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sc104906's review against another edition
3.0
Find my original review on my blog: https://wp.me/p8jcuj-2sP
It is 1863 in America, the horrific institution of slavery still exists and the Civil War is in full swing. While it looks very similar to our own history, there is one major difference....DINOSAURS! In the skies, on the streets, and in the waters, dinosaurs help humans in their daily life. Magdalys and her fellow orphans, who are African Americans, ride a dinosaur to the local theater. Along the way, Magdalys finds out that her brother has been injured while fighting in the war and she is determined to travel south to find and help her brother. Before she has a chance to form a plan to get to her brother, riots breakout in the streets and Magdalys and her friends must flee to a safe house. As they are fighting for their lives, Magdalys realizes that she has a mental connection with the dinosaurs around her and she is able to give them commands that they follow. Before Magdalys can leave to get her brother, she is determined to save all of her fellow orphans from being kidnapped and sent down into slavery. Starting a new dinosquad, Magdlys is going to get to the bottom of the mystery of where the orphans are and the missing pieces of her past.
This felt like a fantastical/middle grade version of Dread Nation. The writing was great. I loved the characters. I didn't think I would be interested in dinosaurs in a historical fiction novel like this, but it totally worked and had me completely invested. I will certainly be recommending this book to young readers. It perfectly blends adventure/fantasy/and our problematic past. This is a great start to a new series.
It is 1863 in America, the horrific institution of slavery still exists and the Civil War is in full swing. While it looks very similar to our own history, there is one major difference....DINOSAURS! In the skies, on the streets, and in the waters, dinosaurs help humans in their daily life. Magdalys and her fellow orphans, who are African Americans, ride a dinosaur to the local theater. Along the way, Magdalys finds out that her brother has been injured while fighting in the war and she is determined to travel south to find and help her brother. Before she has a chance to form a plan to get to her brother, riots breakout in the streets and Magdalys and her friends must flee to a safe house. As they are fighting for their lives, Magdalys realizes that she has a mental connection with the dinosaurs around her and she is able to give them commands that they follow. Before Magdalys can leave to get her brother, she is determined to save all of her fellow orphans from being kidnapped and sent down into slavery. Starting a new dinosquad, Magdlys is going to get to the bottom of the mystery of where the orphans are and the missing pieces of her past.
This felt like a fantastical/middle grade version of Dread Nation. The writing was great. I loved the characters. I didn't think I would be interested in dinosaurs in a historical fiction novel like this, but it totally worked and had me completely invested. I will certainly be recommending this book to young readers. It perfectly blends adventure/fantasy/and our problematic past. This is a great start to a new series.
aliterarynightmare's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
Historical fiction with dinosaurs? The combination just barely works (IMVHO) - the history occasionally got short-shrifted because the dinosaur part needed to be worked in. Luckily there are author's notes about the Draft Riots, the Colored Orphan Asylum, the period slang and dinorsaurs to help fill in blanks and point readers to additional information.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
isweedan's review against another edition
2.0
This was not my jam even though the elevator pitch for this book sounds amazing.
I don't think Daniel José Older works for me as an author. I find his protags impossible to become emotionally invested in.
I don't think Daniel José Older works for me as an author. I find his protags impossible to become emotionally invested in.
bookly_reads's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like an old man shouting grumpily from my lawn but so many of my more negative reviews recently have mentioned how incredibly fast-paced and action-packed some of the newest YA and children's books are. They're like movies squirming within the confines of the written page, and it's uncomfortable and stressful, like authors think our brains have been hijacked by social media and now we're not content to read stories unless the feel like Twitter feeds or something. Older's prose was so lush and rich in some places, and I adored his varied and whimsical vocabulary, but there was very little room for character development as everyone dashed to and fro. Another reviewer mentioned the violence in the book, and I do worry that the book is so fast-paced that not enough attention or emotional realness is given to the little girl who is witnessing the violence in the book.
I really wanted to love this book and give it to all the children in my life, but I just can't.
I really wanted to love this book and give it to all the children in my life, but I just can't.
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Trafficking, Gun violence, Police brutality, Abandonment, Slavery, Violence, Racism, Animal death, and Confinement
renatasnacks's review against another edition
5.0
oh another one I forgot to review earlier! First of all, when I booktalked this in schools kids lost their MINDS about it. It's SUCH a good premise. Civil War + dinosaurs?? Hell yeah hell yeah
PLUS ALSO it does such a smart great job of integrating some pieces of Civil War history that aren't as widely taught, plus also a rad trans character! But also just a lot of fun!
PLUS ALSO it does such a smart great job of integrating some pieces of Civil War history that aren't as widely taught, plus also a rad trans character! But also just a lot of fun!
rjsthumbelina's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25