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208 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2019
→ Amaranthine —
In the introductory story, a garden spirit receives an unexpected visitor who decides to stay around a while. The art was so lovely in this, and I thought it was the perfect introduction to the collection.
→ How to Summon a Demon —
In contrast, this one was hilarious and cute; a boy summons a demon to ask for practice kissing, so he can learn whether or not he really is attracted to other boys. I loved this.
→ Ergi —
A sickly Viking wants to die in battle so that he can join his recently deceased lover in Valhalla, despite the priest's insistence that homosexuals cannot enter Valhalla. There's a bit of a twist ending that I didn't see coming, and I adored it.
→ Fifteen Minutes or Less —
This was so fun, and would make a really cute animated short. It follows two best friends/coworkers as they go on a "pizza-noodle" food delivery run, but get caught up fighting off one of the friends' ex-girlfriends through a sci-fi kickboxing match!
→ Shine So Bright —
While most of the stories were just happy and cute, this one actually choked me up and really made me think. It's set in the 1920s (I think) and follows a "couple" who are both secretly queer and only pretending to be together. They visit a private LGBTQ+ nightclub, and there's just something really simultaneously sad and heartwarming about it.
→ Manicita & the Songkeeper —
As far as the art goes by itself, this may have been my favorite of the anthology. It's so gorgeous! It tells of a young island girl who meets the 'Songkeeper', who explains to her that many women have existed in their culture who loved other women. It's just positively stunning and feels so rich and sweet.