It’s always a delight to find stories about queer women without outright tragic ends. This one takes place in a richly detailed 1940s San Francisco, and contains quite a lot of romance and a bit of magic. I went into it knowing only that it was much-praised when it was released a couple of years ago, but after the first chapter I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I discovered how the narrative threads all wove together. Though I would have liked more substantial fantasy elements, and perhaps a longer book, I had a great time. Just pulpy enough to be fun, but realistic enough to carry some emotional weight.