How do you do things your own way when the rest of the world expects you to conform?
Moniquill Blackgoose has been writing science fiction and fantasy since the age of twelve. According to Fantasy Cafe, she loved reading stories from the two genres growing up, but any representation of indigenous culture left a lot to be desired. And the lack of good representation informed the stories she wrote growing up, not having any indigenous characters despite Blackgoose being a member of the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe. Since those days, a number of indigenous authors have released books of their own, several of which Blackgoose referenced in her bio on Fantasy Cafe. And in 2023, Blackgoose added her own work to the list with her Nebula Award-winning debut novel, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath.
The first installment of the Nampeshiweisit series, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is the story of Anequs connecting with the dragon Kasaqua, who she finds as an egg on the island Masquapaug. Her people are thrilled when the egg hatches and Anequs becomes Kasaqua’s Nampeshiweisit (human companion). But the Anglish people who colonized the mainland generations prior don’t share this sentiment. They agree to allow Anequs to study at an Anglish academy for dragon training, but with the promise of killing Kasaqua if she fails. The Anglish have so many rules and expectations in place for everyone, and Anequs and Kasaqua soon realize they must be the change the world needs to see.
“The shapeless medicine of a dragon’s breath is change.”
The world-building of this story is incredible. Blackgoose left no stone unturned in the creation of her world, detailing the history of the land and showing how the academy operates. There’s a lot of consideration in what an academy centered on training dragons would look like, not only why the professors would set the rules they did but also why those rules might be flawed. I also loved reading the chapters about the mythology, as myths say a lot about the characters who enjoy telling them.
Because anti-colonialism is the focus of the story, readers see how the Anglish way affects what the characters think and what they do. Some subscribe to it without question, and a few—like Anequs—recognize there’s a better way forward. And there are some characters whose lines of thought fall into a gray area, where they recognize the Anglish way doesn’t serve everyone but don’t yet know how to navigate life without it.
If I had a problem with To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, I’d say it’s the amount of exposition throughout the book. It’s great to learn about the world Blackgoose created and the characters inhabiting the world, but the amount of information being given can feel overwhelming at times. There is some action, particularly in the second half, but it takes a backseat to characters describing what’s going on and what they feel needs to be done next.
Another thing that might turn readers off is that Anequs herself can come across as a little too perfect. Now, this isn’t always a problem in fiction, and I don’t think it’s a big deal here either. Anequs’s story is that of standing up to an unjust institution, so it makes sense for her to be a little more idealized than average. And in a lot of ways, she’s a great protagonist. She’s smart, she stands by her beliefs, and she’s kind to people that everyone else overlooks. But like Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Anequs is more of a role model, someone you aspire to be as opposed to someone you might meet in your day-to-day life. As such, she doesn’t really have any character-driven weaknesses.
Blackgoose is releasing the next installment in the planned series, To Ride a Rising Storm, in January 2026. And I’m really happy to see that, because I want to see how she intends to continue the story. It’s clear that To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is meant to be a setup for the rest of the series, so it’ll be interesting to see how it stands as the other installments are released. As is, it’s a good book that introduces a lot of great ideas and compelling characters. If stories of dragons, magic schools, and anti-colonial themes are up your alley, I’d say give it a read.
Final rating: 4.3/5
Many thanks for reading.
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Source(s) referenced: Fantasy Cafe, https://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/04/women-in-sff-month-moniquill-blackgoose
