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When Women Were Dragons

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When Women Were Dragons

By: Kelly Barnhill
Narrated by: Kimberly Farr, Mark Bramhall
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About this listen

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.

©2021 Kelly Barnhill (P)2021 Bonnier Books UK
Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy Fiction Paranormal Dragons Heartfelt Thought-Provoking City
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What listeners say about When Women Were Dragons

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

brilliant !

I really loved this book!So different ,compelling and at times heart wrenching!The narration was excellent and the more I listened I became immersed to the point I really believed in the narrator being the main character and also the other characters when she spoke as them.
I found myself at times believing the account as reality!(please listen to the book and you will see what I mean) I don’t want to spoil it.
There is a second narrator who is just as believable and his narration also is excellent.
Kelly Barnhill takes us on a life journey filled with prejudice,sadness and deep love between families , friends and lovers.She describes the struggles for women in the book as they bravely transformed into strong fabulous creatures!
Really enjoyed it ✨✨

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Just wonderful!

Feminine magic at it’s very best. Touching, powerful, expansive, thoughtful and mesmerising. A must read.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The sweetness & sadness of sisterhood

This is a beautiful coming of age story told is an imaginative way. The mixture of performers works extremely well and gives the book and fiction and documentary feel. I purchased the book on a bit of a whim and I’m so glad I did.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful story


Lovely story, great narration. Kept me interested from start to finish.
Would highly recommend to others.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Stunning narration

Thank was such a great production and a brilliant story so gripping and thoughtful, this book make me think deeply and was a joy to read, a favourite quote…
“What is grief but love that’s lost it’s object”

A beautiful piece of writing

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful book

The author must’ve dragoned before writing this book & took to the skies with her pen!
This is one of those books that has personal, individual and private messages that speak to your heart. It will be a different experience for everyone but I can’t imagine anyone reading this and not getting something from it that they can carry through life. Beautiful book. Beautiful author. Written with magic in the ink and fire in the subtext.

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Absolutely wonderful

This is a book unlike any other I’ve listened to/read. Empowering, enthralling, enlightening, funny, sad and touching. A metaphor for all women kind. Part fiction is rotten as a diary interspersed with fictional historical faction…so clever and brilliant. Narrated fantastically too. My listen of the year I think

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

interesting

lovely story, interesting thinking points, but i could not get behind the performer that read the book. i had to listen to it at double speed to avoid falling asleep and get interested in the story

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Incredibly enjoyable

It feels long and slow at first ,and with Game of Thrones in the back of my mind , I anticipated that the dragons are going to rip up the world. But no it's one girl's gentle life view growing up in a world of women who are 'Dragoning' with all the love and the hurt that brings and possibly why we might want to as well. Heartfelt and with believable, beautiful narration listening to this I longed for the pull of the stars and being able to dragon myself , a lovely and unexpected story that will hopefully become a classic

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A beautiful & calm story

This story was different to any I've read for a while. It isn't overly dramatic or adventurous, but it instead explores so many insightful and fascinating ideas about how those who are oppressed and othered. The interjection of scientific journals, articles and thoughts from scientists and doctors was also really interesting and mixed things up well.

Loved it - I did have a little cry a few times!

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1 person found this helpful