Before We Disappear is an ahistorical fantasy with a shining cast of characters, a unique setting, and a plot that will leave you guessing until the very last page. Set at the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, we follow two young men as their fates collide in a way that will change both of them forever. Jack, the semi-adopted assistant to the magician known as The Enchantress, is a thief, pickpocket, and general trouble maker. Wilhelm, on the other hand, is a soft and naive boy who was kidnapped as a child by a man who wanted to exploit him for his magical ability to travel through space in the blink of an eye. Masquerading as rival magicians to The Enchantress at the AYPE, Wilhelm's captor has a plan, one that Wilhelm has not been made privy to but knows he will have no choice but to be a key component of. But then Jack and Wilhelm meet, and the two quickly fall in love so deeply that Jack couldn't imagine a world in which he does not save Wilhelm from his horrible future. And so, with the help of the friends he has made at the exposition, he must devise a plan to save the boy he loves, before anyone gets hurt.

This was so much fun! This book was definitely character focused as the plot didn't really get going until about halfway through, but given how much I loved these characters I'm certainly not complaining about that. Jack and Wilhelm's relationship to each other, as well as the friends they make, are by far the shining stars of this book. I loved that the author used the fantasy setting to change the past and allow for queer characters to exist without fear; it was lovely to read and his comment about it in the author's note made me tear up. I loved these characters, getting to know them was truly a delight! In terms of plot however, that is where Before We Disappear fell short just a little bit for me. I did really enjoy where the plot went, I thought it was engaging and fast paced in the last half. But the majority of it was painfully predictable, and relied heavily on convenience and suspension of disbelief for a lot of the big reveals. With that said, the plot was still a lot of fun, especially the climax right at the end.

Overall, Before We Disappear was a charming fantasy with a lovely romance at the centre, and I had a great time reading it! I'll definitely be checking out some of Hutchinson's backlist after reading this one.