4.0
To Shape a Dragon's Breath
By Moniquill BlackgoosePublisher Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE NEBULA AND LODESTAR AWARDS • FINALIST FOR THE ASTOUNDING, LOCUS, AND BRITISH FANTASY NEWCOMER AWARDS • “My favorite book of the year . . . a coming-of-age story that is cozy and hair-raising in equal measure.”—Charlie Jane Anders, The Washington Post
“I tore through it, caught up in an enthusiasm for dragons that I hadn’t experienced since I was a teenager obsessed with Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea and Anne McCaffrey’s Pern.”—NPR
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, PopSugar, Chicago Public Library, Polygon, She Reads, Autostraddle
The remote island of Masquapaug has not seen a dragon in many generations—until fifteen-year-old Anequs finds a dragon’s egg and bonds with its hatchling. Her people are delighted, for all remember the tales of the days when dragons lived among them and danced away the storms of autumn, enabling the people to thrive. To them, Anequs is revered as Nampeshiweisit—a person in a unique relationship with a dragon.
Unfortunately for Anequs, the Anglish conquerors of her land have different opinions. They have a very specific idea of how a dragon should be raised, and who should be doing the raising—and Anequs does not meet any of their requirements. Only with great reluctance do they allow Anequs to enroll in a proper Anglish dragon school on the mainland. If she cannot succeed there, her dragon will be killed.
For a girl with no formal schooling, a non-Anglish upbringing, and a very different understanding of the history of her land, challenges abound—both socially and academically. But Anequs is smart, determined, and resolved to learn what she needs to help her dragon, even if it means teaching herself. The one thing she refuses to do, however, is become the meek Anglish miss that everyone expects.
Anequs and her dragon may be coming of age, but they’re also coming to power, and that brings an important realization: the world needs changing—and they might just be the ones to do it.
“I tore through it, caught up in an enthusiasm for dragons that I hadn’t experienced since I was a teenager obsessed with Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea and Anne McCaffrey’s Pern.”—NPR
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, PopSugar, Chicago Public Library, Polygon, She Reads, Autostraddle
The remote island of Masquapaug has not seen a dragon in many generations—until fifteen-year-old Anequs finds a dragon’s egg and bonds with its hatchling. Her people are delighted, for all remember the tales of the days when dragons lived among them and danced away the storms of autumn, enabling the people to thrive. To them, Anequs is revered as Nampeshiweisit—a person in a unique relationship with a dragon.
Unfortunately for Anequs, the Anglish conquerors of her land have different opinions. They have a very specific idea of how a dragon should be raised, and who should be doing the raising—and Anequs does not meet any of their requirements. Only with great reluctance do they allow Anequs to enroll in a proper Anglish dragon school on the mainland. If she cannot succeed there, her dragon will be killed.
For a girl with no formal schooling, a non-Anglish upbringing, and a very different understanding of the history of her land, challenges abound—both socially and academically. But Anequs is smart, determined, and resolved to learn what she needs to help her dragon, even if it means teaching herself. The one thing she refuses to do, however, is become the meek Anglish miss that everyone expects.
Anequs and her dragon may be coming of age, but they’re also coming to power, and that brings an important realization: the world needs changing—and they might just be the ones to do it.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities383 Reviews
4.0
Robin Polito
Created about 4 hours agoShare
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“While I love Anequs's character, for me, it bordered on unbelievable how calm, cool and collected she was for a 15 year old. I was distracted by the sheer quantity of words that I didn't know. I almost wished for a glossary in addition to or instead of a pronunciation guide. I was caught up in the whole idea of the dragons and what Theod and Anequs might create with them.”Reviewed in:Mychal Threets Book Club
Diverse charactersLikable charactersDescriptive writingOriginal writingAddictiveUnpredictableMagical settingComing of ageRacismUnsatisfying plot
Jade Juniper
Created about 16 hours agoShare
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“I really loved this book. There was never a time I didn’t want to pick it up. While some of the scenes and moments hit HARD, I could always count on, and root for Anakus to fight forward. I loved the dragons, the connections made, and the uniqueness of the story being told. It was nice to have a character with PRIDE of where she was from instead of rose colored lenses for a “high society.” I thought her brother gave a realistic balance to this without betraying his character. It very much left room for a sequel with tension ramping up. I know debuts often are given this treatment and I SO hope this author is able to continue this story.”Reviewed in:Dragons & Draconathon
Diverse charactersLikable charactersMulti-layered charactersBeautifully writtenAddictiveImmersive settingHeartbreakingThought-provokingBigotryRacism
Scribby
Created 1 day agoShare
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Diverse charactersDescriptive writingSuspensefulMagical settingComing of ageThought-provokingBigotryMisogynyRacismViolence
Eliza Foxglove
Created 2 days agoShare
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“This was such a refreshing fantasy. I had no idea it was steampunk either, so that was a really pleasant bonus. This book invoked a lot of emotions, especially in context with the attitudes towards the Indiginous peoples. I loved Anequs. Although often furious about how her people are thought of and treated, she mostly remains calm and collected and uses logic and patience to fight her battles. But she can throw down if need be! Highly recommend!”
Sarah
Created 2 days agoShare
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“It's giving HP with dragons (and none of the regretfully transphobic author). This is a good story, but it's almost entirely world-building with like a quick peek at conflict in the last 10% of the book, and it resolves way too quickly. I liked the characters a lot, though, so I will probably check out the next book in the series when I decide to abandon the 528,019 books already waiting for me on my TBR.”Diverse charactersMulti-layered charactersDescriptive writingImmersive settingUnsatisfying ending
About Moniquill Blackgoose
Moniquill Blackgoose is the bestselling author of To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, which has won both the Nebula and Lodestar Awards. She began writing science fiction and fantasy when she was twelve and hasn’t stopped writing since. She is an enrolled member of the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe and a lineal descendant of Ousamequin Massasoit. She is an avid costumer and an active member of the steampunk community. She has blogged, essayed, and discussed extensively across many platforms the depictions of Indigenous and Indigenous-coded characters in sci-fi and fantasy.
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