This is a queer romance with a very thin veneer of cozy fantasy. The frequent magical analogs to real-world culture and the dialog at times gave the feel of parody. One character is desperately trying to get into a magazine top-30 list of young entrepreneurs; another quips, “Dude, your aura is all over the place.” My heart belongs to a darling little automaton with a weirdly appealing appearance and some BB8 vibes.

The story is slow, sweet, and insubstantial. The pace dragged in places, which made the few D&D adventure set pieces (the tunnels under the city! The midnight sinkhole! The alchemical catastrophe!) a welcome relief.  The low-stakes narrative’s main appeal was the close-knit community and family that support, accept, and encourage one another with love.

Pet peeve:

ridiculously age-inappropriate behavior from a child character. A six year old who drools on her parents’s shoulder while throwing a toddler-speak tantrum? Shudder.