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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!
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!
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
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
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
taliaalongi's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Slavery, Murder, and War
ethuiliel's review against another edition
challenging
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Colonisation
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Slavery, Suicide, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
sicilyjoy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Slavery
geekmom's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book is an absolutely unique, utterly fabulous, genre-bending disruption of a novel.
It takes beloved tropes and turns them on their heads.
It is proudly and unapologetically anti-colonialist.
I can't wait to read the other books in this series!
Edit: Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital review copy of this book as part of the 2024 Hugo voting package!
It takes beloved tropes and turns them on their heads.
It is proudly and unapologetically anti-colonialist.
I can't wait to read the other books in this series!
Edit: Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital review copy of this book as part of the 2024 Hugo voting package!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, Slavery, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
nerp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This and So Let Them Burn should be THE dragon books of the decade, but I digress: To Shape a Dragon’s Breath was absolutely fabulous, and I cannot wait for the sequel.
There’s no attempt here to make the cultures in the book unrecognizable, and for a story about colonization, it works. Yet even so, there’s a complexity and acknowledgment of the heterogenous nature of empire that I rarely see, and that was deeply refreshing.
What I also love about this is how unapologetic Anequs is about herself and her people. In some ways, she doesn’t quite grow in this book—just becomes more firm in her convictions and understanding of who she is, while also becoming more savvy in the dance of not stepping on too many colonizer toes for safety’s sake.
Also, the autism rep made me cry.
Absolutely fabulous.
There’s no attempt here to make the cultures in the book unrecognizable, and for a story about colonization, it works. Yet even so, there’s a complexity and acknowledgment of the heterogenous nature of empire that I rarely see, and that was deeply refreshing.
What I also love about this is how unapologetic Anequs is about herself and her people. In some ways, she doesn’t quite grow in this book—just becomes more firm in her convictions and understanding of who she is, while also becoming more savvy in the dance of not stepping on too many colonizer toes for safety’s sake.
Also, the autism rep made me cry.
Absolutely fabulous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Colonisation
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Hate crime, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
leweylibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.25
So I really love the idea of this book. It's basically Harry Potter meets Fourth Wing but much better than both of those things lol. The dragon element is well done and a lot of fun imo, and I love watching the MC's dragon grow up 🥹
I think my biggest issue with the book is the pacing. It's super slow, like the first 300ish pages only covers like 5ish months of time. I was totally cool with that pace, although I was starting to wonder when something significant was going to happen. But then the pace started picking up and time started moving in bigger chunks, but it didn't feel like it was moving towards anything? At least not anything big. And then something big at the end just happened and you're like WHAT but then it's super quickly resolved. I was just confused and now I'm annoyed that who knows when the second book will come out 🫠 I do want to know where the story goes from here, though.
BUT! This book's reflections on colonialism, racism, and classism were absolutely by far the best part. It wasn't quite as intricate or well-developed as something like Babel (that world map was...idk how to feel about that lol), but I think this is probably more a YA speed, so that's alright. I liked that it had characters that showed the different levels and aspects of those isms. Like we have the MC who's a proud of her indigenous culture and doesn't know anything else and therefore doesn't think Anglish is at all better versus Theod who is also indigenous but has been raised in an Anglish world and taught to believe that culture is best.
I also loved her friends, especially Sander. Her relationship with him is just so wholesome. Oh! And the love interests were fun! We love some LGBTQIA+ rep, and it was refreshing that Anaqus' culture just respects those differences and doesn't think they're a big deal like the Anglish do. Last thing, we love the pronunciation guide! So helpful.
I think my biggest issue with the book is the pacing. It's super slow, like the first 300ish pages only covers like 5ish months of time. I was totally cool with that pace, although I was starting to wonder when something significant was going to happen. But then the pace started picking up and time started moving in bigger chunks, but it didn't feel like it was moving towards anything? At least not anything big. And then something big at the end just happened and you're like WHAT but then it's super quickly resolved. I was just confused and now I'm annoyed that who knows when the second book will come out 🫠 I do want to know where the story goes from here, though.
BUT! This book's reflections on colonialism, racism, and classism were absolutely by far the best part. It wasn't quite as intricate or well-developed as something like Babel (that world map was...idk how to feel about that lol), but I think this is probably more a YA speed, so that's alright. I liked that it had characters that showed the different levels and aspects of those isms. Like we have the MC who's a proud of her indigenous culture and doesn't know anything else and therefore doesn't think Anglish is at all better versus Theod who is also indigenous but has been raised in an Anglish world and taught to believe that culture is best.
I also loved her friends, especially Sander. Her relationship with him is just so wholesome. Oh! And the love interests were fun! We love some LGBTQIA+ rep, and it was refreshing that Anaqus' culture just respects those differences and doesn't think they're a big deal like the Anglish do. Last thing, we love the pronunciation guide! So helpful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: War
wishbea's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia and Suicide
theirgracegrace's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Flying in with a masterpiece, Moniquill Blackgoose sets up a world with this first instalment of the Nampeshiweisit series. The story centres around Anequs, a young Indigenous woman who discovers a dragon egg on an island near her home. When it hatches, the dragon bonds to her, and the Anglish settlers of her land order that she join a local dragoneering academy.
My favourite part of this book was the worldbuilding! Blackgoose builds a world like our own, but without a Roman Empire or Christianity, the Europeans have a distinctly Norse flair that matches well with the themes of resistance against colonialism. Each character has distinctive features, mannerisms and traits that make them real and powerful parts of the narrative.
Eagerly awaiting the next book of this series, particularly in light of the final handful of chapters!
My favourite part of this book was the worldbuilding! Blackgoose builds a world like our own, but without a Roman Empire or Christianity, the Europeans have a distinctly Norse flair that matches well with the themes of resistance against colonialism. Each character has distinctive features, mannerisms and traits that make them real and powerful parts of the narrative.
Eagerly awaiting the next book of this series, particularly in light of the final handful of chapters!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Medical content and War
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Vomit, and Cannibalism