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A review by kateywumpus
Mail Order Bride by Molly J. Bragg
5.0
I tell ya, folks. Molly J. Bragg is one to watch. Scatter ended up being one of my favorite books that I've read so far this year, and this book is hot on it's heels. She's also a trans woman, so I heartily recommend spending money on her books. As for this particular book, I'd be surprised if Ursula K. LeGuinn's Left Hand of Darkness wasn't an inspiration. In it there's a race of genderless aliens. Note that I say 'genderless,' and not 'sexless'. There are two sexes, but the mere concept of gender eludes them, and they find the idea of gender roles based on what's between ones legs as utterly baffling, which makes it interesting when you read about them. I found myself seeing the characters as masculine or feminine based on how they act which is kind of interesting since the main love interest, Orla, is sexed female, yet I read them as kind of a femmboi. Most of the others I read as femme save for a few others which I read as masc. It kind of made me think about stereotypes and preconceptions and why I was seeing a difference.
The book itself is a relatively low stakes slow burn kind of romance. There's a bit in the middle when their relationship is in jeopardy that made me cry, but other than that it's mostly exploring their relationships, and the culture of the alien race. They also set up a love triangle and I vowed that if it doesn't turn into some kind of polycule by the end I'd throw my kindle across the room. Fortunately for my kindle, one is formed and everybody gets a happy ending. It's a sweet book, and a good read, and a good example of how you can effortlessly use they/them pronouns all over the place and it all makes sense. I can't wait to see what Molly's next book is going to be. 5 stars.
The book itself is a relatively low stakes slow burn kind of romance. There's a bit in the middle when their relationship is in jeopardy that made me cry, but other than that it's mostly exploring their relationships, and the culture of the alien race. They also set up a love triangle and I vowed that if it doesn't turn into some kind of polycule by the end I'd throw my kindle across the room. Fortunately for my kindle, one is formed and everybody gets a happy ending. It's a sweet book, and a good read, and a good example of how you can effortlessly use they/them pronouns all over the place and it all makes sense. I can't wait to see what Molly's next book is going to be. 5 stars.