This excellent steampunk world that also has dragons was not only fun but also very poignant about the reality of colonialism and racism (many of these factors still exist today).

I loved the energy here. The author did not hold back with this main character. I felt pure pride reading about this MC challenging every misconception of her people and standing up against any slight.

This is a great fantasy with a lot of attention to the details, which is what really highlights it as steampunk to me. These small details of designs to either create machinery or to control a dragons breath are simply fantastic.

I will say that parts of this book seriously dragged for me and seemed a bit slow. But I am so glad I kept reading because the ending is wild!

Out May 9, 2023!

"To Shape a Dragon's Breath" is a captivating and enthralling book that will leave you spellbound from the very first page. The story is richly imagined, with a deeply immersive world filled with magic, dragons, and danger.

The characters are complex and fully realized, with unique personalities that draw you into their individual journeys. The protagonist, Anequs, is particularly compelling. One of the strengths of this book is its pacing, which manages to balance action, intrigue, and character development in just the right proportions. The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end.

Overall, "To Shape a Dragon's Breath" is a must-read for anyone who loves epic fantasy. It is a masterful work of world-building and storytelling, with richly drawn characters and a gripping plot that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. Highly recommended!

This is the first book in a new YA series about an indigenous girl and her dragon going to a colonizer dragon school, because her people's dragons all died out and their knowledge of how to work with them is therefore limited. It comes with all the usual rage-inducing micro- and macro-aggressions you'd expect of that setup, but Anequs is a fantastic main character who takes no shit from her schoolmates, teachers, or authority figures. She's quick to question things that don't make sense and will challenge the systems when she struggles with them. She is clever and kind and confident in her identity, and was a very endearing character to follow.
It does read like a first book in a series, and spends a great deal of its pages setting up characters, the setting, and following Anequs through her schooling. My primary complaint was with its choice to use fantasy recreations of existing things; the most egregious example was school subjects that had to be explained in detail via pages of lecture to convey "this is chemistry, but with dragons" and a world map that was described in pages of detail despite being essentially just "Europe and North America". I appreciated that it was a fantasy analogue to our world, which frees it from our own history's course, but I found the explanations tedious when we could've just said "anglereckoning is math". That said, the world and its societies are interesting - I like that our colonizers are Norse-inspired peoples, and I've enjoyed seeing our side characters and Anequs do their cultural exchanges, telling each other stories and explaining important holidays. It added a lot of depth to the characters and societies at play. This book did a lot of work to set up for what I anticipate will be the big confrontations in the next books, and I look forward to seeing how things unfold.
Overall this book was a very enjoyable read, and I think it would appeal to those who liked R.F. Kuang's Babel, though with a more hopeful tone. It releases May 9th.

From the publisher: A young Indigenous woman enters a colonizer-run dragon academy—and quickly finds herself at odds with the “approved” way of doing things.

Harry Potter meets Temeraire in this magical-school-with-dragons series launch.

Anequs lives with her people on a remote island, living a life her people have lived for many generations. They have an uneasy relationship with the Anglish, conquerors who see Anequs and her people as uncivilized barbarians. To have a dragon is a rare thing, and there has been no dragon among her people for many years. She finds a dragon egg, and the hatchling bonds with her. Her brother, who has left the island, tells her, “There’s a ministry for dragons. The Anglish have a ministry for everything. Dragons are supposed to be registered, and dragoneers need to be tested to prove they’re competent, because dragons are dangerous. There’s going to be trouble with the law if you don’t enroll in an academy.” (p. 27 of the advance reader copy)

An Indigenous person with a dragon is not something the Anglish dragoneers approve of, but there are some individuals working to change perceptions of the Indigenous people, and Anequs is reluctantly enrolled in an Anglish dragon school. Only one other girl is enrolled, and only one boy from an Indigenous people.

The world building is slow. You might even say languorous. We see what life is like on the island for Anequs and her kin. We hear about their food and drink. We hear their stories. We watch their dances.

Once Anequs makes it to school, the world building is also slow. She is hot tempered and often says and does things that are not wise. Most of her teachers and fellow students don’t want her there. They invent rules for her and the Indigenous boy. Everyone assumes she knows things about Anglish school that she does not. But she is also smart and clever, and she learns despite the odds against her.

I enjoyed To Shape a Dragon’s Breath very much, while also finding it a bit slow. Its strengths include world building, character development, and diverse representation. But there is also virtually no action until the end of the book, there are a LOT of new words/altered words to figure out, the author is fond of telling instead of showing, and some of the ideas she is trying to get across are repeated over and over. Still, I recommend it and look forward to the sequel.

I read an advance reader copy of To Shape a Dragon’s Breath. It will be published on May 9 and will be available at the Galesburg Public Library in multiple formats.

🦇 Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❝ "I don't believe that any of the changes that you or others seem to expect of me would be improvements," I said. "I don't think that there's anything wrong with the way I dress, or speak, or behave. My clothes are clean, and in good repair. I can make myself understood. I am honest, and I endeavor to be kind. I don't speak ill of others regarding things beyond their control, and I don't speak against anyone who hasn't given personal insult to me or my loved ones. I wouldn't consider a person to be my social inferior simply for being poor. ❞

❓ #QOTD What would you name your dragon? ❓

🦇 After finding a dragon egg and bonding with the hatchling, fifteen-year-old Anequs becomes Nampeshiweisit—a person in a unique, unbreakable relationship with a dragon. Dragons were once common on the remote island Masquapaug, long before the Anglish conquered the land. Anequs and her dragon Kasaqua are forced to attend an Anglish dragon academy, where Anequs is expected to dress and behave like the Anglish who killed and conquered her people. Despite being treated like a second-class citizen, Anequs keeps her head held high to prove she's worthy of Kasaqua. If she can't pass her classes, Kasaqua will be put to death—and Anequs will unintentionally prove the Anglish right about their prejudice against her people. Can she defy the prejudice set against her?

💜 Moniquill Blackgoose shines a powerful light on important themes we can never allow society to ignore: equality (both in political and social power, between races and genders), agency, power, and consent. The entire story reads like an oral history, easily sweeping readers into the thrall. Anequs encounters extreme prejudice from teachers and classmates alike, yet still navigates both physical and emotional harassment with grace. This alternative history fantasy shows North America's occupation from an Indigenous perspective in ways no book has before. Despite the dark themes (including cultural genocide, indentured servitude, and child abuse, among others), Anequs is a delight. She's passionate, determined, and never falters in who she is—despite the number of Anglish people who want her to feel bad for remaining true to her history and heritage. Sending Anequs extra love for her bisexuality and interest in a poly relationship, both of which are normal among her people.

🦇 There is a HEAVY, seemingly unnecessary STEM-focus, namely through the combined geometry and chemistry necessary to shape a dragon's breath. While interesting, it's difficult to follow the logic that's given so much time and attention in this book. These explanations steal away from the story's real magic while adding hundreds of pages to the text, making some chapters lag. I also wish a glossary accompanied the novel, since there are a lot of foreign words and phrases readers will need to use context clues to unlock. If you pause reading long enough (or try to juggle reading multiple books at once), it's easy to forget what certain words mean. Some scenes drag, namely because of the necessary world-building. I'm eager to see if the second installment in this series flows better.

🦇 Recommended to anyone who loves alt-history fantasy fiction, dragons, amazing representation, and thorough world-building. Get ready for some serious escapism.

🐉 Fantasy Fiction
🐉 Queer MC
🐉 First in a Series
🐉 Indigenous Representation
🐉 Women of Color

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #ToShapeaDragonsBreath #Netgalley @netgalley @randomhouse

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Moniquill Blackgoose presents To Shape a Dragon's Breath, the first book in a new fantasy series centered on dragons and their companions. Written in a fashion suitable for upper young adult or adult audiences, our story begins with a young Indigenous woman, Anequs, being chosen as the companion to the dragon Kasaqua. Anequs is quickly thrown into the political implications of what this may mean for her and her people as she enrolls in a colonizer-run academy for dragoneers.

Blackgoose has clearly spent a lot of time establishing the cultural and political landscape of Anequs' world. It is very clear to the reader that the world extends far beyond Anequs' narrow lens and that the world will continue to broaden as Anequs is also introduced to more. This is an admirable part of this world, at least to me. The downside to it is that the book, while never failing to be interesting, reads as very slow-paced, even in times of direct conflict. This pacing combined with the sheer complexity of the world Blackgoose has built is a large part of why I would consider this novel more for older audiences than younger as a whole rather than any specific content.

There are aspects of social conflict such as racism and homophobia as well as general classism and other injustices that Anequs never hesitates to face head on. Anequs makes her interest known to two potential love interests, a male and female, and shares that polyamorous or queer relationships are not at all frowned upon in the Indigenous societies the way they are in Anglish ones.

Blackgoose manages to blend scientifically-based alchemy into skiltakraft, the possibilities of a steampunk-type machine-working into enginekraft, early studies of the natural sciences into natural philosophy, and all of that occurs before ever considering the multitude of dragon breeds and how they are cared for or what they can do.

I am absolutely interested in continuing in this series and feel Blackgoose has a strong debut and foundation for future installments.

A debut with a compelling premise, but could have used a bit of editing to really meet its potential.

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath follows Anequs, an Indigenous young woman living in a fantasy world that closely mirrors the history of our own world. Her story begins in the equivalent of the 1840s, when she discovers that a Nampeshiwe – a dragon native to her land that has all but been wiped out – has laid an egg on her island. When the egg hatches, the dragon, Kasaqua, chooses Anequs to bond with. However, the knowledge of how to care for and work with dragons was lost years ago, so Anequs makes the difficult decision to enroll in an Anglish dragoneering academy. There, she will face hostility and colonialist racism as she begins to learn how to shape her dragon’s breath.

The beginning of this novel was incredibly stellar, and I really do love the premise of the story. The simple and direct narration worked for me and I found myself quite emotional over Anequs and Kasaqua’s bond! In addition, I loved the setting, especially the scenes that took place on Masquipaug (Anequs’s island). Those scenes were infused with a sense of community, history, and cultural details that kept me captivated. I was very intrigued by the themes of anti-colonialism and Indigenous strength. And I really loved everything to do with Kasaqua. I love dragons!!

However, I do have to say I felt a little underwhelmed with the rest of the novel. There wasn’t much a plot, beyond Anequs trying to excel at the Academy while facing racism. There was some action toward the end, but it felt very sudden and was over quickly. There wasn’t much build up of tension. And the writing style made me feel removed from any sense of urgency, as it would often summarize events in paragraphs afterward, without showing the scene and the immediate emotions of the characters.

While I enjoyed Anequs’s perspective, she didn’t have much of a character arc. She was calm and levelheaded, always had an answer for how to handle situations, and always saw the truth of situations. This isn't a criticism in and of itself, but maybe as a result of this characterization, she didn’t have much internal growth or internal difficulties. Even her relationships with her roommate, friends, and romantic interests weren’t especially compelling. The dialog was stilted, there was lots of worldbuilding explanation dumped into conversations, and it felt like she kept having the same conversations over and over. My reading doorways are character and plot, so I found myself wanting more.

Overall, I wanted to like this more than I did – I think it needed editing to meet its full potential, with the addition of more plot or character work to really get it there. Also. I just wanted more dragon scenes, there didn't seem to be enough! However, I think this book could still appeal to readers that like a strong setting and explorations of history through fantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchanged for an honest review.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I am just blown away with this amazing debut novel. I loved the entire thing. I loved the alt-history, the dragons, the dark academia aspect, the beautiful portrayal of a Native culture who reveres dragons, the terrific main character. I just almost don't have words. Highly, highly recommended. This is a great fantasy. A great dragon book (maybe my new favorite dragon book--and I love dragon books). A great peek into a Native culture. There is no doubt this will be in my top books at the end of the year.

This book was great and I highly recommend it! It’s historical fantasy set in the 1800s, which means that the places and groups of people feels familiar even though they have fictional names (and there’s magic).
The story begins with Anequs (a 15-year-old Indigenous teenager) finding a dragon egg, which has not happened to anyone on her island in many years. The majority of dragons live with the Anglish. The dragons in this world have powerful breath that can be extremely dangerous as they grow up unless they learn to control it, and the only places to learn how to control it are schools run by Anglish people.
This combination of things eventually leads to Anequs enrolling in an Anglish magical school. This book is a true magic school book. You get to hear lectures, watch characters do homework, and see them prepare for exams. It’s a major part of the book! And of course, you meet many different characters and watch Anequs make some friends (and enemies? and love interests? yes it’s queer too!) at school. Everyone at the school has a companion dragon so there’s lots of animals!
She also faces a lot of racism and has to hear the Anglish side of many tragic events that happened in history. This oppression is a core part of the story and not a brief mention, so big TW for racism.
Anyway this book is perfect for you if you want Indigenous-centered fantasy, queer characters, disability rep, magical animal companions, detailed worldbuilding, and a very academic setting. I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between this book and Babel by R.F Kuang as I read.
4.5 because I thought some of the history and worldbuilding was a bit too info dumpy, but I really enjoyed reading this book!!!!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved this book. It gets five stars for that--not because I'm using an "objective" standard to measure it against other books.

Now, I don't care about the dragon rider trope all that much, but I am interested in a new take on just about any trope. That's what Blackgoose gives us, here. Really, if you're coming for a lot of high-flying dragon adventure, you're going to be disappointed. The main dragon is a baby throughout. This is a story about cultures clashing (though there are some cool descriptions of the different dragon breeds). I *do* like steampunk-y settings a whole lot, and the colonizer cultures in the book are very steampunk.

Speaking of which, the way colonialism is dealt with is so good. If you've read any other books dealing with the subject, you may find it hard to read books on colonialism--just waiting for your beloved main characters to face some unspeakable horror at the hands of their rapacious colonial overlords. TSaDB does not do that. By no means does it gloss over the evils of colonialism, but it also doesn't force us to live through that trauma with its characters (I do think it is very important that some books do, but it is nice to not ALWAYS have to read that). I imagine that things may get darker as the series goes on, but this first book lets us dip our toes in the world without plowing right into the worst atrocities humanity can commit.

If you've read Hand of the Sun King, for example--imagine how that story would feel if there wasn't such terror hanging over the protagonist's head all the time. Granted, TSaDB leans a bit more YA, but it doesn't have that YA *feel*, so to speak. There is a bit of romance, but it's worked in naturally, and--as someone who is not interested in reading romantic subplots very often--I was not even slightly bothered.

The authorial voice, as I said, does not come off as YA to me. Some readers may feel a distance from the main character, but that's just her personality. She's got a very matter-of-fact way about her that shines through the first-person narration. Her plain-stated observations of an unfamiliar culture are often quite humorous (unintentionally, from her perspective, I'm sure).

You may be wondering if this book uses Native American culture as set dressing, or if it really feels rooted in its source cultures, and I'm happy to say that it is the latter. This is not standard Western fantasy dressed up in leather and beads--the voice itself is Native but also natural and unpretentious.

That quality is one of the best things about the book--it puts on no airs, is never performative. Is it full of representation? Well, not how most books do representation--the text never screams at you, "Look! I'm doing REPRESENTATION!" the way one so often sees it done. Yeah, the main character is bisexual, and her view of relationships would be called polyamorous, in modern terms. She just is, though. We aren't making a big deal about it--it's just her character. One might say that the autistic character isn't quite so subtly rendered, but he's still good representation, too.

If you're not interested in the fiddly details of high fantasy--fake science related to the magic and such--maybe the book will feel overlong. It didn't to me, at all. Indeed, I often find myself thinking about how much I want to get back to the story--having to remind myself that I've already finished it. And it does have an ending! I've nothing against the many fantasy tomes that lead us through a 500-page adventure, just to leave us on a cliffhanger that may not be resolved for years, but TSaDB gives us an ending. It's not a standalone, though. It's very much the ending of a chapter, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I DNF this book. The premise sounded interesting but the way the story is told is making me feel uninterested. I don’t really care for anything that is happening and the pace is so slow. I’m only rating this because it makes me and so that my feedback ratio doesn’t get messed up.

DNF @ 30%. I found this very difficult to get into. If you're in the headspace for high fantasy, I hope you read this and love it! Unfortunately, I was not.

I really enjoyed this for the most part. It was HUGE though and was full of soooo much detail and world building. I did find myself wanting more action through out and found it to be a but clunky. However, the message was great and the story unique and interesting. I love the representation and how strong of a fmc Anequs is.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Too character-driven for me, I found it dragged on and on. I hope to pick it back up just to finish the story in the future. DNF

This book has such great potential. An own voices indigenous fantasy with a strong bisexual teenage girl, her neurodivergent best friend, and polyamorous love interests. All of the things that make this book great were done well. I am excited to see where the series goes from here and I had a difficult time putting the book down for the final half.

Unfortunately, the things that made the book really great were often cut short or neglected in favor of establishing the Anglish world. Despite the narrative being an own voices criticism of colonialism I felt the emphasis even within the writing was still so heavily focused on the Anglish society and world vs that of Anequs. Whenever Anequs encountered a new aspect of the Anglish world the readers were taught that this custom was new and different to her with the customs that Anequs was used to being an afterthought. I wished the narrative had spent more time with Anequs at home ahead of leaving for the school and gave a stronger look at her as a person within her own right instead of solely focusing on the strangeness and otherness of herself within the context of the Anglish.

I hope that as the series progresses we see so much more of life on Mask and Nack Islands. As well as more time with Anequs, Theod, Sander, and Liberty’s lives as they exist outside of the Anglish society and culture.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. To Shape A Dragon’s Breath will be published May 1st, 2023

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to To Shape a Dragon's Breath because 1) dragons, 2) sort-of a magical school, and 3) I'm indigenous through my father's family and get stoked when I see fantasy stories in this vein (which isn't often).

Unfortunately this ended up being a DNF. I felt like the writing style kept me at arm's length from the MC, and the story itself felt a bit flat.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for an advance copy of this fantasy novel that has one of the most unique stories I have read in quite a long time.

I have read a lot of fantasy books over the years, and the one thing I am always aware of while starting a new novel is the the feeling that I get from the first chapter. Is this a high fantasy story, or a Dungeons & Dragons kind of tale. Is the author serious, or will there be some humor. Or is this just plain weird. More than the world building, more than the magic, mythology or majesty of the story, this feeling, call it tone, but it is much more, means a lot to me. Again, I have read many stories, but the tone, the feeling, the presentation that I could see emanating from the pages hooked me in a way that I have not felt in quite a while. And it never let up. To Shape a Dragon's Breath, The First Book of Nampeshiweisit by Moniquill Blackgoose is a story of oppression, colonizers, mythology, magic, dragons, and keeping true to what you are, even when your culture is being dismantled around you.

Anequs is with her brother by the shore searching for food when Anequs first sees the dragon. Red and gold, with great antlers that denote age, riderless, and giving off a feeling of great sadness as it flies off to the east over the ocean. Once there were many dragons on the island of Masquepaug but that was generations ago. Anequs returns home and tells her story to her family, who are enthralled with her story. Soon Anequs comes across an egg, from which a hatchling dragon is born. The people of the island are thrilled, but the Anglish, those who control the island of Masquepaug are not. The Anglish have a way of working with dragons, and it is not the way of the indigenous people. Anequs is presented with an offer. Come to the dragon school, learn the way of the Anglish, or the young dragon, and probably herself will be killed, Anequs agrees and finds herself in a strange school, learning a strange way, but also learning valuable secrets about her oppressors, and how maybe to make some changes with her dragon.

Readers really will be hooked from the start. The setup, the writing the way the story is told is very, very good. There is a skill to the writing that is rare, one that everything from dragons, to preparing meals seems lived in, familiar and not drawn from a writer's imagination. Anequs is a fascinating character, strong, smart, humble, scared, alone, and yet determined to win this game she has been forced into. The storyline is different, with a viewpoint that will be unfamiliar to many readers, and yet speaks to everyone today. This story is about family, belief and the right to be who you want to be, and to fight for that right, no matter what the powerful say. The world is both new and familiar, and really is well thought out, and planned. Blackgoose has a very assured writing style, and really has a sense of narrative that keeps the reader wanting to know more.

The first in a series I am already waiting for. The use of characters, dragons, the rights of indigenous people to exist, dying cultures, and cultures worth fighting for. This is a fantasy of the highest caliber, and a book I am really excited for.

"A young Indigenous woman enters a colonizer-run dragon academy - and quickly finds herself at odds with the "approved" way of doing things - in the first book of this brilliant new fantasy series.

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."

Indian boarding schools via Game of Thrones.

Anequs finds a dragon egg on a sacred section of her island, Masquapaug, and brings it home to her people. Dragons of its type have not been seen in many generations, and the Masquisits are thrilled when the dragon hatches and chooses Anequs to be its bonded Nampeshiweisit. Following the laws of the Anglish people who have conquered their territories, Anequs and dragon Kasaqua must go to a dragoneer school to train and be proven capable of controlling such dangerous powers. Anglish school and customs are difficult for Anequs to adapt to, and though she eventually makes some friends, there are many others glad to remain her enemies. When Anequs and Kasaqua receive actual death threats, Anequs knows that she must help to change the views of the Anglish and learn all she can to protect her people from the violence of this hostile culture.

WOW what a book! I couldn't put it down, despite the pace actually being rather slow. This is the first book in a planned series, and it is the type that starts out very deliberately building up the characters, world, and connections. There is not a lot of "action" in this book, but I found the characters and the set up compelling and I am greatly looking forward to the next in the series!

Anequs is a bold, strong heroine with plenty of compassion and intellect. The world into which she is placed is a unique combination of reality and speculation — the Anglish are a blend of what we know as English (geography, politics), German (honorifics, etymology, food), and Scandinavian (names, mythology, nobility) which I found really fun. There are hints at other cultures and religions in some of the minor characters, which is also great.

Masquapaug has an Indigenous culture and way of life, and watching Anequs interact with the Anglish goes about as poorly (for the most part) as you're thinking it does. There's something about watching historical prejudices and atrocities take place "real time" in fiction that is just so unsettling, and I think the fantasy setting makes it somehow even more disturbing.

As for the other characters, they're all endearing, but I especially love Sander Jansen and Kasaqua. I'm intrigued to see what trajectory the possible romantic interests take in book two. This is classified as a Young Adult novel, but I honestly didn't realize that until I looked at the tags on GR.

Thank you to Moniquill Blackgoose, Del Ray, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy!

A stunning Indigenous fantasy novel that I'll be talking about forever.
Anequs is our main character who is taken from her home to be trained as a dragon rider but not in her traditional ways.
Vivid world- building, badass main character, dragons, magic! My favorite thing about this book though is that the author doesn't shy away from showing colonization and racism. This book takes you through a journey and I loved it.