Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

10 reviews

jjvaldezbooks's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

it has the same small issues as Raybearer-- the themes/lessons are often a bit too on the nose, even for YA, and because there is so much happening packed into book 1 of a series, the protagonist has very little time to make mistakes that she can learn from. Redemptor (sequel to Raybearer) solved that for me and I'm hoping Blackgoose will similarly find her stride in a second book.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Genocide, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, Slavery, Death of parent, Murder, and War

sproutedpages's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is incredibly rich in its worldbuilding, and with a narrative voice that is especially satisfying to read. Oral storytelling is a vital component of this novel, being the way that a considerable amount of expository worldbuilding is conveyed. There are lengthy stretches of exposition, but because these moments are most often presented as educational moments to Anequs, the protagonist, it very rarely feels like a hindrance to plot progression.

Though decidedly set in another world, this novel feels very much like an alternate history fantasy novel, as there are many clear parallels to real-world events, cultures, places, etc. There is also exploration of the disparity in colonizer and indigenous views of societal expectation, community, and utility, and the struggle to retain cultural identity in the face of (violent, subsuming) modernization and colonization. Nampeshiweisit (Masquisit dragoneers), Anglish dragoneers, and their distinct approaches to working alongside dragons, provide a really interesting fantasy vector for further exemplifying this.

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is particularly remarkable in how effectively Moniquill Blackgoose manages to portray the European-inspired fantasy elements as foreign and confusing , despite the likelihood of readers having already had an overexposure to European-inspired fantasy media, European mythology, etc.

Thank you so much to author Moniquill Blackgoose, Del Rey, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel to read and review! All opinions within this review are voluntarily given and entirely my own. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Racism, and Colonisation

Moderate: Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Police brutality

Minor: Genocide

Anti-indigenous and anti-Black racism, indentured servitude, mention of past slavery, mention of past genocide, threatened hate crime, police brutality (in this case by guards)

mj1588's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Minor: Gun violence and Fire/Fire injury

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.

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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

blakeandbooks's review

adventurous emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual harassment, and War

thecatconstellation's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful 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

This was really enjoyable. A decent amount of plot and a lot of excellent world building. I enjoyed the various folklores, the representation of queer and poly relationships, and the autistic representation. The dragons! So many different dragons. I love reading about them. I also love the bond that they have with their chosen people. The pronunciation guide at the beginning is super helpful!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicide, Transphobia, Police brutality, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol

nicoleas5's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, and Racism

Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, Police brutality, and Lesbophobia

novella42'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Such a phenomenal read, and my favorite speculative fiction book of the year! Indigenous otter dragons!!! Moniquill Blackgoose made a truly audacious worldbuilding choice I have never encountered before, and which took me something like 70 pages to understand. But once it clicked, I felt in awe of her. I won't spoil it for anyone, but the risk she took and the monumental effort she put into her worldbuilding absolutely paid off on multiple levels. 

Also, I don't know what the audiobook is like, but I can't imagine getting the same effect without a text version. I'm very glad I have the hardcopy so I could page back and forth to the pronunciations, maps, periodic table, etc. I wish I could share photos of the pronunciation guide because it's a sliver of a glimpse of the amount of brainpower Blackgoose poured into this work. I wish I could show you some of the heart, too, but for that you'll need to immerse yourself in the story.

As a lifelong wheelchair-user, I really enjoyed the steampunk wheelchair alternative (though if I were that character I'd probably try and develop some sort of smaller backup mobility aid to allow me to move into all the inaccessible places around the school where the larger device couldn't go). I loved the magical AAC device the neurodivergent character uses to communicate, too! Brilliant and respectful rep for disability, neurodivergence, queer, and polyam characters. I've been recommending it left and right. I cannot wait for the next book in the series! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Biphobia, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Slavery, Suicide, Transphobia, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Pregnancy

thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition

5.0

Wow, I loved this!! I was pretty anxious throughout the whole book because

I kept expecting the Anglish to go kill everyone because...yeah

but I should have trusted the author. <3 Also I wanted to slap so many people in this book. Except Sander.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Colonisation

Moderate: Bullying, Genocide, Slavery, Transphobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

thebookcoyote's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

TW/CW: Danger, racism, violence, mild sexuality, gun violence, state violence, sexism 

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Del Rey and am voluntarily writing an honest review. 

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is the story of Anequs, a young indigenous woman who finds and hatches a dragon’s egg, becoming bonded to the young dragon. She is forced by the white colonizers of her land to attend a school for young dragoneers, and finds herself stuck in a world that she has no interest in becoming a part of, with people who constantly insult her for who she is. 

This is, no doubt, a great story. It has all the elements that I love – dragons, a steampunk fantasy world, interesting characters, an underdog succeeding, fighting against racism and xenophobia, LGBTQIA+ representation – all of these things are fantastic. 

Unfortunately, there were two things that affected my enjoyment of this book. First, it was WAY too long at 528 pages. A lot of that was repetition of the same sort of social get-togethers that just seemed unnecessary. Secondly was the writing itself. It’s not that the writing was bad, but it kept me feeling like I was detatched from the story. I found it hard to feel connected because the writing was so dry and lacked emotion. In a lot of ways, it felt more like reading a history book than what should have been an engaging and exciting fantasy novel. 

In all, I would recommend this book, simply because of the things that are so good about it. It drags at times because of the things I’ve stated above, but I think it’s worth getting through.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Police brutality