A review by epsilonecho
To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective

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

5.0

A riveting exploration of an indigenous girl's journey into an unfamiliar, often hostile, colonial culture. Most of the story focuses on Anequs' experiences at school, while slowly developing a larger, more intricate plot in the background.

Possibly one of my favorite books I've ever read. Scratches the character-focused school story itch I obtained in childhood. Don't let some negative reviews about "lack of action" fool you: not all stories need to be directly about violence or conflict. This book proves that by immersing you into Anequs' life, not just her battles. 

I've also seen criticisms that the dragons don't so much in this book:

by the end of the book, most of the main character's dragons are just about a year old!

While dragons provide the impetus for the plot, they are not what the story is about. The story is about Anequs and her journey into this unfamiliar world.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Sexism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Death of parent, Ableism, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, War, Death, and Genocide

Minor: Animal death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Gun violence

All of the themes are treated very respectfully by the author, but they are serious and their impact on people shouldn't be lessened. Overall, I was never uncomfortable reading this book, and I felt the author handled all of these very delicate ideas very well as to not trigger readers, while also ensuring the emotional weight is understood.