A review by cameronreads
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

This book, whilst not completely revolutionary, nor all-encompassing, was an interesting read, with a compelling concept. The writing was very good, with some very quotable lines, and I liked how it was told as an autobiography. I though the characters were suitably complex and interesting to read about, and I loved exploring the relationships Alex had with everyone around her. It didn’t exactly bring anything new to the table, and whilst it did touch on the intersectionality between being a women and being trans (although in a somewhat clunky way, with trans women once described as ‘women by choice’) there was no touching on race, which was disappointing, especially considering when this books was set and the means of protesting and discrimination that we saw. I wouldn’t recommend this as a book to open your eyes to something, or to challenge your views on feminism, but I would as an enjoyable read. 
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