When Women Were DragonsWhen Women Were Dragons
What it's about
In 1955 America, thousands of women spontaneously turn into dragons and fly away, in an event called the Mass Dragoning, which nobody is allowed to talk about. Alex Green, a girl whose aunt has transformed, grows up in a society that pretends it never happened, as she cares for her little cousin.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a sharp feminist fable.
You'll love it if you liked
The Handmaid’s Tale
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
The Cherry RobbersGood to know
It's an allegory.
By the numbers
- Readers9 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving
If you like this, read next
Cloud Cuckoo Land
Babel
Outlander
Doomsday Book
Kindred
The Calculating StarsExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is When Women Were Dragons worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 52.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is When Women Were Dragons about?
In 1955 America, thousands of women spontaneously turn into dragons and fly away, in an event called the Mass Dragoning, which nobody is allowed to talk about. Alex Green, a girl whose aunt has transformed, grows up in a society that pretends it never happened, as she cares for her little cousin.
How long does it take to read When Women Were Dragons?
About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after When Women Were Dragons?
If you liked it, try The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix or The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker.