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When Women Were Dragons

an enduring, feminist novel from New York Times bestselling author, Kelly Barnhill

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When Women Were Dragons

By: Kelly Barnhill
Narrated by: Kimberly Farr, Mark Bramhall
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'A soaring coming-of-age novel.'
- THE OBSERVER

'Completely fierce, unmistakably feminist, and subversively funny. When Women Were Dragons brings the heat to misogyny with glorious imagination and talon-sharp prose.'
- Bonnie Garmus, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY

In a world where girls and women are taught to be quiet, the dragons inside them are about to be set free ...

In this timely and timeless speculative novel, set in 1950s America, Kelly Barnhill exposes a world that wants to keep girls and women small - and examines what happens when they rise up.

Alex Green is four years old when she first sees a dragon. In her next-door neighbour's garden, in the spot where the old lady usually sits, is a huge dragon, an astonished expression on its face before it opens its wings and soars away across the rooftops.

And Alex doesn't see the little old lady after that. No one mentions her. It's as if she's never existed.

Then Alex's mother disappears, and reappears a week later, one quiet Tuesday, with no explanation whatsoever as to where she has been. But she is a ghostly shadow of her former self, and with scars across her body - wide, deep burns, as though she had been attacked by a monster who breathed fire.

Alex, growing from young girl to fiercely independent teenager, is desperate for answers, but doesn't get any.

Whether anyone likes it or not, the Mass Dragoning is coming. And nothing will be the same after that. Everything is about to change, forever.

And when it does, this, too, will be unmentionable...

Perfect for fans of THE HANDMAID'S TALE, VOX, and THE POWER. Coming of Age Dragons & Mythical Creatures Dystopian Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Science Fiction Paranormal Mythology Dragons Heartfelt Thought-Provoking
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I loved the ideas and the dragon analogy but felt this novel could have benefited from a stringent edit. The family relationships in the first part were perceptively drawn and the writing was heartfelt. It became a bit plodding however and by the end I was losing interest.

Excellent but too long

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Both from a queer and feministic point of view! Will definitely read again! As a lesbian wife and mom to a trans son it immediately gave me some wonderful thought processes.

A beautiful story!

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I loved this book, so much. It’s funny, warm, and full of magic. I’m recommending it to everyone.

Wonderful

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A long story that quietly sinks it’s hooks into you and slowly holds you spellbound. But once it has you, go along for the ride and enjoy it - even through your tears.

Such a beautiful story.

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This is a beautiful story, the characters are well written, the narration was great, just a great read.

Beautiful book

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