Burning Roses, by SL Huang

[sophia_sol]

Fairy-tale retelling novella starring two older queer women! When I started this book I thought it was merely an interesting mashup of fairy tales, but by the time I got to the end I had MANY feelings. It's really good!

Burning Roses stars Rosa, from the story Little Red Riding Hood, and Hou Yi, from the Chinese mythology about...Hou Yi. And various other fairy tales are relevant to them as well. (if you're familiar with the stories about Hou Yi, you'll know that traditionally Hou Yi's a man. In this story she's a trans woman.)

The story in this book takes place at a time in their lives when both Rosa and Hou Yi are much older than your standard fantasy protagonist. And both women are being forced to confront the (fairly massive) mistakes they've both made in their pasts. I loved the complexities with which this was addressed. Both women are sympathetic, even as they're also deeply flawed, and neither part is pushed aside for the other.

I also loved the varying types of relationships shown to be important in this book: family, found family, friendship, both biological and non-biological children. And wlw can both love women romantically and have deep and important non-romantic relationships with other women.

There's a short story set in the same world as this book, which I read years ago and loved, and my dawning realization of the connection between the two narratives was so cool. The short story is from the perspective of Rosa's daughter, and is free online: Hunting Monsters.

Thanks so much to bardic_lady for bringing Burning Roses to my attention!

Comments

[china_shop]

This sounds so great!

[sophia_sol]

I think you'd enjoy it!

[chestnut_pod]

I didn't know there was a companion short story; that was a good read. As ever with novellas, I wished so much that there was more!

[sophia_sol]

I always love when there's more of a world I loved out there for me to read! And like, I hear you on wishing there was more in novellas, but also I think that as a story it worked perfectly as the length it was, which leaves me torn. Maybe the author just needs to write sequels :)

[superborb]

Thanks for this rec! I love when there's a companion short story bc then I can dip my toes in without committing to a whole book

[sophia_sol]

yeah it's so convenient when authors do that! :) I hope you like the short story!

[superborb]

BTW, there's another companion short story: http://www.thebooksmugglers.com/2015/09/fighting-demons-by-s-l-huang.html I was trying to remember what the title of the book sequel was, and this was listed on the author's website!

[sophia_sol]

ooh, thanks so much for letting me know, I'll look forward to reading it!