When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

The plot harbors the twists and turns, the mysteries and betrayals in an unhurried and elegant way. This is one of the best magical realism novels I have read and its strengths lie not in the degree of magic, but in the portrayal of its elements.

We are graced with its beauty as the plot moves towards its final moments. It is unhurried and splendid: it takes its time to grow. He felt her, warm and alive as the roots of a yew tree (167) It took root in him, digging itself in harder for having almost been torn out. It grew from the brushing of her rose petals to the sting of how the winds blew on the shortest day of the year. I cannot decide if I love the characters or the plot more. There are so many mysteries in this story that are yet to be revealed or solved. This #ownvoices novel is almost hauntingly beautiful and there are times I want to frame these words, to keep them in my mind. I am not your garden…you do not own what I grow (54) Both Miel and Sam are already on their way down a challenging path of self-acceptance as they must both be stronger than ever to protect all that is close to them. But united in their outcast status, their friendship is one of trust, acceptance, and loyalty as they navigate their town: full of ignorance, fear, and a desire for power. Sam and Miel are as equally united by their secrets, as they are by their truths. Her roses were as much the life in her as her heart (242) From the glass pumpkins, to the roses growing from her veins, these lyrical elements combine to take you on a walk through a magical forest of discovery. It is not only a beautiful story between two friends, Sam and Miel, but it is gorgeously written as well. I did not know how much I was missing magical realism, till this book opened my eyes. They would be two children named Honey and Moon, folded into the stories whispered through this town. One day they would be no more than that fairy tale.

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore