History Literature / WhenWomenWereDragons

* FirstLove: Alex and Sonja develop feelings for each other as young teens. They are separated but resume their relationship in college. An older Alex muses on how happy was in those days, even though she ended up with someone else.

The story is told as a memoir by Alexandra "Alex" Green, a bright girl growing up in Wisconsin in the 1950's and 60's. Alex is a little girl when the Mass Dragoning happens. In the chaos, her Aunt Marla transforms and flies away, causing Alex's cousin Beatrice [[FamilyRelationshipSwitcheroo to become her little sister]]. The two sisters grow up with a [[FantasyForbiddingParent stern]] but sickly mother and an [[ParentalNeglect emotionally-absent]] father, all keeping the secret of Beatrice's biological mother under wraps. Alex loves her sister deeply but becomes increasingly concerned with Beatrice's fascination with dragons, especially after their mother dies of cancer and their father [[ParentalAbandonment leaves them to fend for themselves]]. On top of all that responsibility, Alex is determined to go to college to study mathematics. How can she continue to care for Beatrice while still pursuing her own dreams?

* SupernaturallyValidatedTransPerson: All women can become dragons, regardless of their assigned gender at birth. Dr. Gantz has found a large proportion of dragons are "women by choice." It makes sense, since dragoning appears to be related to women pushing back against a strongly conformist and patriarchal culture.

* DelightfulDragon: Dragons use their power to better the world. Some dragons start guarding pods of whales and other endangered species, others use their [[TheNoseKnows sense of smell]] and flight to defuse minefields, and others defend civil rights protesters. [[spoiler: Beatrice]] forms an international pacifist organization which defends civilians from the effects of war and encourages peacemaking. It's very hard to stop them, since they are enormous and invulnerable.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Most dragonings are voluntary, though a woman may feel the urge to change so strongly that it feels more like a compulsion. If a woman does not wish to change, like Mrs. Green, they can suppress the urge. [[spoiler: Beatrice is an usual dragon/girl since she can alternate forms and partially transform at will.]]

* DelicateAndSickly: Alex's mother is very petite and has suffers at least two bouts of cancer in her lifetime. As her cancer worsens, she becomes thinner and weaker.

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Mrs. Gyzinska is wealthy enough to support a ring of underground researchers and fend off any legal trouble. Thanks to her, members of the Wyvern Research Collective who have lost their jobs themselves hired into library positions across the country. She is also the largest donor to her county’s library, hypercompetent and [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections very well-connected]]. In short, nobody can touch her because if she were to be removed from her post, the county's library system (and those of other counties, and also probably a few other public services) would fall apart.

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Mrs. Gyzinska is wealthy enough to support a ring of underground researchers and fend off any legal trouble. Thanks to her, members of the Wyvern Research Collective who have lost their jobs themselves hired into library positions across the country. She is also the largest donor to her county’s library, hypercompetent and [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections very well-connected]]. In short, nobody can touch her because if she were to be removed from her post, the county's library system (and those of other counties, and also probably a few other public services) would fall apart.

* VetinariJobSecurity: Mrs. Gyzinska is the [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney largest donor to the county library]] and also hypercompetent and [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections well-connected]]. If she were to be removed from her post, the county's library system (and that of other counties, and also probably a few other public services) would fall apart.

* VetinariJobSecurity: Mrs. Gyzinska is the [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney largest donor to the county library]] and also hypercompetent and [[ScrewTheResIHaveConnections well-connected]]. If she were to be removed from her post, the county's library system (and that of other counties, and also probably a few other public services) would fall apart.

* VetinariJobSecurity: Mrs. Gyzinska is the largest donor to the county library and also hypercompetent and well-connected. If she were to be removed from her post, the county's library system (and that of other counties, and also probably a few other public services) would fall apart.

* HulkingOut: Some dragonings are accompanied by joy, but others are the result of rage. For example, a young woman named Stella dragons when a group of male colleagues starts harassing her. However, unlike the classic example, dragonings are irreversible. [[spoiler: Unless someone is special like Beatrice.]]

* StayInTheKitchen: It is 1950's American suburbia, after all. Alex's father discourages her from pursuing a college education, unless she's out for an MrsDegree. He would much rather she [[FantasyForbidingFather forget the whole math thing]] and marry right out of high school. Alex's mother takes her role as a housewife very seriously and sometimes punishes other women who will not conform. For example, she briefly cuts off communication with her sister until the latter agrees to take a husband.