taken from his indigenous community when his mother was pregnant and raised among whites to be a servant. The circumstances by which he gained a dragon are fraught, and thus he's initially very hostile towards Anequs. The two of them gradually forging something between them was one of the book's strengths.
Its weakness, however, was in its pacing and its magic system. I struggled a bit to get into the book; I would've liked either a few more opening chapters in Masquapaug or a few less. Then Anequs goes to school (the bulk of the book), which was fine, though it focused heavily on the first few days and then months of the school year; the second half of the year felt squashed in around the back half of the plot, where the racism that's been building up comes to a head.
As for the magic system... it was the periodic table, renamed and depicted using elaborate symbols. Despite grasping this, and the pagespace dedicated to describing it in detail, it was unclear to me what all the various types of krafts represented/were used for. A glossary to go along with the pronunciation guide would have been helpful.
Despite its flaws, I found To Shape a Dragon's Breath engaging and thought-provoking. More than once I was incredibly uncomfortable, which I found valuable.
Anequs is a smart, level-headed person, and above all, she's practical. When it becomes clear that she cannot learn what she needs to know to be Nampeshiweisit (companion to a dragon) on her home island of Masquapaug, she enrolls in a colonizers' school to gain the knowledge that she needs. She knew going in that she would face some absolutely horrid attitudes - the conversation she's forced to have about eugenics being perhaps most appalling, but the constant attitude that she should want to be "uplifted into civil society" perhaps being the most wearing - but she is dedicated to the well-being of her dragon and to her people. And despite the prevailing attitude of many of the colonizers, Anequs forges connections, particularly with Sander, who is clearly autistic, and with the only other nackie (indigenous person) at school, Theod. She manages something neutral with her roommate, Marta, the only other female dragoneer; I really liked that Anequs's relationship with Marta is fraught.
Having grown up among her own people, Anequs is secure in her indigenous identity, so the conflict that she faces is the external racism and classism that are dominating themes and critiques of the book. She's not an uninteresting character, but I was much more drawn to Theod's experience. Theod was taken from his indigenous community when his mother was pregnant and raised among whites to be a servant. The circumstances by which he gained a dragon are fraught, and thus he's initially very hostile towards Anequs. The two of them gradually forging something between them was one of the book's strengths.
Its weakness, however, was in its pacing and its magic system. I struggled a bit to get into the book; I would've liked either a few more opening chapters in Masquapaug or a few less. Then Anequs goes to school (the bulk of the book), which was fine, though it focused heavily on the first few days and then months of the school year; the second half of the year felt squashed in around the back half of the plot, where the racism that's been building up comes to a head.
As for the magic system... it was the periodic table, renamed and depicted using elaborate symbols. Despite grasping this, and the pagespace dedicated to describing it in detail, it was unclear to me what all the various types of krafts represented/were used for. A glossary to go along with the pronunciation guide would have been helpful.
Despite its flaws, I found To Shape a Dragon's Breath engaging and thought-provoking. More than once I was incredibly uncomfortable, which I found valuable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Racism, Sexism, Colonisation, Classism
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail