A review by motherbooker
Tales from Beyond the Rainbow: Ten LGBTQ+ Folk Stories Proudly Reclaimed by Pete Jordi Wood

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 So often, the phrase "gay agenda" is thrown around with reckless abandon. This is especially true where children are concerned. Like the time a bunch of right-wing nuts got upset about an exam question talking about gay people. What people are less concerned about is the fact that pretty much everything in our childhood is heteronormative. The stories we are told are, more often than not, about cis men and women falling in love and getting married. Fairy tales are full of princes reducing princesses before taking them home to their castle. It's all such a thinly veiled tactic of the heterosexual agenda. So, this collection of LGBTQ+ fairy tales was something that I knew I had to read as soon as possible.

Pete Jordi Wood has collected a bunch of forgotten tales and reclaimed them. These 10 tales are full of gender fluidity and queer love. We meet transgender characters who ascend to the throne and sailors who marry their handsome prince. The stories are all told in a sensitive and understanding way that celebrates all people. Each tale focuses on equality and acceptance. It's not exactly subtle in the way the stories are told but what fairy tale is subtle? The main point is to show an alternative viewpoint and represent characters that aren't normally showcased in these stories. For that, it does a really good job and I loved each of the stories in their own way.

As with all short story collections, there were some that I enjoyed more than others. I think the first story, The Girl in the Market, is the strongest and most enjoyable. A sweet story about a transgender girl spotted by a prince in the market. The prince falls in love with her instantly and wants to marry her. This is the story that supposedly inspired the whole collection so it makes sense that it's so memorable. As I said, all of the stories were good in their own way but I also really loved The Falcon in the Garden and The Soldier and the Peasant. They just felt different and stood out from the rest. For me, The Ivory City had similar vibes to The Song Of Achilles and I was here for it. I also really liked The Dog and the Sailor about a sailor who helps a prince save his kingdom from a witch.

Of the remaining five, there wasn't one that I didn't enjoy. They were all well-written and accessible. Some of the stories had a few darker themes but that's nothing new. Traditional fairy tales have always featured death and a bit of gore. It's certainly not a problem and I think it's dealt with carefully here. It's also true that queer people are often exposed to the threat of violence so it's good that these stories don't shy away from the truth. Whatever they might contain, the stories are always ones of hope and celebrate being true to yourself.

At the end of the book, you get the chance to learn more about their origins at the back of the book and I loved it. It's always fascinating reading folktales from other countries and these forgotten ones were delightful. I also think they're fantastic books for children to read. They'll be great for LGBTQ+ children to see people like them in stories but these can also be enjoyed by all children. It's a great way to introduce these themes to younger readers in a way that they're used to. This was a great book to read during Pride and I'll definitely give it another read at some point.