#frames and footnotes

I avoided this book a bit solely based on the cover.  It has the look of a middle grade love story. Nope.  Within the first 20 pages are a the first hints of a transgender main character, a slightly steamy make-out session, and the building blocks of magical realism.  I was very happily surprised.

My first foray into magical realism was the amazing short story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and it is still my favorite. I love the way an author is able to use magical realism to provide insight into the human condition.  There are some parts of humanity that are difficult to explain using the limitations of reality.  Adding a bit of magic into a story breaks the boundaries of our every day experiences and open the reader up for a truth that is often hard to come by.  This story is able to take complex ideas, like the feeling that the body you were born with does not match who you are on the inside, and make them understandable (and somehow universal) by injecting some magical elements.

Miel is known as the girl who came from the water.  She grows roses from her wrist and her past is a mystery. Sam has lived as a boy most of his life using the idea of baca posh (an interesting Afghan tradition that you should check out).  Both of them share a bond that is beyond friendship.  They are dealing with feeling held back by their past and unsure of their futures, but they have been able to navigate their lives by always having each other there for support. They have to overcome how others view them and decide for themselves what their truth is going to be.

The writing is lyrical without feeling over done; honestly, the way she describes colors is some of the best I have seen.  The entire time I was reading this I was struck by how beautiful the author made the transgender characters’ journeys.  It made the idea of owning your own person empowering and obtainable. Be sure to read the author’s note after finishing–it really adds to the impact of the story.

I give this 5 magical stars!