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A review by the_library_of_mary
To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
I REALLY wanted to like this book and I may pick it up at a different time. This has the makings of a great fantasy for me. It is set in an academia setting and has an indigenous main character who brings an indigenous mythology into this fantasy sett, which I LOVE. In the first couple chapters we hear the stories surrounding dragons by our main character and I was so invested in the world and the stories.
The problem I was having was that it got way to dense. I love a book with details and world building, it is truly one of my favorite parts of fantasy stories. But this book took some scenes to an extreme. There are scenes where we are sitting in entire lectures learning about the sciences of the world and other classes. But that is all they are, there is not plot movement caused by these lectures. I made it 7 hours in and I feel like since she had gotten to the school, nothing has happened. And because we were getting so much "trivial " seeming information, it felt......boring.
I think the setting is interesting and this book talks a lot about eugenics and racism, as Anequs navigated a very Anglo society. That part of it I didn't mind, it made me uncomfortable at times ( as a white person), but I think that is entirely the point. In that regard I think this book does a great job at REALLY hammering down the racism present in this society.
If this book sounds up your alley, you should definitely give it a try! I have seen so many people enjoy this story, so maybe I just wasn't in the right head space for it.
The problem I was having was that it got way to dense. I love a book with details and world building, it is truly one of my favorite parts of fantasy stories. But this book took some scenes to an extreme. There are scenes where we are sitting in entire lectures learning about the sciences of the world and other classes. But that is all they are, there is not plot movement caused by these lectures. I made it 7 hours in and I feel like since she had gotten to the school, nothing has happened. And because we were getting so much "trivial " seeming information, it felt......boring.
I think the setting is interesting and this book talks a lot about eugenics and racism, as Anequs navigated a very Anglo society. That part of it I didn't mind, it made me uncomfortable at times ( as a white person), but I think that is entirely the point. In that regard I think this book does a great job at REALLY hammering down the racism present in this society.
If this book sounds up your alley, you should definitely give it a try! I have seen so many people enjoy this story, so maybe I just wasn't in the right head space for it.