anna_hepworth's review
5.0
I adored this story looking at life for the older sibling who didn't get the invite-to-magic-school letter, who was depending on it to be the thing that made everything better.
read online at https://www.thebooksmugglers.com/2018/05/when-the-letter-comes-by-sara-fox.html
read online at https://www.thebooksmugglers.com/2018/05/when-the-letter-comes-by-sara-fox.html
octavia_cade's review
4.0
I thought this was lovely, and an interesting take on the magic school trope - what happens to the kids who are left behind when the world suddenly opens up for their siblings. I think my favourite thing about this story - and it's mentioned in the interview afterwards, so clearly it's a factor for the author as well - is the belief that not everyone left behind is a Petunia Dursley, that in most cases these unmagical kids will struggle with rejection and acceptance but care for their sibling will ultimately win out over jealousy. And that's what Henry has to deal with, as her little sister reluctantly sets off for a life she's not particularly enamoured of either. Gabrielle would rather stick with science and astronomy, but she's got no more choice than Henry when it comes to her identity, and the way that both sisters learn to live with what they're becoming makes for some very enjoyable reading.
saturniidead's review
3.0
Content warning: Available to read for free at The Book Smugglers website.
This was such a brief snapshot into a world that its almost difficult to sum up what I read. In short you follow Henry, a young trans girl working through her developing sense of self and her dream of going to magic school. There was a heavy focus on characters, specifically our narrator Henry, which sidelines further development of the magical world around her. It left me wondering a lot about the the mechanics, and purpose magic served.
I appreciated the representation with a POC, trans feminine, and Jewish main character, as well as a nonbinary character! You get to see sibling rivalry, coping with feeling isolated, working with parents to get them to accept you, finding community, all really awesome elements. Henry as a character really stood strongly, depicting very genuine trans struggles, I wish I could have more of her! The jabs at Harry Potter were deeply appreciated, especially considering J.K. Rowling’s thoughts on the trans community. Overall, it makes me happy to see a story like this exist.
Summary:
Readability: ★★★★☆, Sometimes it was a little difficult to know which character was talking, but my only other complaint was the time skips feeling a little confusing.
Entertainment: ★★★☆☆, It was sweet, but when magical elements came up, it almost felt like I was reading a whole new story. The elements felt very disjointed because the focus shifted so heavily from characters to the story’s universe, without anything to ease the transition over. Because of this, it felt like I got 2/3 of Henry’s story, and 1/3 of her sister Gabriele’s story- not one full story.
Audience: This is best for middle school and up readers, as there’s multiple instances of vulgarity. Readers cis or trans could enjoy this! Trans kids in their early teens and cis allies might benefit most from this.
Spoiler
dysphoria, puberty, transphobia, unaccepting parents, violenceThis was such a brief snapshot into a world that its almost difficult to sum up what I read. In short you follow Henry, a young trans girl working through her developing sense of self and her dream of going to magic school. There was a heavy focus on characters, specifically our narrator Henry, which sidelines further development of the magical world around her. It left me wondering a lot about the the mechanics, and purpose magic served.
Spoiler
I think magic could represent the queer community, and it might be a message about trans exclusion? This is the best way I could explain how underdeveloped the magic elements felt, if they were just supposed to be symbolic.I appreciated the representation with a POC, trans feminine, and Jewish main character, as well as a nonbinary character! You get to see sibling rivalry, coping with feeling isolated, working with parents to get them to accept you, finding community, all really awesome elements. Henry as a character really stood strongly, depicting very genuine trans struggles, I wish I could have more of her! The jabs at Harry Potter were deeply appreciated, especially considering J.K. Rowling’s thoughts on the trans community. Overall, it makes me happy to see a story like this exist.
Summary:
Readability: ★★★★☆, Sometimes it was a little difficult to know which character was talking, but my only other complaint was the time skips feeling a little confusing.
Entertainment: ★★★☆☆, It was sweet, but when magical elements came up, it almost felt like I was reading a whole new story. The elements felt very disjointed because the focus shifted so heavily from characters to the story’s universe, without anything to ease the transition over. Because of this, it felt like I got 2/3 of Henry’s story, and 1/3 of her sister Gabriele’s story- not one full story.
Audience: This is best for middle school and up readers, as there’s multiple instances of vulgarity. Readers cis or trans could enjoy this! Trans kids in their early teens and cis allies might benefit most from this.
oceans's review
4.0
trans girl magic in all its glory
"Almost everything is a shade of gray: gender, magic, belief. Sometimes she even catches herself understanding too much, with all the learning she’s doing."
idkbre's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
pers's review
5.0
A story about magic, growing up, being left behind, becoming someone different, with a transgender protagonist whose younger sister gets invited to go to magical school while Henry (she hasn't decided on a new name yet, but she will one day) is left behind. Then a war comes, and Henry meets Caden, who's non-binary and who brings Henry to where her sister Gabrielle is involved in a war between those who think technology is destroying magic, and those who don't.
And all the time Henry is struggling to feel comfortable in her skin, to accept who she is, and struggling with others, particularly her parents', difficulties with accepting who she is.
This is a beautiful, compelling short story that gripped me from the first line. Highly recommended to anyone who wished JKR had offered proper representation of the LGBTA+ community.
And all the time Henry is struggling to feel comfortable in her skin, to accept who she is, and struggling with others, particularly her parents', difficulties with accepting who she is.
This is a beautiful, compelling short story that gripped me from the first line. Highly recommended to anyone who wished JKR had offered proper representation of the LGBTA+ community.
thefox22's review
4.0
Oh, I ADORED this one. This story is for everyone who wished to fall down a rabbit hole or find a magical wardrobe in an old house, and for all the people who don't feel like they fit anywhere, who've had to learn their way to their own selves, who have yearned for the fantastical because it's the only place that feels right. And at its heart was a beautiful relationship between two sisters; one who gets a letter, and the ordinary, but fierce one, who doesn't. I would gladly have read more of it!
Rating: maybe 4.5 stars
Rating: maybe 4.5 stars
thuja's review
4.0
A very sweet short story. I enjoyed the focus on the sibling left at home when one goes off to magic school and how they deal with that (as well as dealing with family and gender stuff).
thehermitlibrarian's review
5.0
What happens to the children left behind, the ones not chosen? In When the Letter Comes, we get the story of Henry, a transgender girl who is desperate to step through a wardrobe, get a letter delivered by owl, anything to prove that the magic she's always believed in is real. When the letter does comes, though, it is addressed to her younger sister rather than her.
This story really spoke to me because I remember what it was like, growing up and wanting something like that to happen. In my case, it was pretending to fall into a rabbit hole, wishing that Wonderland would appear one of those times. What happens when it never does, though? In Henry's case, after the letter for her sister arrives, she starts leaving magic behind; or, at least trying to convince herself that she is.
Besides the question, the somewhat heartbreaking sadness at realizing you won't be chosen & that chance is going elsewhere, of what to do in the face of all that, there was Henry's story about figuring out who she was (i.e. transgender) and living her life as truthfully as possible. There's some discomfort, some growing pains, a bit of awkwardness, all of which felt so good to read because Henry's personal story was strongly present alongside the things we read about happening to her sister in the magical world and how it becomes a part of Henry's world on the outside.
I was hoping that it would turn into a longer book and while it doesn't, When the Letter Comes is a tremendously great example of a short story that builds up a fully realized world and manages to tell a complete story within its limited word count. Sara Fox is a new favorite author and I hope to read more of their work soon.
This story really spoke to me because I remember what it was like, growing up and wanting something like that to happen. In my case, it was pretending to fall into a rabbit hole, wishing that Wonderland would appear one of those times. What happens when it never does, though? In Henry's case, after the letter for her sister arrives, she starts leaving magic behind; or, at least trying to convince herself that she is.
Besides the question, the somewhat heartbreaking sadness at realizing you won't be chosen & that chance is going elsewhere, of what to do in the face of all that, there was Henry's story about figuring out who she was (i.e. transgender) and living her life as truthfully as possible. There's some discomfort, some growing pains, a bit of awkwardness, all of which felt so good to read because Henry's personal story was strongly present alongside the things we read about happening to her sister in the magical world and how it becomes a part of Henry's world on the outside.
I was hoping that it would turn into a longer book and while it doesn't, When the Letter Comes is a tremendously great example of a short story that builds up a fully realized world and manages to tell a complete story within its limited word count. Sara Fox is a new favorite author and I hope to read more of their work soon.
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