Alternative history novels are always interesting. They let us speculate about what might have happened or what might have not happened if only one thing were changed. Barnhill, however has gone way beyond that and has imagined a whole new world emerging in the 1950’s when women became dragons! What a delightful, enormously insightful and wholly satisfying feminist tale right when we need it most!  

Alex was a little girl when the Mass Dragoning of 1955 occurred. Her Aunt Marla dragoned and left, leaving her daughter, Bea, behind. In total hundreds and thousands of women emerged as dragons, leaving a fiery trail of destruction behind, but no one talked about it. In fact, like many who were left behind, Alex’s mother and father acted as if dragooning never happened and Aunt Marla never existed and took Bea in as their own child. Forced into this weird silence, Alex, can only accept this new reality, and since she loves Bea it really isn’t so hard.

Things might have gone like this forever, except that her mother dies when Alex is in high school. Her father, who had been largely absent, abandons the girls, expecting that Alex will take care of Bea instead of going to college as she had dreamed. If it wasn’t for the encouragement and steely determination of the town librarian, Alex might have given up her dream, but instead she keeps up her grades, applies to several colleges and keeps hoping a way can be found for her to go to college and still take care of Bea who is now just entering elementary school. It was hard but Alex is managing until Bea becomes obsessed with dragons and awakens in Alex the memories and truth she had so carefully repressed. 

Barnhill explores what happens when women are kept small and limited in their expectations. She explores the rage that builds in a society where that kind of tyranny keeps one group small and subservient and what is possible when those who are oppressed all rise up together to create a more just society. Although Barnhill has a clear feminist agenda, she has not stinted on character development. Alex and Bea really shine as does the librarian, who although in a supportive role, is truly heroic!

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Lauren, Marian and Keith

Book Sturdy Worthy? Oh my, Yes!

Read in e-library format.