2017 romance novella with fantasy elements. In the modern day, an old
woman has one last thing to do before she can die, selling the last
painting by the little-known pulp cover artist Haskel. In 1940, we see
how that situation arose.
There's more here than it really needs. A magical ability to fold
time and space is used to demonstrate that magic exists, but is never
really relevant to the plot. Several characters are there to be
supportive but little more. But while the plot is clearly designed to
funnel things down so that there is only one possibility, the one
that's teased in the opening chapter, there's some lovely
characterisation of the protagonists, and solid background detail.
That's where the book really shines, from
Mona's to the
specific ways in which the police of the day could harass lesbians,
and the steps they could take to mitigate some of that. To me at least
it never felt infodumpy, and it all goes to shape the plot rather than
just to show off the writer's research.
Not perfect, but surprisingly enjoyable after what to me was an
unpromising start.
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