A review by finesilkflower
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh

dark funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

I was disconcerted by the mix of bubbly, cartoony, Steven Universe-ish art with a goth subject matter (witchcraft centering around animal ghosts and reanimating animal bones). Style is my favorite part of spooky stories, and I would have liked to see a more goth style for this spooky subject matter. That's not to say that the art isn't sometimes spooky, including mystical forests (which were my favorite part).

Love that this is a friendship/mentorship story between a young queer and an older butch. It's like if Karate Kid were about queer witches. 

Snap's best friend is a trans girl who is initially introduced as a boy but who comes into her own throughout the book, changing her name and presentation. This is generally well handled by the main characters, who are accepting and supportive without making a big deal about it, but toward the beginning we see more transphobic bullying. I'm of two minds about this, because I think it's important and validating to reflect kids' world back to them instead of denying that they're dealing with the things they're dealing with and presenting them a sugarcoated fantasyland, but I also think it's a bit heavy to be thrown in without a lot of unpacking. Similar to the rest of the story, it feels like an uneasy mix of darkness and light. 
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