Queer. Pirate. Sci-fi.

The first thing I thought, a few chapters in, was: "This is the book I wish I'd written". Les Nuages de Magellan was exactly the book I was craving at that moment. I'd quite hyped it up in my mind before picking it up, but somehow it zoomed past my expectations and soared into space.

This book tells about Dan, a young waitress, sometimes singer, who finds fame where she hadn't looked for it, ends up being chased for an evening she barely remembers, and escapes her planet on Mary's ship. Mary is a sort of space pirate, who's been hunted most of her life and hides deep within her memory traces of a legendary planet. One is fleeing home, the other is trying to find it again.

This book was so much fun! It's rare when I find myself unable to put a book down, but this was one of them. The characters were endearing and diverse, the world-building was just rich enough to provide surprises without drowning me into information I couldn't process, and the overall themes of memories, found families and friendship without borders was just perfect. I so wish this was translated into English! For a similar feel, I highly recommend The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.