This was an interesting book. Its the 1950s and women are transforming into dragons. The world, particularly men, are stunned by this and suppress any news or mention of this phenomenon. The story is about Alex a young girl grows up in this world of denial. Life for intelligent women in the 1950s seems very constrained. Alex, her mother and aunt are very intelligent and capable. Will they transform? Will the world change and recognize the dragons?
It is a very interesting premise and could spark a lively discussion.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC copy!

Have you ever read a book that you didn’t know you needed in your life until you read it? That was my experience with When Women Were Dragons, which so effortlessly and eloquently captured the unique experience of being a woman, with all of its societal challenges, that my soul felt soothed. Added to this much-needed perspective, which chronicles the struggle of being a young woman in the 1950s, is the magic of a young girl finding her way in a world where women quite literally transform into dragons.

“This isn’t new information, and your mother isn’t alone. All women are magic. Literally all of us. It’s in our nature. It’s best you learn that now.”

Reading When Women Were Dragons is so much more than simply sitting down to read a novel—it’s a whole magical experience. I have not encountered a novel that has moved me this much since To Kill A Mockingbird, which also features a young girl, unlike others, who struggles to grasp understanding in a world that seems inextricably without it. I adore this novel and honestly feel it should be required reading in high schools, as it captures the more often that not unseen struggle of women to persist in a world that doesn’t appreciate or value them.

The author, Kelly Barnhill, brilliantly displays this struggle by women spontaneously transforming into dragons in the 1950s, challenging the ubiquitous societal beliefs of the woman’s place being in the home. To further highlight the societal stigma of the “dragoning” women, the author ingeniously includes propaganda from the time period, newspaper clippings, scientific articles, court proceedings, and the like, depicting how “dragoning” becomes a shameful, purely feminine evolution that is not to be spoken of at all costs. This scandalous topic is silenced on every scale, with those daring to study it scientifically or to enact policies unceremoniously discredited and fired.

“Enough time had passed since the Mass Dragoning that mentions of dragons had become, one again, simply out-of-bounds, an off-limits topic for any polite conversation. This was not just true in my home. Dragons were a subject avoided in any context. One would sooner arrive at church in one’s underpants, or discuss menstruation with the mail man or chat about sex on the radio. It simply wasn’t done.”

Luckily for readers, narrator Alexandra “Alex,” is perfectly poised to detail the events of the Mass Dragoning, which happened when she was nine and wrought huge changes in her home life. When Women Were Dragons not only captures the struggle of a young girl to deal with the repercussions of women growing wings and taking to the skies, but the just as damaging ramifications of daring to be different in the 1950s, losing loved ones, gaining responsibility, and longing for something more. There are strong messages of solidarity among women, fighting for one’s happiness, and found family, all while tackling the pervasive and wicked weight of the patriarchy and societal expectations. It’s the perfect blend of a coming-of-age story and a feminist love letter to all those who support women, with a great sense of humor sprinkled on top. Readers will also delight in a queer awakening, as well as other romances and marriages that stray from the typical cookie-cutter.

The only reason I didn’t rate this book, which I love, 5 stars, is because I felt the ending was inordinately short! When Women Were Dragons wraps up with a time skip, which I found really jarring. Surely there had to be more, right? But I was wrong. I suppose the aim of this post time skip ending was to show the full life cycle of a happy and fulfilled woman, as well as her accomplishments, but it felt unequivocally rushed in contrast to the length of time spent getting our narrator through high school. In what felt like a blink of the eye, Alex was an old woman, who had supposedly been happily married and had a very successful career, among other things. But tragically, and rather bizarrely, she accomplished all of these things off the page.

I was very sad that I didn’t get to witness Alex’s feats firsthand and I felt it was somewhat egregious in a feminist novel to brush over the accomplishments of its main female protagonist and other of its female characters, something which happens innumerably in our society and is even mentioned multiple times in the novel as something entirely unacceptable:

“Of course, everyone is very proud of your accomplishments. But you see, this is part of the problem. We’ve had to stop posting the exam scores, because the boys see her loafing in class, and yet still claiming that top score, with no thought at all to their feelings. I ask you, what does one do with a girl with so little regard for others?”

Though I suppose the true message of When Women Were Dragons is that as long as a woman is satisfied, it doesn’t matter if society recognizes or celebrates them, it still felt like an odd narrative choice to spend so much time on the journey and not the destination, aka when our narrator was at her happiest and most fulfilled. Instead, we skipped ahead of these hard-earned chapters of her life and found Alex as an elderly woman living by herself, with only references to her time as physicist, wife, and more. I was disappointed not to be able to celebrate these successes with Alex, especially because what little was revealed of her personal happiness and achievements was merely mentioned in passing. Though When Women Were Dragons informs readers that the narrator is happy, it’s utterly disappointing, not to mention ungratifying, to be robbed of witnessing the culmination of Alex’s achievements firsthand, but through flashbacks, newspaper clippings, and an elderly woman’s ruminations on her life.

I couldn’t help but to ponder if this ill-conceived time skip was perhaps a choice of the publishers and/or editors to keep the novel a manageable size. If that were the case, they underestimated how much readers would love and relate to Alex, and how invested they would be in this young girl’s future. Though I found its ending bittersweet, When Women Were Dragons is a striking novel that effortlessly captures the glow of childhood, the sting of adolescence, the bloom of first love, the reality of adulthood, the weight of societal expectations, and the crushing nature of responsibility. And on top of all this, When Women manages to send serious messages under the guise of the somewhat ridiculous—women spontaneously transforming into dragons—and is easily a touching, fun, and memorable experience with a little something for everyone, but especially for any young women who have ever dared to dream of something more.

This story was absolutely beautiful. It wasn't the perfect story for me though. It was a bit too slow paced and character driven. With that being said, I still want to own a copy that I can reread and highlight once it's released because some of the prose literally took my breath away. This is a book for all female-identifying people and for that alone, I appreciate it. I don't really know what else to say but if you've been feeling down about the world lately, as I'm sure most of us have, this is a great escape with a hope-filled ending.

First off thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an E-book advanced reader copy! Overall, the concept of the story was super interesting and unlike anything I have ever read before. I also felt like the author did a good job of describing the setting, it felt very stifling and morose which added a lot to the way the characters developed. It did take me a bit to get into the story, and for a book with dragons I expected there to be a lot more action. It was slower paced and read like a memoir. I also felt it was a bit difficult to believe that society would just ignore the fact that a large group of women became dragons and then just move on like nothing happened for a prolonged period of time. However, it tackled a lot important issues in a unique way and I think lovers of feminist literature would enjoy this book, just don't go in expecting it to be your typical fantasy book involving dragons.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4594026124?book_show_action=false

Kelly Barnhill is just so good. She writes books that swallow the reader whole, wrings them dry, and spits them out, eternally grateful for the experience.
When Women Were Dragons is a beautiful literary fantasy novel that follows Alex from her childhood through old age. Alex is a great character, and honestly there isn't truly a bad character in the bunch. There are literal dragons in the story, but it's less about dragons and more about finding one's place in the world no matter what the world has to say about it.

The concept of women turning into dragons seemed silly when I read the description of this book, but something made me select this book anyway and I am so glad I did. Women turning into dragons, either individually or in large groups (mass dragoning) does not make this book a fantasy novel. In fact, the larger theme is feminism. The government hides all information about dragoning and even sends people to jail for studying or discussing the concept. Would this be the case if men turned into dragons? Since much of the book takes place in the mid 20th century, women already were denied rights and opportunities, so it is no surprise that their pent up anger drives their change and woe to the husbands, schools, and workplaces who held them back. In addition to feminism, there are themes of finding your true nature and being accepting of different ways of defining a family. One of the heroes of the story is a librarian, and what reader doesn't love that idea! This book will resonate with me for a long time to come. While aimed at a young adult audience, adults will also appreciate this story.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Anger is a funny thing. And it does
funny things to us if we keep it inside.
I encourage you to consider a question:
who benefits, my dear, when you force
yourself to not feel angry?" ~ Kelly Barnhill

The Girl Who Drank the Moon is one of my all time favorite Newbery winners so as soon as I saw that @insufferable_blabbermouth had written a new adult book coming out in May I requested an ARC immediately.

Little did I know how much I would need a magical book about women who can only shed the confines of the patriarchy by shedding their skin and taking to the skies. I loved it.

Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC.

What a unique experience this book turned out to be! I really enjoyed so many aspects of this story. It was really a magical way to explore some serious topics for women in society. I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

There are no words to express how much I adored this book. I chose to pick it up on a very challenging day in my life and I was immediately absorbed into the alternate history of mid-century emergent American feminism vis-a-vis dragons.

It's no secret that I enjoy books exploring motherhood and the female experience, especially the further I get into middle age. And it's no secret that I enjoy speculative fiction and magical realism. AND it's no secret that I enjoy books about women in the STEM fields.

This was the perfect confluence of all of those elements put together into a wonderful literary telling.

And the librarians! Can I even mention the librarians? I'm biased of course but the library as being central to the preservation and perpetuation of knowledge is something that always gets me in the gut.

Teen crossover appeal due to the main narrator's age during the book, even though it is clear from the outset of the narration that she is reflecting back on her experiences as a much older woman. Though nothing about the story is explicitly mature, it may take high school level context for this story to truly resonate. But then again it may not?

Kelly Barnhill floored me with The Girl who Drank the Moon, and as I read the last pages of this book I found tears welling in my eyes at the world she created and the truth she spoke.

I may give away five star reviews willy-nilly to ridiculous books that happen to delight me in the moment, such as Ice Planet Barbarians. But this is truly a five-star book, One that takes your breath away and makes you realize all that a truly good story can accomplish.

This was a highly anticipated read for me, so I’m very sad that I didn’t like it as much as I had hoped to. I’ve seen others praise Kelly Barnhill’s middle grade books, but I was completely new to her work.

This is a fantastic idea with a thought-provoking message, but I thought this story was rather uninteresting, repetitive, and disjointed.

I am throwing in the towel a bit early. While I’m disappointed I couldn’t even make it to the end of this, the reading experience, so far, has been completely joyless.

I am immensely grateful to Doubleday Books for my digital review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I received a copy of When Women Were Dragons on NetGalley, and I am so glad I got to experience this story. I love historical fiction and I love feminist novels, and this book was outstanding!

Beautifully written and perfectly paced. When women can spontaneously turn into dragons, the world is a fascinating place! Female empowerment as told through the creative lens of fantasy realism. The author uses the term “dragoning" as a proxy for women's liberation from social shame and violence against their bodies.
This book really showcases the power and beauty of being female.

I can not wait until I can purchase the physical copy of this book. I can not recommend it enough!


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone who loved the book "Dragonology" as a child is sure to love this book as well. Written as a fictional memoir interspersed with historical documents/scientific writings, "When Women Were Dragons" takes readers through Alex's journey through life in America during a period of turmoil and suppression. In addition to sexism and homophobia inhibiting Alex's life, loves, and passions as she grows up, there is also the significant issue of "spontaneous dragoning" -- the phenomenon of women suddenly transforming into mythic scaled beasts. As Alex reflects on her life story, her personal journey from child to adult is inextricably and beautifully interwoven with the larger themes that the dragons embody/personify (feminity, acceptance, rage, expression of emotions, loss, love, community, freedom, etc.). I was impressed by how well-developed Alex was as a character, and her journey of learning to accept the depths of emotion, complexities of love and loss, navigation of grief, and letting go of control was both moving and inspiring. I think that many readers, particularly women, will be able to identify with many of Alex's inner musings like I did. I also appreciated that this book did not have sexual trauma as a part of Alex's transition to adulthood, and it was refreshing to read a coming-of-age story where that type of trauma was not a catalyst for the female character's growth/"maturation". Additionally, the queer representation was a pleasant surprise! Barnhill did well incorporating that into a time period setting where queer relationships were unacceptable -- characters' queerness was presented in a way that felt true to the time but still celebrated and honored those relationships. Overall, this book is a triumphant exploration of feminity and love through the eyes of a stunningly compelling character, with the perfect amount of magical realism fantasy as a backdrop.

A fierce and powerful ode to women who shed their skin to become something more. This left me speechless.

This was an interesting mixture of fantasy and realistic storyline. When women can spontaneously turn into dragons, the world is a fascinating place! I loved the feminism all over these pages! It was an interesting story, and I found myself transported.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Written in an epistolary style reminiscent of Sylvain Neuvel’s Sleeping Giants or Manuel Gonzales’ The Regional Office is Under Attack, Kelly Barnhill’s newest novel is an interesting foray into a different type of women’s revolution. Instead of burning their bras or discussion Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex over tea, Barnhill’s disgruntled women instead become dragons. The book details the mass dragoning of 1955, a date when many women shed their too small lives and took to the skies.

An interesting premise for a book, Barnhill really finds her stride when discussing the life of Alex, one young woman who the mass dragoning affected. I was interested in her story - her love of math, her relationship with her Aunt Marla, her discovery of queerness.

I was less compelled by the abruptness with which Barnhill ended the book. Over the course of the novel we’ve come to love Marla, the head librarian, Bea, and countless others. In the final few chapters, we get only a cursory overview of what happens to any of them. Some die with no real opportunity for grief on the part of the reader or Alex, others simply retreat from Alex’s life. This gives everything an unfinished feeling, but not in a satisfying “the story goes on” kind of way.

If you loved Barnhill's "The Girl Who Drank the Moon," then this book is for you. It contains the same magic and sharp introspective voice that earned her the Newbery, and I hope this book goes on to win just as many prestigious awards!

"When Women Were Dragons" spans several decades, starting in the 1940s at a time during which women are spontaneously turning into dragons, and escaping to far away lands. Such phenomena are incredibly taboo and suppressed by the government, relegated to the realm of mysterious female hysterics. Alex is a young girl at the time, growing up in a turbulent home. Her life changes forever when her dear aunt Marla "dragons" and leaves behind her daughter Beatrice. The author uses "dragoning" as a proxy for women's liberation from social shame and violence against their bodies. Alex', who never could dragon or had any interest in doing so, is confronted with this heartbreaking question: how do you move on when those around you have changed and come into their fullest shelves, and you're left behind? The plot itself is fairly slow, and is primarily concerned with showing Alex and Beatrice's growth into adulthood. This is where the book truly shined for me: capturing the inner voice and turbulence of a child without cliches or shortcuts. It's no surprise that a children's book author accomplished this so well. I read the last page incredibly moved and thankful for the rich mythology that Barnhill created, where women's hopes and fears coexist so beautifully.

This was a fantastic read that really surprised me! I won a copy of When Women Were Dragons on NetGalley, and I’m so excited for this to release! This was a lovely story about the changes we go through to become ourselves, talking about uncomfortable things, and accepting ourselves and those around us as they are. This really book really surprised me. I didn’t know what to expect when I started and I am so glad I got to experience this story.

A book that will resonate with many readers. Female empowerment as told through the creative lens of fantasy realism. I hope readers take the time read the opening letter from the author prior to reading the book, reading her thoughts regarding the somewhat recent hearings for Supreme Court and how her book spiraled from the collective outrage offered a foundation so many could relate to going into this book. Sometimes readers don't pick up fantasy because of the incredible patience it takes to build worlds and then for the reader to make sense of this new land, but reading this with her thoughtfully prepared foundation made this book a joy to read.

This book was 100% outside my normal comfort zone. But I love historical fiction and I love feminist novels, so I stepped into the unknown and… wow.

I honestly don’t know how to rate this book. I gave it four stars because I think the writing was phenomenal and the story was so unique. But I also had such a hard time melding reality with fantasy. And yet, I also think that was kind of the point with this book?

This book has SO many good quotes. It really showcased the power and beauty of being female while also showing the way a world reacts to our power.

I just loved this book in a way I haven’t liked other books. It was so unexpected and different. I don’t even know how to describe it - just read it.