I have started to realize that magical realism just isn't for me. I wish it was, but the flowery writing and all just doesn't do it for me.

She’s done it again and honestly, I don’t know why I still get surprised at how well McLemore creates her stories and weaves her words with magic. My first book ever read by this author was ‘When the Moon Was Ours’ and everyone of her books since then has been just as magical.

Dark and Deepest Red is a story told from different points of view and through two different time periods. I absolutely loved how all these characters connected even though they were from different times.They all had their struggles, especially with family, community and religion. The only thing that I really didn’t understand when switching points of view, why one was told in first person but not everyone elses. It’s just one of those things that will forever bother me and probably something I will never get used to in life.

Other then that this book was amazing and very well told.

This is a magical, unapologetically queer fairytale with great historical depth. Not much more needs to be said about it other than that because it's just that good and literally everything you expect from the author is delivered in this newest work of hers. The writing is lyrical and quaint, the transition between the past and present characters doesn't detract from the pacing of the plot, and the romance was just such a delight to read on all fronts.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of the beautiful Dark and Deepest Red that I received in exchange for a fair and honest review.

With a talent for weaving a story that rivals that of Neil Gaiman, Anna-Marie McLemore has created a dazzling and heartbreaking fairy tale with her newest book, Dark and Deepest Red.

Starting with the fascinating story of the dancing plague of 1518, McLemore crafts a tale that challenges the idea that the past ever leaves us alone.

Emil is a scientist, Rosella a strong willed artisan, Lala a girl who loves with all the loyalty and fire she can muster. Despite two timelines that keep their worlds separate, the three lives intertwine as each struggles to find their own spot within their culture, family, and community. Faced with the same question, each must come to their own question: should they deny what makes them unique in order to blend in to their communities, or should they reclaim their own roots to fulfill their own destinies? How do you save yourself from the curses of the past?

The novel Dark and Deepest Red is one that will stay with me— fitting for a novel that teaches the importance of history. Pushing all that aside, straying from ideas of themes, all I can say is that this was the most beautifully written, breathtaking story I might’ve ever read. Anna-Marie McLemore’s lyrical, poetic language dances alongside the victims of the fever, capturing you more and more with its spell. I couldn’t stop reading it. At times, I couldn’t stop the tears. I was so invested in the fates of these characters that at times, I could barely catch my breath.

Despite the praise I’ve lavished upon the text, I won’t say that it’s perfect: the more modern timeline is ever so slightly less compelling than that of the 1518 Strasbourg timeline. But that’s almost not worth mentioning and resolves itself in time. How can you really care about that when you have a novel that takes one of the most fascinating phenomena in history—the dancing plague—and weaves it into a gut wrenching fairy story of love and passion? Short answer: you can’t. It’s beautiful. Buy it now.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.

I didn't realize this was a fairy tale retelling. I was simply intrigued by the blurb and the promise of magic. When I found out this was a fairy tale based on a true event, I went back to read up on it. It was a very strange and unexplained moment in history and I think the author was historically faithful in showing the unfortunate conclusions people would've made at that time. I also feel like she did well in showing the pressures of fitting in or-- again in the case of the historical portions-- hiding your beliefs and heritage to escape persecution. It's horrible but it's faithful to the time period, and I'm glad that she didn't bend reality in order to make life easier for the main characters as sometimes happens.

I like getting my critiques out of the way first so I can end on a positive note. This one is more of a nitpick, but I wish when authors did multiple perspectives, they were consistent on how those POVs are done. If you single out one perspective as being first person while the other two are third, it singles out to the reader that this particular one is somehow more important. You still get inside the hearts and minds of the other two in this case, so it just feels weird to have one of them set apart like that.

Also, to me the story felt like it was dragging out and being repetitive at times. Don't get me wrong, it is very well-written, but it sometimes felt like the mystical/poetic language dragged out some scenes longer than necessary. It could just be a "it's not you, it's me" thing where other people are swept up in the language, but for me it did get a little exhausting after a while to have gone through two or three chapters with nothing actually progressing.

Also, was the glimmer ever really explained? I might have missed it. There's this magical force that takes over the modern-day town one week every year and people just accept it... yet they still don't accept The Day of the Dead or the various beliefs of the Romani people and they still would persecute someone for suspicion of witchcraft. I don't really understand that logic.

But on to the things I did like. I loved whenever it focused on the historical stuff or the struggles these three faced. These details are very eye-opening for anyone outside of their culture. And it was nice to see some people still treating them the same and with love and kindness. It was also nice when Lala in particular realized that the fear and suspicion she assumed some characters saw in her wasn't actually there. I feel like that's a good lesson for anyone.

The romance was a lot better than some I've come across in YA. It still has a lot of love angst, but I feel in one case it was a bit more warranted. But there was no insta-love, and though magical circumstances did throw a couple together, their relationship still felt properly built up before that. Yeah, the magical hook-up annoyed me, but then the characters went back and questioned what happened and actually talked about it and went over how they really felt. That was nice.

Overall this is a decent book. I personally felt like it was too long and dragged in parts, but that's me. Other people won't care about the length or the style and get swept up in the magic of it.

Dark and Deepest Red is a gorgeous and smart magical realist remix of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Red Shoes" that flits back and forth in time (the present day vs the early 16th century) to weave a lyrical fairy tale about generational trauma, the pressure to "pass"/inexpressible identities (Romani, Mexican, and trans, respectively), and the powers of love, empathy, and self-acceptance. As usual, McLemore's lush prose and sophisticated understanding of magic and monstrosity (and their roles in the histories of queer communities, especially those of color) put her work head and shoulders above most YA fairy tale retellings.

I'm presently writing a dissertation on positive reclamations of monstrosity in queer YA (including a chapter on witches/witchcraft) and was desperately looking for more novels with representation of communities of color and/or trans representation, and Dark and Deepest Red absolutely did not disappoint. I'll absolutely be discussing it in one of my chapters... which means I have to restructure my outline! ....yay? It'll definitely be worth it, though, as I cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Anna-Marie McLemore has brought their signature magic and exploration of culture to a widely forgotten fairy tale. Our tale connects two couples across 500 years and it is done so beautifully. I loved the care and attention they brought to the Romani. Besides reality TV, they don't get a lot of exposure, especially by those who actually care.

I loved the feminist edge to this book, as is in all of their work. I've studied German for 6 years and it was really fun to see nods to German culture or the sprinkled in German words. I loved that we also got to see a town outside of America.

I loved this one and Anna-Marie McLemore never disappoints. They wrap magic and culture into lush, lyrical writing. Their strong suit is always their characters, who are so achingly real you feel like you can touch them. I know never what to say about their books because words don't do them justice.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Feiwel and Friends through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Look at this cover! I love it so, so much. What a unique and interesting premise for a retelling. I will definitely be recommending this to readers looking for a well-written LGBTQ story.