Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

52 reviews

pagesofash's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Abandonment

Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

bookhoe1's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is absolutely beautiful. I read it in one sitting and couldn't put it down. The characters, the prose, the science and world just pull you in. I love detailed books like this, with footnotes and articles from fictional scientific journals. 
It is also deeply emotional, I cried several times. I can only repeat my opening sentiment; it's a beautiful book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War

teatunesandtales's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting

puali's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Sexism, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cancer and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Police brutality, Grief, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

autumn33344's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, Sexism, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

alisonvh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

5.0

I love this book so much! I love the idea of women being magical and activating their power in magical ways. I love the focus on female relationships of all kinds and how they can morph and evolve over time. I love the idea of women forging the lives they want and leaving behind the tiny little men who force them into tiny little lives. I got this book from the library, but I think I might need to own a copy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

seubecca's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, Misogyny, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Terminal illness, and Fire/Fire injury

searedfish's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Abandonment

jeleigh16's review against another edition

slow-paced

3.25

The concept for this book is phenomenal. It would have made for a spectacular short story! Unfortunately for me, as a novel, I think it made a promise that it didn't quite keep. It said, "I'm going to tell you about the time thousands of women became dragons (for whatever their individual reasons might be), but then I'm just going to talk around that event for a few hundred pages and never really dig into the thick of it, okay?" I wanted to be alongside a woman who "dragoned". I wanted to see a POV other than the one we are given of a teenage girl whose aunt "dragons" in the 1955 event. The teen's perspective was interesting, yes, but I felt like it would have been even more intriguing if we saw a couple of other perspectives in this novel, mainly one of the women who turns into a dragon. There are so many missed opportunities here. So many. This is billed as a feminist rage novel by many, but I thought it was way too quiet for most of the book. Where was the rage?? It's there, sure, but I really had to search for it. I wanted more. 

I did appreciate the protagonist's story as a girl who is left behind and the narrative of her dealing with essentially raising her cousin after everything falls apart. I also appreciated the choice to include the reports of the events in between the chapters from the protagonist's POV - which helped give background - but I wished I could have seen those events as scenes instead. That's the stuff I wanted to dive into!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Abandonment

Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Violence and Blood