5 stars
| I absolutely loved this book. Amazing. Just amazing. To start with, the whole witch/shapeshifter dichotomy was really interesting. I was intrigued by the new spin on the division of labor- women cast spells, men shapeshift. It was fascinating to learn about the various traditions and rituals involved in the magical world in this universe. Plus, I love all of the gender nonconformity and the questioning of traditional gender roles. The whole thing works as a magical metaphor for gender identity and expression. The ending was amazing and had a wonderful message. Great focus on acceptance and family. The diversity of characters was great as well. I really liked that Charlie has two dads and it isn’t presented as a big deal. That’s her family. Love how natural it felt, not emphasized to make a point, just part of the story and her character. Gorgeous artwork and a really interesting story. I’ll admit it was a little slow for me in the very beginning, but as it got going, I became consumed by the story. Wonderful book. I look forward to reading more by Ostertag. Goodreads |