Review: Lily by Michael Thomas Ford
Jun. 15th, 2021 08:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smalltimereadsLily by Michael Thomas Ford is published by Lethe Press, which specializes in queer genre fiction.
Staven Andersen's illustrations are absolutely fantastic- creepy and whimsical and detailed. I'm devastated that I can't find any online presence for him.
Onto the story- I don't really know how to feel about Lily- it wasn't bad! The atmosphere was good, with ghosts and Baba Yaga and creepy clowns and old school Revival preachers. The story was familiar, but well told. The ending was sweet, with some bitterness as well. Baba Yaga's chapters were excellent, and I loved Lily separating herself and thinking how she didn't trust the girl inside her.
It just felt thin. The romance wasn't bad, but it was very instalovey. The issue of faith felt shallow, which was disappointing considering how much of it takes place in a traveling Revivalist ministry/show. I wanted more depth and subtlety to some of the main themes. I also could have done without the creepy (implied) rapist clowns, especially considering Star is implied to be Lily's age (13). Definitely felt like the author forgot Lily was 13 at times.
I don't think it's a bad thing that there's a fairy-tale f/f story that deals with darker themes and is kind of tropey. It just didn't do a lot for me.
Staven Andersen's illustrations are absolutely fantastic- creepy and whimsical and detailed. I'm devastated that I can't find any online presence for him.
Onto the story- I don't really know how to feel about Lily- it wasn't bad! The atmosphere was good, with ghosts and Baba Yaga and creepy clowns and old school Revival preachers. The story was familiar, but well told. The ending was sweet, with some bitterness as well. Baba Yaga's chapters were excellent, and I loved Lily separating herself and thinking how she didn't trust the girl inside her.
It just felt thin. The romance wasn't bad, but it was very instalovey. The issue of faith felt shallow, which was disappointing considering how much of it takes place in a traveling Revivalist ministry/show. I wanted more depth and subtlety to some of the main themes. I also could have done without the creepy (implied) rapist clowns, especially considering Star is implied to be Lily's age (13). Definitely felt like the author forgot Lily was 13 at times.
I don't think it's a bad thing that there's a fairy-tale f/f story that deals with darker themes and is kind of tropey. It just didn't do a lot for me.
