Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

66 reviews

caitlin_bookchats's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Colonisation

Minor: Genocide, Gun violence, and Cultural appropriation

lpdx's review against another edition

adventurous slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Death, Genocide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, and War

Minor: Confinement, Transphobia, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

rberdan's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful informative slow-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

4.5

This one took me a while to read, but I did ultimately love it and I’m looking forward to the next. 

I must agree with the Mary Sue critique some of the other reviewers had, but I don’t think it bothered me as much because I did also feel that there was nuance to this. In particular, keeping in mind that this feels YA/Middle Grade, the way things came easily to Anequs were also surfacing alongside deeply colonial worldviews and anti-IIndigenous racism, so what came through at the same time was a means of surfacing Indigenous ways of knowing as equally valuable and valid relative to “Anglish” ways. I chose to appreciate that over being irked by Anequs being painted as so clever and right without consequence. 

I absolutely adored Sander and appreciated how other side characters were brought to life. I think there’s even more room for some of them to grow in future books and I’m interested to see where that goes. 

I’m a white settler, so I can’t speak to this from lived experience, but the way racism and colonialism played out in the book were very true to what I see in community. As such, some parts were very heavy and I needed some breaks for the sake of my spirit. 

The dragons were delightful and I’m excited to see more of them. 

Overall, this is a great read with a lot going on at a societal level. It’s a lot to follow, but I was never really bored. I’m definitely looking forward to the next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Genocide, Racism, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

readingwithtemperance'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? No

5.0

I really loved the representation in this book. There were bisexual/lesbian and neurodivergent/mute characters. As well as polyamory; which is something I haven't really seen in YA. 

Anequs was such a wonderful lead. She was constantly advocating for herself/her people. While simultaneously proving the Anglish wrong about their prejudices regarding her capabilities.

I especially enjoyed when Professor Ezel had no choice but to pass her and Theod.

I also loved that our love triangle was solved via polyamory. And I'm looking forward to that being explored in the sequel! A double marriage would be incredible. 

I loved her friendships with Sander and Liberty in particular. And I'm hoping Marta improves in book two because honestly I just found her very annoying. 

At times this book was so incredibly heavy. To Shape a Dragon's Breath shone a light on atrocities that happened throughout history to native peoples. Colonization is an ugly beast. The Anglish want nothing more than to strip Anequs and her people of their land and culture. 

I thought that the magic system was so interesting. And I'm very eager to see more skiltakraft in book two. 

My favorite aspect of this book aside from Anequs' bond with her dragon was the time we spent among her people. I loved learning about her culture and hearing their stories. All of the food sounded incredible!

This was something truly remarkable. I'm so impressed that this was a debut! I cant wait for more feom this world and this author. Sequel NOW!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Colonisation

Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Blood, Death of parent, and War

kwthor's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Death of parent

jainabee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• 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 would be familiar to most contemporary readers, 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!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Suicide, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Finally, the third time through this story brought into sharp relief the themes of abduction and imprisonment that the characters of color all experience. Theod narrowly escaped indentured servitude, after being accused and tried in court for “stealing" a dragon, by becoming a legal ward of Frau Kuiper, Liberty is indentured to Frau Brinkerhoff and explains the unspoken complexities of paying her way out, and Anequs may appear to be making a choice, however she comes to realize that her entire village and island could be eradicated if she fails to assimilate. Locked doors, vehicles with smoked windows, and even her corset all remind her of how she cannot escape her predicament. Even Frau Kuiper—who seems to have some sympathy for the protagonist—threatens to let the enemies of Anequs destroy her dragon and raze her village if she fails the expectations of the “darling of the Jarl."

emath98's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.5

I loved this book! It is so refreshing to read a YA fantasy book that deals with topics of colonialism, homophobia, sexism and discrimination against autistic people in such a clear and unequivocal way. I love the main character and the way the author grounds in her in her Indigenous culture. I found myself wanting a bit more of her inner world on occasion, and the ending felt a bit rushed, but overall would absolutely recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, and Colonisation

Minor: Homophobia

autumn33344's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Gun violence, Transphobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide and Alcohol

relin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Hate crime, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, Transphobia, Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, and War

toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring fast-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

Loved this book! Really looking forward to more in this series when it eventually comes out. The worldbuilding was very interesting and I enjoyed it a lot, and all the characters felt very well developed and complex. Anequs was a great narrator and I enjoyed being in her head, and I loved

how her knowledge of her people's traditions is what allowed her to succeed

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Colonisation

Moderate: Gun violence and Hate crime

Minor: Animal death, Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Sexism, Slavery, Transphobia, Murder, Lesbophobia, and War