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jennireadsmaybe's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
To Shape a Dragon's Breath is one of the most well rounded fantasies I've read in a while. Set in a fantasy land that mirrors colonial era America. White colonizers have taken over the land and they have dragons. The worldbuilding and setting were so descriptive. Moniquill Blackgoose did a remarkable job at blending the worldbuilding aspects in, so it never felt like an info dump session. The different ways each culture views dragons and their relationship with them was so interesting.
Anequs is by and far the best fantasy character I've ever read because she knows who she is and what she stands for. You learn right alongside her. I loved her relationships with other the students and teachers and most of all her family. The way she took bits of what she'd learned in school and connected them to her own culture was very powerful!
I'm definitely looking forward to whatever comes next in the Nampeshiweisit saga!
Anequs is by and far the best fantasy character I've ever read because she knows who she is and what she stands for. You learn right alongside her. I loved her relationships with other the students and teachers and most of all her family. The way she took bits of what she'd learned in school and connected them to her own culture was very powerful!
I'm definitely looking forward to whatever comes next in the Nampeshiweisit saga!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and War
apersonfromflorida's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and War
dragongirl271's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, and Death of parent
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
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
persephonefoxx's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.25
“All I've ever tried to do is the right thing. If that's so very different from how things have been done before, then what's done before was wrong.”
There is a lot to love about this story. A rich fantasy full of culture, politics, and dragons - sign me up! But what really took me my by surprise was the sheer amount of representation oozing out of this book.
I knew going in that this was a story of an indigenous girl flung into coloniser society, tackling issues of colonisation and racism from an incredibly important perspective. But on top of that, the story also handles queer and polyamorous identities, particularly from the viewpoint of someone from a more accepting culture.
But the representation that really caught me off guard, and the representation that meant the most to me as an autistic person, was the beautifully handled, well-crafted, autistic coded character.
The pacing was this novel’s enemy. And as a result of overall pacing issues, the climax felt lacklustre. Which is a shame for a novel with such a good foundation in world-building, characters, and a magic system that will make science lovers giddy.
Overall, this book left me very excited for the rest of the series. And more importantly, the narrative centralises around deep themes of culture, indigenous peoples, colonisation, and identity from a vital perspective. I am keen to see what else the Nampeshiweisit series has in store
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and War
senevilla's review against another edition
adventurous
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal death and Homophobia
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!
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 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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Blood, Death of parent, and War
cozyscones's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Death of parent, and War
mysana's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
I thought this was an excellent book. Blackgoose is definitely an author to watch. The use of language and the balance of tension and relief was really well done. The characters are a delight and I can't wait to read the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Colonisation
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Genocide, Slavery, and 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!
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