Funny, fast, and furious, this graphic novel blends high-octane car racing, a ghost story, and a sweet queer romance. Aspiring car racer Ken Takamoto doesn’t want to be stuck at home for the summer, but he gets more excitement than he bargained for when an accident connects him with Dante Willow, a ghost stuck in the car he crashed during a race with his rival (and boyfriend) Mason 20 years ago. Dante and Ken make a bargain: Dante will lend Ken his car to enter the local racing league Hex Americana. If they win the annual Grand Prix, Dante can pass on to the afterlife and Ken can keep Dante’s car. Along the way, though, they must handle witches, gnomes, a cyclops, magical chickens, homophobia, past relationships, and current rivalries, as well as growing feelings for each other. Can they make it to the finish line?
Author/illustrator Bree D. Wolf’s worldbuilding is offbeat and delightful, and the illustrations are appropriately bold and dynamic, but underneath are some thoughtful messages about human relationships, romantic and otherwise. A recommended story and lots of fun.
Ken is Asian, and refers to himself as “Yokai-American.” Other characters reflect a diversity of racial/ethnic identities.
