K. O’Neill (The Tea Dragon Society, Princess Princess Ever After) brings their warm and cozy worldbuilding and thoughtful characters to a new fantasy setting in this graphic novel.
Rowan (who is using a different name at first), is training to be a ranger, serving both the land and the people on it. Soon, they hope to carve their name on the gate at the ranger headquarters, signifying their full membership in the elite corps. Rowan is frustrated, though, when assigned to a seemingly boring post helping violin-playing shepherd Leone. Rowan’s desire to prove their worth then leads to a miscalculation and an injury to their flying horse, Kes, which could endanger Rowan’s future as a ranger.
Rowan is tasked with accompanying Leone on a journey by foot, giving Kes time to heal and Rowan time to grow. Rowan is increasingly aware that it wouldn’t feel right to carve the name by which others know them on the ranger’s gate. As Rowan and Leone get to know each other better, too, we learn that Leone has challenges of his own. He loves to play the violin, but never in public, having been humiliated by his family when younger. Rowan gently encourages him to perform, however, even as Leone’s effortless gender creativity (including wearing a dress at one point) helps Rowan learn to embrace their true gender identity. (There is no evidence of anti-trans or anti-gender-creative sentiment in the world; Rowan’s journey feels like a purely personal one of self-discovery, not of overcoming stigma.)
This is a lovely story of accepting ourselves and our friends (and maybe romantic interests) as they are and of persevering when life’s path takes unexpected turns. O’Neill tells the highly recommended tale as much through the soft, earth-toned images as through the words, keeping the tone soothing and sweet for the most part, with a few scenes of action made all the more powerful.
Rowan has brown skin and straight black hair; Leone has pale skin and red hair.
