But I was wrong about a lot of things when it came to her. This is not particularly unusual. I think, perhaps, none of us ever know our mothers, not really. Or at least, not until it's too late.” There is no subtlety to Barnhill's writing in this YA novel: at every turn, she tells you how you, as her reader, should think and feel. Gosh, where will I even start? This beautiful and powerful book pushed me in a rabbit hole researching dragons until 3 am and it was worth it. The mention of history and patriarchy with feminist undertones from the protagonist was just perfect. The text is not boring, although some of the dialogues were..predictable?

Even imperfect things can be precious, after all. The choice itself is precious. The smallness and the largeness of an individual life does not change the fundamental honor and value of every manifestation of our personhood.” I thought I was writing a story about rage. I wasn’t. There is certainly rage in this novel, but it is about more than that. In its heart, this is a story about memory, and trauma. It’s about the damage we do to ourselves and our community when we refuse to talk about the past. It’s about the memories that we don’t understand, and can’t put into context, until we learn more about the world.”The focus is on Alex, a young girl who is confused by events that are happening, not just to family and neigh Time, in our experience, is linear, but in truth time is also looped. It is like a piece of yarn, in which each section of the strand twists and winds around every other - a complicated and complex knot, in which one part cannot be viewed out of context from the others. Everything touches everything else. Everything affects everything else. Each loop, each bend, each twist interact with each other. It is all connected, and it is all one. I will say that the characters are all likable, even those who try to follow ‘societal norms’ and ignore the Mass Dragoning. I also adored the sapphic relationship within but more importantly I loved that while this is a fiercely feminist tale at it’s core and heart it focuses on family, be it by blood or found, on the idea of striving for answers and keeping your true to your own self and path. I honestly adored this. Ok, so I will admit the title of this book really called to me when I saw it. When Women Were Dragons is a reimagining with a definite fantasy thread, the dragons kind of give it away really!

I was not expecting a concept so brilliant as “oppressed often gay housewives in the 1950s get so angry they transform into dragons and eat their oppressive husbands before flying off” to be boring. I wanted to DNF at 20%, and 30%, and 40%; and at 65% was still not enjoying the book but just determined to see it through to the end in the hopes of a spectacular ending to redeem it. No one will tell her why her mother disappears for months, and/or why her unmarried Aunt Marla moves in to take care of the family. Nobody knew whether or not the spontaneous transformation was their choice. Nobody knew why some women “dragoned”, and became wyverns, and others did not. Nobody knew what was to become of those left behind. Alex knew no more than anyone else:Through dragoning, this book explores trauma and the silencing that often takes place in its aftermath. It’s about how women diminish themselves to fit into the shape that society prescribes and the toxicity of secrets. It’s the power of women taking up space and refusing to be gaslit anymore. The story tells a fictionalized history of America during the 50s and beyond. Told from the point of view of Alex Green, who is initially eight-years-old when hundreds of thousands of ordinary women sprout wings, scales and talons and take to the skies in blaze of fire and fury. We learn how Alex had several burning questions left unanswered until much later in life.