The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster by Scott Wilbanks

received for review
4.5 stars
R- 2 ish

The information that accompanied this book has this to say about it: "The physics-bending charm of The Time Traveler's Wife meets the curious mischief of The Eyre Affair in this unconventional and utterly enchanting debut novel..."

And it's a great description.

This book was fun.  The fantasy element was interesting, the mystery satisfying, and the characters!  Oh, the characters.  A goofy cast of misfits that somehow cobble themselves into a family.

If nothing else, read it for the characters.

There were a few passages that seemed to be missing crucial details.... I'm hoping that either that's because I was reading an uncorrected ARC or I was more tired than I thought when reading.  Could also be a hint of "first novel" trouble, but overall this didn't read like a first novel.  (That's a compliment, I promise.)

There is (itty-bitty spoiler ahead, though really with how early I caught it, it can't be THAT much of a spoiler...) a somewhat subtle gay rights message, but it's not a hit-you-over-the-head-propaganda type and honestly even if you disagree with the choices of a gay lifestyle, I don't see how you would have anything but compassion for the character's implied backstory.  What a terrible burden to bear-- I say that largely because to that character it clearly was.

Anyway, I very much enjoyed this one and recommend it.  :)