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An award-winning queer YA romantasy
Reviews
Read NZ Hooked on Books reviewer Ashika Hira ~ This was a charming book about self-discovery that had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. It’s such a cute, funny, and lighthearted read that I absolutely devoured in one sitting. From the first page Tim’s voice is so potent, and we as readers really get to understand him through the language used. This book gave me Rainbow Rowell Carry On vibes, and I loved that about it, so would definitely recommend it for any fans of her books. I also loved the idea that there is a school of magic somewhere under Fox Glacier, and I thought that it was such a relatable and engaging topic. Not in the sense that there is a magic school here (I wish!), but through the language and general topics that were just so Kiwi. The connection between magic and culture was also such an original and brilliant concept, I just wish it was expanded upon further.
Locus mag (US) ~ H.S. Valley, who, like Tim, is also biracial white and Māori and was raised largely by her white relatives, does a fantastic job of rooting the story in Māori culture and Aotearoa history. Readers unfamiliar with Māori culture or New Zealand life might struggle a bit to figure out what’s going on, but I think it’s a good kind of struggle. Valley doesn’t waste time explaining basic concepts or translating for non-Māori speakers. Why should she? Tim and his friends already know what the words mean. My ignorance is my own to contend with. Most of it makes sense with context clues, and the rest I looked up. She keeps the story centered on Tim’s experiences.
About the Kiwi author
H.S. Valley grew up on the Waitematā Harbour in Auckland, at the foot of Takarunga. She now lives near the Waitākere Ranges with her partner. She has a bachelor’s degree in design. She won the Ampersand Prize for her debut YA novel, Tim Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick Blues.
