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When Women Were Dragons
A rollicking feminist tale set in 1950s America where thousands of women have spontaneously transformed into dragons, exploding notions of a woman’s place in the world and expanding minds about accepting others for who they really are. The first adult novel by the Newbery award-winning author of The Girl Who Drank the Moon.
Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours, except for its most seminal event: the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales, and talons; left a trail of fiery destruction in their path; and took to the skies. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex’s beloved aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn’t know. It’s taboo to speak of.
Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of this astonishing event: a mother more protective than ever; an absentee father; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and watching her beloved cousin Bea become dangerously obsessed with the forbidden.
In this timely and timeless speculative novel, award-winning author Kelly Barnhill boldly explores rage, memory, and the tyranny of forced limitations. When Women Were Dragons exposes a world that wants to keep women small—their lives and their prospects—and examines what happens when they rise en masse and take up the space they deserve.
This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Penguin Random House.
Book club questions for When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
The main character, Alex, had many different roles in the book. She was a daughter, a cousin, a student, and, most important, a mother. Which one do you think was most important? How do each of these affect her character development?
Consider the antiquated stigma of women in education: How does the study of mathematics and science intertwine in the story? Why is the pursuit of education crucial for Alex, Alex’s mom, and Marla?
What is the connection between dragoning and femininity? Discuss topics such as the taboo of the female body and the history of sexism.
Sonja Blomgren is Alex Green’s first love. Although separated in their childhood, they are reunited at the University of Wisconsin. Why is Alex’s relationship with Sonja meaningful to her coming-of-age? How did Sonja’s dragoning affect Alex?
The Greek myth of Tithonus is revisited a few times throughout the story. Why is it significant? Discuss the metaphor of memory, love, and selfishness within the poem.
Barnhill chooses to separate the book between Alex’s point of view and Dr. Gantz’s research. In what ways are they similar? Different? What effect do you think this structural choice had on the story?
Alex experiences two moments of extreme anger: in the school’s office with Beatrice and in the library with Mrs. Gyzinska. How are these two moments connected? Why do you think Alex reacted the way she did?
When Women Were Dragons is a feminist story showcasing the fortitude and resilience of women. Examine moments where the patriarchy is emphasized and why it is relevant to instances of dragoning.
In chapter 9, Alex describes the nationwide trauma and grief experienced post−Mass Dragoning: “. . . it brought the nation, for a moment, to its knees, reeling in a state of loss and confusion and sorrow. There were few people in the entire country who did not know at least one affected family.” How does this relate to our current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic?
The novel ends with Alex moving back into her old neighborhood, on the same plot of land where she had her first experience with a dragon. She chooses to fill and decorate her house with mementos of her life experiences with different people. Why is that impactful? How does it compare to her childhood home? Ultimately, why do you believe Alex chose not to dragon?
When Women Were Dragons Book Club Questions PDF
Click here for a printable PDF of the When Women Were Dragons discussion questions
“Ferociously imagined, incandescent with feeling, this book is urgent and necessary and as exhilarating as a ride on dragonback.”
—Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians Trilogy
“Completely fierce, unmistakably feminist, and subversively funny, When Women Were Dragons brings the heat to misogyny with glorious imagination and talon-sharp prose. Check the skies tonight—you might just see your mother.”
—Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry