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oxfordcommas91 's review for:
To Shape a Dragon's Breath
by Moniquill Blackgoose
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
I really really liked what this book was trying to do - and how it flipped notions of the coming-of-age dragon academy novels on their head - but it was just a bit heavy handed in how it went about this goal, which diminished my enjoyment of it somewhat. That being said, it is a unique and well-written story and there were moments I forgot that it was YA. Moniquill Blackgoose is clearly a talented writer and the prose was flowing and intriguing, really capturing me from the outset.
If you've read the typical dragon books like Fourth Wing, just know that this book is the anti... that. Our protagonist is a young indigenous woman, Anequs, who has been raised to treat herself, others, and the land with respect and reverence. When she unexpectedly comes across a dragon egg on her small island, she brings it to her elders and when it hatches it - you guessed it! - chooses Anequs as its bond. Anequs' life is quickly turned upside down as she is forced to attend an elite dragon academy on the mainland that is run by the "Anglish" - the colonizing force of her island home who are known for their racism and brutality towards indigenous peoples. It's a classic underdog hero story in the sense that Anequs must learn how to survive amongst those who have been taught their entire lives that she is backwards and uncivilized, however it misses a lot of the nuance that makes for a truly compelling story.
There's a lot of black and white in this book - and yes, the Anglish government is truly and completely evil and the author's points are well taken and well understood. Maybe because the book is YA does the plot points feel a bit too "on the nose" at times, but I do think that some issues could have been handled with a scalpel and not a hammer. Anequs sometimes comes off as self-righteous, but I found myself rooting for her despite her stubbornness as she fights for herself, her dragon, and her homeland.
What I think this book did really well was set up the rest of the series. In this first book, we've gotten a real sense for the history of the Anglish and their wars against the indigenous peoples (and how history is taught by the victors...), how dragons and their power function, what Anequs and her friends are up against, and what the future may hold. I hope that Blackgoose will be able to trust her readers to uncover some of the lessons in her second book without having to state things so explicitly. Morally grey characters are good and bring complexity to stories - it can be difficult and frustrating to read a book where people are explicitly labeled good or bad at the outset without much space to change or adapt. I want to see Anequs make mistakes, I want to see characters who would have judged her at the outset grow and bridge the divide between their people in the service of what is right, and I definitely cannot wait until the dragons are grown.
I understand folks' critiques of this book and don't disagree with them necessarily, but I really love what Blackgoose did and how she is offering a different perspective to the white, colonizer dragon fantasy. Her characters have free rein to be authentically themselves and the queer, indigenous, & neurodivergent representation in this book is a breath of fresh air. I hope lots of pre-teens and teenagers pick up her book and see a sliver of themselves in this. I will definitely be looking forward to reading book 2, where I hope Blackgoose's characters can grow in their complexity and depth as they grow older.
If you've read the typical dragon books like Fourth Wing, just know that this book is the anti... that. Our protagonist is a young indigenous woman, Anequs, who has been raised to treat herself, others, and the land with respect and reverence. When she unexpectedly comes across a dragon egg on her small island, she brings it to her elders and when it hatches it - you guessed it! - chooses Anequs as its bond. Anequs' life is quickly turned upside down as she is forced to attend an elite dragon academy on the mainland that is run by the "Anglish" - the colonizing force of her island home who are known for their racism and brutality towards indigenous peoples. It's a classic underdog hero story in the sense that Anequs must learn how to survive amongst those who have been taught their entire lives that she is backwards and uncivilized, however it misses a lot of the nuance that makes for a truly compelling story.
There's a lot of black and white in this book - and yes, the Anglish government is truly and completely evil and the author's points are well taken and well understood. Maybe because the book is YA does the plot points feel a bit too "on the nose" at times, but I do think that some issues could have been handled with a scalpel and not a hammer. Anequs sometimes comes off as self-righteous, but I found myself rooting for her despite her stubbornness as she fights for herself, her dragon, and her homeland.
What I think this book did really well was set up the rest of the series. In this first book, we've gotten a real sense for the history of the Anglish and their wars against the indigenous peoples (and how history is taught by the victors...), how dragons and their power function, what Anequs and her friends are up against, and what the future may hold. I hope that Blackgoose will be able to trust her readers to uncover some of the lessons in her second book without having to state things so explicitly. Morally grey characters are good and bring complexity to stories - it can be difficult and frustrating to read a book where people are explicitly labeled good or bad at the outset without much space to change or adapt. I want to see Anequs make mistakes, I want to see characters who would have judged her at the outset grow and bridge the divide between their people in the service of what is right, and I definitely cannot wait until the dragons are grown.
I understand folks' critiques of this book and don't disagree with them necessarily, but I really love what Blackgoose did and how she is offering a different perspective to the white, colonizer dragon fantasy. Her characters have free rein to be authentically themselves and the queer, indigenous, & neurodivergent representation in this book is a breath of fresh air. I hope lots of pre-teens and teenagers pick up her book and see a sliver of themselves in this. I will definitely be looking forward to reading book 2, where I hope Blackgoose's characters can grow in their complexity and depth as they grow older.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Classism
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, War
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death of parent