Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal – Forthright

KatAP is a semi-sequel to “Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox”. (It takes place a few years later, and some of the major characters of the first book are peripheral characters in this one.) The milieu is the same: A world like ours in which supernatural beings have revealed themselves.

The revelation that there are shape-changers with magical talents has been received with nervous acceptance: The public response is generally positive, but integration will continue to be hard to sell. In one corner of this world, part of that public-relations effort is a school attended by a mix of Amaranthines, Humans, and Reavers (Humans with some mystical abilities).

One of the students is Kimiko, a Reaver of mediocre status and attainments - who accidentally proposes to an Amarantine classmate. It was an accident, and could have been left at that, but instead her friends and his family get behind and push. And help.

The best thing about Forthright’s writing is the absence of melodrama. The author is forced to rely on excellent story-telling to keep the reader engaged, rather than on cheap plot devices. So no, Amaranthines do not, as a people, have bizarre sexual or violent habits. No, Kimiko does not turn out to have the Reaver equivalent of super powers. No, the courtship is not blown off course by contrived coincidences and misunderstandings. What keeps the pages turning is well-written and engaging characters, and a story that works for those characters.

It’s a refreshing change.