Here for the anti-colonial dark academia books we're seeing! (Babel, anyone?)

This is a page-turning and fantastical addition to the subgenre and provides a lot of allegory and good for thought.

I honestly love the takes we are seeing on the "magical boarding school" genre these days, especially from groups that have A History with them. Ms. Blackgoose writes a dragon training/boarding school story from the point of view of a girl growing up in an indigenous culture, and doesn't shy away from the fact that these kinds of boarding schools were used to culturally overwrite native children, We get the dueling desire in our main character to be able to make her dragon's magic work so that she can protect her and her people, and her desire to burn the entire school to the ground for how she is constantly treated as less than. We also get another indigenous kid whose parents were murdered in an uprising and raised as a servant who is unexpectedly chosen by a dragon and him being able to learn more about his family that remains from our main character. She's also adorably bisexual and poly and starts dating a woman she loves and the previously mentioned boy for them all to form a family together. The only thing I will knock her on is that the world building sometimes feels like a bunch of info dumping, but props on using the English/Viking culture mashup to highlight the white supremacy takes that the Norse Viking culture can take. I'm definitely interested in what might come next here. TLDR, do you want a dragon and magical boarding school book that's aware of the historical use of the real thing in cultural genocide? You want this book.

Anequs is a 15-year-old born and raised on Masquapaug Island. Dragons are nay but a thing of the past, of old and legend - at least on her tiny island. But one day, she happens upon a dragon leaving the island, marking itself for death. She returns the next day to find a small dragon egg and takes it to her council. They allow the dragon to choose from anyone on the island, as is tradition - and out of over 1000 people, the young hatchling chooses her. She is revered as a Nampeshiweisit, a person with a close relationship to a dragon.

However, upon hearing of her newly found relationship with her dragon Kasaqua, her Anglish conquerors force her to enroll in a dragon academy. With strict rules, new friendships, relationships, and dark secrets, Anequs is out of her zone. With a lack of formal education and understanding of social hierarchies, she is challenged and faces prejudice in all forms. However, this coming-of-age YA book reveals a strong character and even stronger loyalties.

"I was not welcomed or wanted here, and everyone I'd met was quite eager to think the absolute worst of me."

Let me start by saying I wanted to love this book. I truly did. An indigenous, queer girl who goes to a dragon riding school? Sign me up! Except for the biggest thing for me - it just... drags. With long, made-up words for the fantasy world, it sounded fantastical, but almost always dragged me away from the story. Sometimes I found myself flipping back to the words explanation because after getting halfway through the book, and no additional re-explanation, I was confused.

I had to take big breaks when I read this because unfortunately, I found the majority of it.. boring. Anequs attends dragon school, and learns about history, shaping her dragons' breath, social hierarchies, and social interactions. I'll give credit where credit is due, though - the last ~10% or so was the most entertaining the book had been throughout. Otherwise, the conversations, thoughts, and interactions felt unnecessary and contrived.

If you're a fan of any YA book with dragons, positive queer representation, or mystical fantasy, then look no further. "To Shape a Dragon's Breath" may be right up your alley. However, it just wasn't for me.

If you’re looking for a book with dragons, an indigenous mc who is also queer, and just full of indigenous culture then this is the book for you.

When Anequs found a dragons egg one morning she was ecstatic, and so was her whole village on Masquapaug. In her culture dragons are rare, sacred, and the community rejoices at the discovery, gathering to celebrate the egg as they wait for it to hatch. The celebration is cut short when they find out that the Anglish, who have colonized the lands, have very strict rules regarding dragons. Either you attend the Anglish run dragon academies or your dragon will be put to death. Anequs, unwilling to let her dragon Kasaqua die, decides to attend the academy.

There were many elements of this story that I really enjoyed. I adored some of the side characters, especially Sander (he is definitely neurodivergent and that made my neurodivergent heart happy), Theod, and Liberty. I also loved Anequs. She’s such a kind-hearted, smart character and her relationship with Kasaqua is one of my favorites of the entire book. I also really just loved how easily/casually the topics of bisexuality and polyamory appeared in the book (and I’m so excited to see how these relationships develop).

This book also does a really good job at showcasing the different ways that Anequs and other indigenous characters in the book experience racism. Niquiat (Anequs’ brother) talks about how hard it is to find a landlord who will rend to indigenous people. At school Anequs is regularly talked down on for being “uncivilized”, her customs are made fun of, and there are near constant microagressions made by peers and teachers alike. I know that this lines up with the life experiences of many indigenous people across the world and it was handled very well.

My only major complaint is that some parts of the book were much slower paced than the rest of the book. A lot of the scenes that take place in the classroom are just pages of lectures from the professors which just didn’t hold my interest. I also think a decent chunk of this book (it’s over 500) pages is just world building and setting things up for future books which just drug the pacing down for me.

Overall though I did really enjoy it (I mean of course I did… there are dragons). So thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the gifted ecopy of this book. This is my honest review.

AMAZING! I cannot say that word enough! It had everything and more when it came to a book about dragons! You can tell the author took a lot of time and care to craft the world. The main character, Anequs, bonds with a dragon and ends up at an academy for dragon riders. This world is a fictionalized version of the 19th century, with magic abounding! This book keeps amazing pacing throughout the tale and makes you want to get to the next chapter to see how the world continues to unfold. I was astonished that this was a debut novel because of how good it was! Can't wait to see more from this writer!

Thank you Del Rey Publishing and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this book! Anequs discovers a dragon egg, dragons haven't been seen on her homeland in a really long time. As a result she is invited Anglish school, the people who colonized her lands. There she is met with discrimination, harassment, and violence. But she is determined, with the help of her dragon, to help her people and make them proud. This book is fun, deep, and extremely relevant! If you love dragons you will love this book! Can't wait to read it again!

This was a solid 4 stars until the end, which felt very rushed and vague and I really have no idea why it stopped where it did.

This was an extraordinary book - so many of the best pieces of so many genres! Very fantasy, a bit steampunk, a fair bit of alternate history, all through a gloriously indigenous lens. The writing is steadily-paced and the protagonist's determination carries it through both dramatic and mundane moments. That said, there's shockingly little in the way of dragons in this dragon book, and way too much chemistry in a language similar to Icelandic. I may make it sound like I didn't enjoy this read, but I absolutely did. Anequs is an admirable woman navigating colonization and a foreign way of life with confidence and aplomb. Her entire outlook in life is unapologetically of her people, despite so many trying to shape her into something else - she doesn't even need to rail against their efforts, simply lets them roll off her back. She knows exactly who she is.

m not even sure where to begin with this book. I loved the characters, the plot, the dismantling of colonialism, and of the dragons, of course. The pacing felt a little slow at times, but I already can’t wait to read the next book.

Anequs is a smart character, who does not hold back to protect those she loves or to defend her beliefs. She absolutely refuses to take any B.S. from the society who colonized her people and I am here for it. I also loved her love interests: Theod and Liberty. Yes, interests. This is giving poly vibes and I am hoping that it comes into fruition in the next book. I will say that I like Theod a little more than Liberty, but I think that together they’d be a lot of fun.

The plot of this book is going to be considering lacking by some. It has a lot of set-up for the world-building and what is going to become the main overarching plot of the series. This is part of the reason I said that the plot is a little slow at times. The author clearly did a lot of work for the world-building and wanted to show it to us, but all the explanations for the holidays and to an extent the magic system were probably not truly needed for most readers. They’re something that could have been explained over the course of the series or if this becomes popular in a companion book. So, while the plot goes quickly in the beginning and the end, it is bogged down by these details a bit in the middle.

The book is super critical of colonization and people imposing their culture over others. Anequs has so many excellent criticisms of a traditional patriarchal society that I absolutely loved. Women are meant to aspire to get the best husband they can? No. People cannot transcend their social classes? No. Our way is the only “civilized” way? No. Anequs can dismantle it down to the bare bones and I will cheer. I’m here for her making the Anglish clutch their pearls.

The dragons are also super interesting in this. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. I have a feeling that the author did some reading to find inspiration for different dragon types around the world. They have horns, webbing, frills, and are just generally adorable when described. Kasaqua, Anequs' dragon, is still small in this book, but I think she is going to be fierce in the follow-ups.

Overall, I would recommend this for fans of Iron Widow, Babel, and dragons. We have a badass female characters, a potential poly romance and a fairly strong academic setting. I know it is dangerous to compare books to others, but those were the two this made me think of while reading. However, just in general, if any combination of the elements I mentioned sound interesting to you, I would recommend giving it a go. I only just wish that I didn't have to wait for the next one.

Note: I have received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book excited to read about a girl and her dragon. I ended this book reflecting on what intersectionality in feminism looks like.

To Shape A Dragon’s Breath very clearly draws on the real and devastating effects of colonialism and white oppression on the world, and how racism destroys everything with hate. Anequs expects to grow up and inherit her family’s home, and continue her life taking care of her community. While the threat of white (“Anglish”) settlers hangs over their heads, Anequs wants for little as her community cares for her as she does them.

When Anequs is forced to attend the Anglish school as to not put her community at further risk from either her dragon or the Anglish, she goes to learn how to care for her dragon. Anequs goes to this school already a complete person with her own culture and heritage, yet the Anglish see her as primitive because of the cultural differences. Even the friends that Anequs makes often make ignorant remarks and take offense at being called on them. Instead of apologies, Anequs is often met with their tears because they didn’t mean to do anything hurtful, and then expect comfort for it.

Anequs is young, and the reader may often forget this for how clever and mature she is, especially when set against ignorant and hateful people. I am very eager to see where she and Kasaqua will travel to together next, as Anequs has a long journey and tough battles ahead.

I recommend this book for everyone regardless of your journey in life, but especially for those who have had harder ones.

When I first started this book, I'll be honest, I wasn't totally into it. But the more I read, the more just completely sucked in I was despite the slow pace of this book. I really loved Anequs and Liberty and Theod and Sander and so many of the other characters. I can't wait to find out what comes next.

I'm going to be thinking about this book for a long while, and longing for the next book in the series for even longer. Blackgoose has an absolute winner of a debut novel and series, a deft entry into the genre of fantasy school series that firmly addresses the societal issues of the time while carrying a sense of wonder and hope for the future.

Because the worldbuilding isn't just dragons and colonizers, it's a whole what-if, descending from the thought experiment of if the Vikings had continued their colony in Newfoundland and had, even further, colonized most of Europe as well and what that means for the lands we know as New England. This brings with it a lot of the same issues our own 1800s faced - racism, sexism, wars, societal unrest, technological advancements versus traditions - but also a sense that there's still a pivot point, a crossroads, and Anequs has been thrust right in the middle of it all.

At its heart, this is a school story - Anequs comes to bring a dragon's egg back to her community, and while she knows that there used to be knowledge of how to live with dragons in her culture, it has been lost and the only way to avoid disaster is to see what the colonizers have to say, which requires enrolling in their dragoneer's academy. But what is wonderful is that Anequs has the full support and love of her family and community, a strong connection to her home and her culture, and brings all of that with her as she has to go through the gauntlet of living away from them, fiercely holding to what she knows is right and dear to her in the face of those that tell her she is uncivilized (all while being a mirror in which to see which practices are truly in need of change). She takes classes and makes friends, learns about the people that would as soon see her and her dragon dead, and through it all, Blackgoose keeps to the heart of the story, that it is about connection and agency, of respecting those connections and the people Anequs holds dear.

The worldbuilding is bright and wonderful. It's fun to slowly recognize the locations and connections of how traditions made their way down through the Viking and their counterparts in our world, holidays and place names and events taking different context in this alternate history. Equally fun is the secret behind the shaping of dragon's breath, of translating the stilkas and how magic and chemistry collide in this universe and how it becomes a point of figuring out how different cultures interpreted the same understanding of the world around them, the same knowledge passed down in different ways. The story and Anequs' understanding and conviction unfold like a flower, and I loved watching it grow.

I also dearly love Kasaqua, how cat-like she is in her mannerisms, instantly recognizable and endearing, and I can't wait to see how she grows as well.

This is a beautifully written debut novel. Our main character Anequs is of an indigenous group of people in a world that has been colonized by Viking like countries, Anglish people. While living her normal day to day life, Anequs discovers a dragon’s egg and is then bonded with the hatched dragon. Once the dragon is discovered, she is forced to attend a dragoneer for the Anglish to learn how to tame her dragon.
Firstly, this book is not for someone who is looking for epic battles and heart pounding adventure. It is a beautifully written coming-of-age story as we follow Anequs navigating this hate-filled new world. The story takes its time showing us everything Anequs goes through from the moment the egg is found to the end of her first year at the academy. It brings up topics of racism, classism, segregation, sexuality, and just what it means to be a part of a people that is hunted and harassed day in and day out. I could see some people getting upset while reading this if they don’t want to read of such topics.
I truly enjoyed this book. There were times where I did want to skim a few pages (I didn’t but I REALLY wanted to) but every piece of information that author gives is important to the story. Every interaction shapes the way the story progresses.
I cannot wait to read the next book!

This is an eloquently written story that people need to read as soon as it hits the shelves!!

After discovering a dragon on her island, Anequs has to leave home and attend a prestigious institution run by colonizers so she can keep custody of her dragon. She spends the majority of the story dealing with the colonizer mindset, as well as the different customs they have. Through it all, Anequs refuses to give into those ideologies and stays true to her true self and continuing to embrace her indigenous identity.

The representation is incredible!! Anequs is bisexual and polyamorous, and there is a non-verbal autistic side character.

The setting is very well described, especially in the academic setting. Moniquill Blackgoose did a great job laying out the course of study and the lore that Anequs learns at the school.

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

This is an honestly written, compelling coming-of-age story with dragons. Anequs is a good narrator and easy to relate to. Elements and events of her world will unfortunately be recognizable in ours, and her stories facilitate reflection and discussion of our own history in the United States. The worldbuilding is immersive with comprehensive descriptions of the social and political systems of Anglish society. We spend the majority of our time with Anequs at school, learning to be a dragoneer, and the subject explanations and depictions of day-to-day life as a student are engrossing. Multiple complex identities are explored among her family, classmates, and acquaintances. This could be described as a slow build in that most of the major plot driving events are introduced in the last 2/3, but the pacing and overall plot are fine; the story relaxes into and builds on itself. The ending does a good job setting up the sequel, which I am eagerly anticipating. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a diverse cast of characters, anyone who appreciates a straightforward, direct protagonist, and anyone who loves books that have dragons.

Moniquill Blackgoose used every page to perfection. Every scene and interaction was expansive use of character development, world building, social and political commentary and examination, storytelling, wordplay, and so much more. I cannot say fully with words how amazing this book was.

If you enjoyed The Priory of The Orange Tree and/or Babel, you need to pick up this text.

This amazing feat of writing is diverse, queer, fantastical, emotional, and entirely proud to be itself, standing apart from others within its genre. Not only is the fiction entertaining, it necessitates the reader look critically at modern societal conventions, how those have been affected by the past, and how that affects themselves and others.

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath gave me everything I want in a book and more. I can declare now that it is one of my favorite books of the year - of ever, and that I will not be able to stop thinking of it for a long time yet.

A beautifully written book, with dragons and magic! It's a no brainer for me! The story was very entertaining, but this book is a bit longer than I tend to prefer. I hope that the Author continues the series!

Set in a world touched by magic and dragons, Anequs is sent to a colonizer-run dragon academy after stumbling upon a dragon egg in her remote village of Masquapaug. Her people revere the found dragon and hope this discovery will bring forth an age of abundance and success for the island.

Yet, the Anglish colonizers believe dragons are meant to be conquered and used for economic and military means, which Anequs and her dragon Kasaqua do not subscribe to. Faced with attending boarding school or Kasaqua's death, Anequs enrolls in the dragon academy only to discover there are more barriers for her to train her dragon, from the institution itself to her peers and Anglish society.

With Angeline Boulley's "Firekeeper's Daughter" emerging as the breakout novel of Indigenous representation in YA, Blackgoose's story takes notes and goes even further. Anequs' life experiences and passion for her culture shine in this book without forcing our protagonist to give up the pieces of herself to the colonizer. Not only an Indigenous representation, but Blackgoose also incorporates autistic and neurodivergent representation with well-researched care and understanding. Honestly, I was impressed with the accuracy and kindness of these character depictions and hope other authors will note Blackgoose's loving care for these groups.

Blackgoose's vivid worldbuilding draws on 19th-century America, with everything touched by magic. The detailed descriptions and expansive features of Blackgoose's novel were the novel's highlight, creating a truly believable and wondrous display of the power of a well-thought-out world. My only issue with the worldbuilding was the magic system–although creative. Unlike anything I've ever read before, the system was sometimes confusing. Honestly, I left this book not knowing how the magic and shaping of the dragon's breath work.

The social commentary on 1800s America and the treatment of Indigenous peoples was spot-on, and Blackgoose did not shy away from the horrors inflicted upon Indigenous groups during that time. With very few YA novels centered around the Indigenous experience, "To Shape a Dragon's Breath" hits the target during discussions on colonialism and assimilation.

Despite the authentic depictions and sharp commentary, it felt as if Blackgoose was trying to cover all the bases of social issues in America. From sexism, racism, classism, indentured servitude, and homophobia to ableism, "To Shape a Dragon's Breath" tackles way too many issues without diving into any of them.

For every step forward this novel takes, it takes 2 steps back in terms of the reading experience. I am all for explaining certain aspects of worldbuilding, especially if it's a vital piece of the puzzle. Still, Blackgoose spends dozens of pages explaining fantasy geometry and chemistry like a professor who lectures nonstop. These long tangents––coupled with minimal tension and too much commentary on every societal issue––made "To Shape a Dragon's Breath" a tiresome read with no payoff. Lastly, the anti-climactic ending felt as if Blackgoose got lost on the way to the conclusion and had no idea how to end the novel after the preceding events.

While a brilliant addition to the YA genre with ground-breaking representation and commentary, "To Shape a Dragon's Breath" fell flat and couldn't seem to land on its feet by the end. I wanted to like "To Shape a Dragon's Breath." but, ultimately, the messiness and minimal tension throughout the story was tiresome and left me wanting a much more polished version of the novel.

This ARC was provided by Del Rey and Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Follow @bergreadstoomuch on Instagram for more!

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Sometimes you start reading a book and realize that it is the thing you most want to be doing at that moment. There's just that sense of "oh yes, this, this is what I wanted." And To Shape a Dragon's Breath is absolutely one of those books for me.

Have you read some of the magical academy books published for adults in the last sixty years? Brilliant, so has Moniquill Blackgoose, and she knows where all the beats in them go. However, Blackgoose is an enrolled member of the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe, and she brings every bit of that perspective to this book. And it is delightful. There are so many places that Anequs, the heroine, has very little patience for colonizer bullshit. In our world where the "correct a character flaw" arc plot is some people's idea of How You Tell A Story, Blackgoose has the vision and the courage of her convictions to give Anequs the courage of hers. She's a teenage heroine who knows where she comes from and where she wants to go, and she doesn't have to have that shaken to have a compelling narrative.

And compelling it is. I had so much trouble putting this book down to do silly things like eat and sleep. The narrative is flowing and assured, and the characters are compelling enough that a glance at the first line of the chapter was often enough to draw me in for "just one more." Anequs makes friends, loves her family, has a great relationship with her dragon, messes with magical chemistry, fights stupid rules, does all sorts of things. It's so much fun, it's so fierce, I'm so very glad there is this book.

Honestly, anything with dragons is an auto-buy/request for me, so To Shape a Dragon's Breath was a no-brainer. The summary also captured me by promising an Indigenous main character, a dragon rider academy, and queer characters. I ended up loving this book, in large part, I think, because it features so many tropes and settings that I tend to love. I loved following Anequs on her journey, and school settings are some of my favorite. The overall story structure felt unique as well, and didn't seem to follow the typical structure. Not knowing how the story would play out kept me turning pages eagerly, and I'm very excited for the sequel!

Overall, this was an extremely promising start to a new fantasy series and breath of fresh air!

Thank you to Random House, Del Rey, and Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Moniquill Blackgoose’s debut is some pretty direct social commentary done by way of YA historical fantasy. The world-building was in clear analogue to the real world, so that the fantasy was a fairly thin veil. I enjoyed the story and the characters to the extent that they were developed (there was a lot going on), and hope that they see more development in the sequel, which I will definitely read.

Though the description implies that this might be an academic fantasy, the book focuses more on themes relating to colonialism, discrimination, and intolerance. The academics are mostly only mentioned when they allow the author to point something out (usually fairly directly) regarding one of these themes. I do think that, more generally, this book suffered a bit from "tell don't show", and that it likely could have been substantially shorter.

Anequs is a very strong female character, but I felt that the side characters were the ones who really shone in this book, especially Sanders (an autistic character that Blackgoose treats with great dignity) and Theod (of indigenous descent but raised by the colonists). I had to sleep on it to understand why Anequs didn't shine so brightly to me, only to realize that Theod tells Anequs this in the book itself: She always has the answers. Anequs not only knows what she wants, but never doubts herself or her opinions, and this plays into the slightly heavy-handed feel of the social commentary.

I really enjoyed the dragons and the solid neurodivergent rep, and (of course) the revelation that the people of Masquapaug had held the secret to shaping dragon's breath all along. My thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC.