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emily_mh's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book had everything! An underground magical boarding school! Two queer boys who are perfect for each other and have found-family with an enchanted egg! A lot of pining and being heartsick!! Sex positivity!! And something that made my heart sing - IT IS SET IN AOTEAROA. It was weirdly thrilling to experience reading a book and having BEEN to the places it talked about, and understanding and relating to the society it was set in. Even mention of The Warehouse made me smile. More importantly, the main character, and author, are Māori. This kind of rep is so important not just in Kiwi lit, but in literature in general, and we need a whole lot more of it.
The only tiny criticism I had was that I felt like Tim's relationship with his father needed more space at the end. But this wasn't the focus of the book so it wasn't enough to dock the overall 5 star rating I've given it!
The only tiny criticism I had was that I felt like Tim's relationship with his father needed more space at the end. But this wasn't the focus of the book so it wasn't enough to dock the overall 5 star rating I've given it!
Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Cursing, Homophobia, Colonisation, Sexism, Misogyny, Biphobia, Lesbophobia, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Mental illness, Blood, and Ableism
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