I’m Booked: “When Women Were Dragons”
Written by Ally Abruscato. Photo by Ally Abruscato.
Hello, and welcome to another I’m Booked review! Today, I am going to talk about “When We Were Dragons” by Kelly Barnhill. Before all fantasy haters leave the page, this book is not quite what you expect. Although, yes, some women are dragons, I wouldn’t consider the story a traditional fantasy. Whether that is a good or bad thing is for you to decide.
Imagine a version of the U.S. in the 1950s where women who are abused or feel like outcasts turn into dragons. An image like that probably leaves you with a lot of questions. How did they turn into dragons? Why did they turn into dragons? Where did they go once they turned into dragons? Unfortunately, not many of these questions are answered in the novel. As the main character Alex grew up, she witnessed “dragonings” and their effects but was forced by her family and society to keep quiet. Even though mothers around the country collectively abandoned their families, everyone refused to speak of it. I won’t give too much away, but I will say that overall, I was left feeling reasonably disappointed.
Although the book has themes of feminism and seems like a larger metaphor for the need to dismantle the patriarchy, little action is done to do so in the story. Women and dragons are continuously mistreated and silenced, yet nothing is done to resolve it. “Dragoning” allows the women to leave their life and unleash their anger, but not much else. As a result, the plot feels slightly unfinished and irresolute. While I was intrigued by the idea of female dragon feminists, too many questions were left unanswered.
Despite my grievances, I found it hard to put this book down. I was invested in the concepts of the world and its characters. Barnhill’s eloquence and symbolism did not go unnoticed. One of my favorite quotes was, “What is grief, but love that’s lost its object?” I would not discourage you from reading “When Women Were Dragons” because it is a captivating and unique read. I’ll be back soon with another book review, but until then, I’m Booked.
As Editor-in-Chief, Ally Abruscato leads and supports a talented group of staff and contributors in pursuing their creative endeavors. At SCAD, Ally majors in Photography and minors in Advertising & Branding. She regularly offers pop culture insights through movie reviews, articles and her weekly column, “I’m Booked.” When she’s not writing or taking photos, Ally’s probably outside, reading or running.
