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Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'
To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
39 reviews
star_charter152's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Genocide, Hate crime, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, and War
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Slavery, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
1_800_fuck_off's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
wow…. WOW
this book!!!!!
one of my favorite reads this year for fucking sure
the MESSAGE??!!! the ROMANCE??!! THE DRAGONS???? THE CULTURE?!?!? THE CHARACTERS!!!!!!
perfect everything perfect
i don't even usually like romance but this one just hit different it ended exactly how i wanted it to and it's the first of its kind that i've read (IT’S POLYYYY POLY ROMANCE IS SO RARE AND THIS ONE!! UGH this book set up such a perfect path for the romance to enhance in the second book for SURE) i'm so in love with it and guys the characters can not empathize them enough!! i loved the mc and her friends and her family they're the best especially my boy sander he'll live in my heart forever and i just can't recommend this book enough it has such an important message to society about how indigenous people are treated and have been treated for years it also shows just how beautiful their culture is and just how necessary it is to listen to their voices and how society could stand to adopt at least a little bit of the way they see the world
it would be a much better place
it would be a much better place
can not wait for the next book <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Genocide, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Colonisation
Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Slavery, Transphobia, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
quartz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
Minor: Genocide and War
jainabee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
After reading the hardcopy once and listening to the audiobook twice, my appreciation for the rich complexities and top notch storytelling is even stronger. Magnificent. Listening to the wonderful character voices and accents performed by Charley Flyte brought out the intercultural class differences and complex social nuances more distinctly.
So much happens so quickly in this first installment of the series that I missed a few important details which deepen the characters—such as the look that Frau Kuiper gives Anaqus right before her skiltakraft final. The look that Anequs cannot interpret in the moment. I think I know what it means now, but it took three reads! The complicated social and political layers of this story are profound—and quite relevant to contemporary issues.
Another aspect that took me this long to get (I am white from a colonizer heritage and this tale is told from an Indigenous POV—there’s probably a LOT MORE that I don’t get) is the stylized language throughout the book. Though most of the places and objects in the book are all places and objects that are real, they all have abstracted names; English is Anglish, a penny is a pennik, a photographer is a lichtbildmacher, radium is strahlendstone, etc… why all of this confusing terminology??? Other than sustaining the tone of the alternate reality, it also puts a reader who has been educated in a typical American school in the same confusing position as the Indigenous protagonist. The words and customs that the colonizers all take for granted are almost as baffling to the reader as they are to Anequs. If the author had simply used words any typical American would understand, the reader would not be able to empathize with the confusion and frustrations and other obstacles that Anequs must move through.
The final layer I that understood more this time I wrapped in spoiler alerts in the content warning section.
I can barely wait for the next installment!
I couldn't put this down and I told each and every one of my friends, colleagues, and quite a few strangers that they really ought to read this book! I can barely wait for the next one—so curious to see where the story goes from the astonishing set-up of the first book.
So much happens so quickly in this first installment of the series that I missed a few important details which deepen the characters—such as the look that Frau Kuiper gives Anaqus right before her skiltakraft final. The look that Anequs cannot interpret in the moment. I think I know what it means now, but it took three reads! The complicated social and political layers of this story are profound—and quite relevant to contemporary issues.
Another aspect that took me this long to get (I am white from a colonizer heritage and this tale is told from an Indigenous POV—there’s probably a LOT MORE that I don’t get) is the stylized language throughout the book. Though most of the places and objects in the book are all places and objects that are real, they all have abstracted names; English is Anglish, a penny is a pennik, a photographer is a lichtbildmacher, radium is strahlendstone, etc… why all of this confusing terminology??? Other than sustaining the tone of the alternate reality, it also puts a reader who has been educated in a typical American school in the same confusing position as the Indigenous protagonist. The words and customs that the colonizers all take for granted are almost as baffling to the reader as they are to Anequs. If the author had simply used words any typical American would understand, the reader would not be able to empathize with the confusion and frustrations and other obstacles that Anequs must move through.
The final layer I that understood more this time I wrapped in spoiler alerts in the content warning section.
I can barely wait for the next installment!
I couldn't put this down and I told each and every one of my friends, colleagues, and quite a few strangers that they really ought to read this book! I can barely wait for the next one—so curious to see where the story goes from the astonishing set-up of the first book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting
garrettcz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Racism, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Biphobia, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
aksmith92's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What an interesting tale!
The setup: We follow Anequs, a 15-year-old from Masquapaug, the fictional island (known as Mack Island to white people) in the world Moniquill Blackgoose set up for us - FYI the map is very cool. I highly recommend you check that out in front of the book and the pronunciation guide.
Anequs is on Masquapaug with her lovely family when she sees a dragon, something improbable since dragons haven't been around for a long time on Masquapaug. The following day, she heads towards where she saw the dragon and finds an egg, returning it to her village. Next thing you know, it hatches and imprints itself onto Anequs. Anequs finds herself in a difficult situation - either she connects with the young Kasaqua (what she names the dragon) on her home island, or she leaves to go to the closest dragon school (yes, imprinting dragons are a thing, and there is a whole school for it!). She decides the latter since she needs to better understand how to communicate and work with her dragon - the art of doing so was lost on the island when their dragons left them some centuries ago. So, Anequs finds herself on an adventure to learn everything about controlling her dragon's breath - an essential piece of the dragon education system - but also finds herself in a very different and cold environment than the one on Masquapaug.
What I liked: I absolutely LOVED the world-building and plot in this novel. At times, it might have been a little dense, especially when Anequs was at school learning about components of the dragon's breath. But I loved every second; it was beyond innovative! This was the type of world-building and fantastical elements that I love to see. It was complicated. It was unique. It was original. Ugh, I had a blast. I also loved the characters. No two characters were alike, which I appreciated. They were all layered and dimensional, even the ones that you didn't necessarily love (I'm looking at you, Martha!). This book could, at times, be somewhat challenging. It incorporated deep racist threads to our world when it came to the Indigenous community, alongside colonialism, since this took place in the "1800s." (In quotes since this is what I would argue be a parallel world to our own history). But, while it was hard to read, it was essential to read.
What fell a little flat: This was not an action-packed book, in my opinion. There was some action near the end, but it was more of a narrative. There was a LOT of telling and only a little showing or doing. The writing style was sometimes like "I went to stand by Kasaqua to watch the clouds." "I went up to my room to read." And then, that was that. It was a VERY different writing style than I was used to, but it was still engaging. It didn't sway me too much since Blackgoose was no doubt trying to make this a YA novel, build the characters, and share a lot of the world-building in this book in a series.
Additionally (and lastly), I will say that while I loved Anequs's character (her uniqueness, candidness, and authenticity), there were times when I felt that it was unrealistic that she would say all of those things back at colonizers and not somehow get in more trouble. Anequs sometimes felt perfect and unwavering. While this certainly worked for the story and made me love Anequs in many ways, I thought it was occasionally unrealistic. It wasn't too big of a deal because I enjoyed reading about Anequs and her story.
Overall, this was a fantastic read. I have yet another dragon book that outweighs some other books I think may be a little overhyped (*cough cough iykyk*). I am looking forward to continuing this series when more are coming out.
The setup: We follow Anequs, a 15-year-old from Masquapaug, the fictional island (known as Mack Island to white people) in the world Moniquill Blackgoose set up for us - FYI the map is very cool. I highly recommend you check that out in front of the book and the pronunciation guide.
Anequs is on Masquapaug with her lovely family when she sees a dragon, something improbable since dragons haven't been around for a long time on Masquapaug. The following day, she heads towards where she saw the dragon and finds an egg, returning it to her village. Next thing you know, it hatches and imprints itself onto Anequs. Anequs finds herself in a difficult situation - either she connects with the young Kasaqua (what she names the dragon) on her home island, or she leaves to go to the closest dragon school (yes, imprinting dragons are a thing, and there is a whole school for it!). She decides the latter since she needs to better understand how to communicate and work with her dragon - the art of doing so was lost on the island when their dragons left them some centuries ago. So, Anequs finds herself on an adventure to learn everything about controlling her dragon's breath - an essential piece of the dragon education system - but also finds herself in a very different and cold environment than the one on Masquapaug.
What I liked: I absolutely LOVED the world-building and plot in this novel. At times, it might have been a little dense, especially when Anequs was at school learning about components of the dragon's breath. But I loved every second; it was beyond innovative! This was the type of world-building and fantastical elements that I love to see. It was complicated. It was unique. It was original. Ugh, I had a blast. I also loved the characters. No two characters were alike, which I appreciated. They were all layered and dimensional, even the ones that you didn't necessarily love (I'm looking at you, Martha!). This book could, at times, be somewhat challenging. It incorporated deep racist threads to our world when it came to the Indigenous community, alongside colonialism, since this took place in the "1800s." (In quotes since this is what I would argue be a parallel world to our own history). But, while it was hard to read, it was essential to read.
What fell a little flat: This was not an action-packed book, in my opinion. There was some action near the end, but it was more of a narrative. There was a LOT of telling and only a little showing or doing. The writing style was sometimes like "I went to stand by Kasaqua to watch the clouds." "I went up to my room to read." And then, that was that. It was a VERY different writing style than I was used to, but it was still engaging. It didn't sway me too much since Blackgoose was no doubt trying to make this a YA novel, build the characters, and share a lot of the world-building in this book in a series.
Additionally (and lastly), I will say that while I loved Anequs's character (her uniqueness, candidness, and authenticity), there were times when I felt that it was unrealistic that she would say all of those things back at colonizers and not somehow get in more trouble. Anequs sometimes felt perfect and unwavering. While this certainly worked for the story and made me love Anequs in many ways, I thought it was occasionally unrealistic. It wasn't too big of a deal because I enjoyed reading about Anequs and her story.
Overall, this was a fantastic read. I have yet another dragon book that outweighs some other books I think may be a little overhyped (*cough cough iykyk*). I am looking forward to continuing this series when more are coming out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Hate crime, Violence, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
mateyy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
4.75
This felt like a fresh breath of air. I was so absorbed from beginning to end following Anequs battle her way through a world that wishes for her to fail at every turn.
Moniquill Blackgoose created a really cool almost steampunk-y Colonial North American setting that lends itself well to the story being told. How Anequs (and subsequently the audience) interacted with the setting worked well and it did not feel like I had to sift through so much exposition.
I think coming into this book with the notion that it was a bit like Fourth Wing but TSADB actively deals with the horrors that Native Americans had to (and still deal with the repercussions) face in a fantasy setting, definitely set me up for a different novel than I got. I think if I read this without that bias, I think I would have enjoyed the book more because the stakes were a lot different than I was expecting.
I am excited to see the story continue in the next installment!
Moniquill Blackgoose created a really cool almost steampunk-y Colonial North American setting that lends itself well to the story being told. How Anequs (and subsequently the audience) interacted with the setting worked well and it did not feel like I had to sift through so much exposition.
I think coming into this book with the notion that it was a bit like Fourth Wing but TSADB actively deals with the horrors that Native Americans had to (and still deal with the repercussions) face in a fantasy setting, definitely set me up for a different novel than I got. I think if I read this without that bias, I think I would have enjoyed the book more because the stakes were a lot different than I was expecting.
I am excited to see the story continue in the next installment!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Sexism, Slavery, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
vagaybond's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Genuinely one of my favourites out of all of the books I've read in the past few years. (I read about 100 a year.) I love the magic system, and I love the protagonist and the love and kindness she inspires in those around her, even and especially when she's rightfully calling people out for their behaving awfully. I love her determination to speak her mind and stick up for those around her. I feel like this book is so much of what I have always craved to see in anything meant to be in a historical setting, and it's something I wish I saw more. This is one of those books that makes me so excited for the influence I hope it has on the future of historical and fantasy books.
I want to note that I have tagged this polyam and romantic not because it is a romance book (this isn't a major theme in the book, but it is present) but because the protagonist intends to court two people by the end of the book, and it's implied that this will be developed further as it goes on. There is also a secondary character (friend of the protagonist) who prefers to communicate with a magic AAC device who, IMO, was written so well too. A teacher as well who uses a stand-in for a wheelchair. There isn't an identity I have or experience I have had that wasn't represented with care and accuracy, though I can only speak as a white settler queer disabled (neuro + physical) person who uses a mobility aid, and the author surely knows the relevant cultures and dynamics featured more than I could.
I want to note that I have tagged this polyam and romantic not because it is a romance book (this isn't a major theme in the book, but it is present) but because the protagonist intends to court two people by the end of the book, and it's implied that this will be developed further as it goes on. There is also a secondary character (friend of the protagonist) who prefers to communicate with a magic AAC device who, IMO, was written so well too. A teacher as well who uses a stand-in for a wheelchair. There isn't an identity I have or experience I have had that wasn't represented with care and accuracy, though I can only speak as a white settler queer disabled (neuro + physical) person who uses a mobility aid, and the author surely knows the relevant cultures and dynamics featured more than I could.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
saltylane's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book, though some parts are a bit rough around the edges, imo. The world building is thorough, but I’m unsure if it all “worked” for me. Some words were used to replace common ones, like names of chemicals/elements, and those words were used in a way that I couldn’t follow what meant what, but that may have been wholly intentional, in order to show the reader how the main character, Anequs, felt being tossed into an unfamiliar world.
Some of the scenes were rather detailed to the point that I was a bit bored with them, like a couple of the class scenes wherein Anequs had to learn detailed concepts. It’s possible they were intentionally written that way to have the reader share the confusion of Anequs upon having to learn the complex concepts, but I almost skipped the scene entirely about midway through. On the other hand, some scenes were briefly described when I might’ve liked to read more about them in detail.
The descriptions of the dragons when they first appeared were added in such a way that it was hard for me to actually picture the individual creatures in my mind. The species were almost all described at once, and I couldn’t retain what they looked like after that point because the ideas blended together. The descriptions were thorough, but being introduced to most of them all at once made it harder for me to keep up with what was what afterwards. I would like to see illustrations of them, though, because they did sound interesting to see!
The story itself is inspiring as Anequs faces much adversity in the community she’s thrust into. The analogs to real-world issues can be painful a lot of the time, but it’s informative and inspiring when Anequs fights to make change. The way she becomes an agent for change in those around her with her tenacity and kindness/empathy is heartwarming.
Overall, I enjoyed the read, and I look forward to the sequels.
Some of the scenes were rather detailed to the point that I was a bit bored with them, like a couple of the class scenes wherein Anequs had to learn detailed concepts. It’s possible they were intentionally written that way to have the reader share the confusion of Anequs upon having to learn the complex concepts, but I almost skipped the scene entirely about midway through. On the other hand, some scenes were briefly described when I might’ve liked to read more about them in detail.
The descriptions of the dragons when they first appeared were added in such a way that it was hard for me to actually picture the individual creatures in my mind. The species were almost all described at once, and I couldn’t retain what they looked like after that point because the ideas blended together. The descriptions were thorough, but being introduced to most of them all at once made it harder for me to keep up with what was what afterwards. I would like to see illustrations of them, though, because they did sound interesting to see!
The story itself is inspiring as Anequs faces much adversity in the community she’s thrust into. The analogs to real-world issues can be painful a lot of the time, but it’s informative and inspiring when Anequs fights to make change. The way she becomes an agent for change in those around her with her tenacity and kindness/empathy is heartwarming.
Overall, I enjoyed the read, and I look forward to the sequels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Slavery, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
rorikae's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
'To Shape a Dragon's Breath' by Moniquill Blackgoose is a fantastic start to a new YA fantasy series about a girl training to be a dragonrider so that she can bring dragon's back to her homeland.
Dragons are scarce on Masquapaug so it is a surprise when Anequs finds a dragon egg and bonds with the hatchling. When the Anglish colonizers hear that a dragon has been born, they are unhappy and reluctantly allow Anequs to enroll at the dragon academy to study and potentially become a dragon rider. But at this new school, Anequs has to face a society that looks down on her people and doesn't believe that she is capable of studying at the school, let alone being a dragon rider. But Anequs' presence at the school has the potential to affect the political landscape and she is determined to do what she can so that she and her dragon can live and bring dragons back to Masquapaug.
This is such a fantastic start to a fantasy series and I cannot wait until we learn more about the next installment. Blackgoose has created an engaging world reminiscent of North America, with steampunk and fantastical elements. She weaves together an engaging coming of age story that touches on colonization, representation, academia, and more. Her characters are easy to root for and fully fledged people that feel like they could walk right off the page. I'm fascinated to see where this story goes next as the first book introduces so many great concepts, a fascinating world, and great characters. If you like dragons, I cannot recommend this book enough. A wonderful start to a new fantasy series.
Dragons are scarce on Masquapaug so it is a surprise when Anequs finds a dragon egg and bonds with the hatchling. When the Anglish colonizers hear that a dragon has been born, they are unhappy and reluctantly allow Anequs to enroll at the dragon academy to study and potentially become a dragon rider. But at this new school, Anequs has to face a society that looks down on her people and doesn't believe that she is capable of studying at the school, let alone being a dragon rider. But Anequs' presence at the school has the potential to affect the political landscape and she is determined to do what she can so that she and her dragon can live and bring dragons back to Masquapaug.
This is such a fantastic start to a fantasy series and I cannot wait until we learn more about the next installment. Blackgoose has created an engaging world reminiscent of North America, with steampunk and fantastical elements. She weaves together an engaging coming of age story that touches on colonization, representation, academia, and more. Her characters are easy to root for and fully fledged people that feel like they could walk right off the page. I'm fascinated to see where this story goes next as the first book introduces so many great concepts, a fascinating world, and great characters. If you like dragons, I cannot recommend this book enough. A wonderful start to a new fantasy series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and War