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mayannecosplay 's review for:

The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg
4.0
emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The Unbalancing is a short read that I enjoyed immensely, with stunningly lyrical prose and a unique fantasy setting. Those not familiar with the Birdverse and Lemberg's previous work such as I was will easily be able to follow and be immersed in this world.
 It's a beautiful queer story about two people falling in love and coming together to save their island and way of life. There are legendary tales of an island's star, its starkeeper, a Bird Goddess, ghosts and an imaginative magic system based on names. One of my favourite parts of this novel were the Ichidi, the in-universe non-binary people that are normalized and described with such beauty. I read this so quickly and will now go on to read many more in the Birdverse!