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wardenred 's review for:
Nine of Swords, Reversed
by Xan West
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Survivors in relationships trigger each other. It’s expected.
Such a beautiful and important short read. I love the diversity and intersectionality in Xan West's writing, and I absolutely fell in love with the characters here: their personalities, their relationship, the non-sexual D/s dynamic, the subtle inclusion of magic.
Essentially, this is a small snapshots in the lives of the main couple as they go through a misunderstanding and talk it out. Nothing big, and at the same time, something huge. There are so many themes interwoven here: internalized ableism, the issues disabled people in relationships can encounter (and solve!), nuanced and relatable depiction of nonbinary/genderfluid experience. A lot of it is just so familiar, and I felt incredibly, overwhelmingly seen while reading this story.
Also, all the descriptions? Just wow. Especially the food ones: mouth-watering doesn't begin to cover it. I'm actually kind of hungry right now. :)