content warnings: 

cissexism, being outed, speciesism/racism, mentioned animal (unicorn) deaths

rep: 

intersex MC

I'm not intersex like the protagonist, and I was never a "horse girl," but — given those caveats and acknowledging their implications — this story hit home almost from the very beginning. Unlike the parental figures here, I vividly remember what it was like to be a kid desperate to fit in, making difficult and sometimes questionable social choices to compensate for being different from your classmates. (To be fair, it was clear that the adults had good intentions, albeit undermined by their obliviousness.) Regan may not have a super distinctive consistent personality, but in this case I found that made her more relatable, and also made sense given that one of the major running themes is her growth, both physical and mental.

Considering the limitations of a novella format, I was quite impressed by the worldbuilding, particularly the way tropes are incorporated (including 

reluctant Chosen One, found family, earth-sea-air adventure trio, (literal) Man Behind the Curtain

). There's a great balance between meaningful twists and thoughtfully-delivered moments of resolution, as well as pointed but not excessive social commentary.

And the ending? Even knowing it was coming, that hurt. Wow.