I needed something to fit the 'Cowboys!' prompt for Queer Your Year 2024 and queer hippo-riding cowboys, cowgirls and cowthems fit the bill perfectly. I wasn't really expecting much from this alternate history/spec fic novella, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Mainly the chemistry between Houndstooth and Hero, but also the hippos! I didn't know America once considered importing hippos for meat, and Sarah Gailey explores the 'what if' of this bizarre idea perfectly. For such a short novella, there's plenty of character development packed in, and more than a few twists. I'll definitely pick up the sequel!

I really didn't like the narrator though. Sorry, Peter!