It has taken a month of lockdown with no new library books, but I've finally tried reading an ebook. Faced with climate catastrophe in [b:Always North|52569300|Always North|Vicki Jarrett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1570452197l/52569300._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73671986], I felt like some fun YA for light relief and there was nothing of that description in my flat. While I found reading a book via firefox on my laptop a bit awkward, it was doable once I got used to the commands and adjusted my screen brightness. (The layout on Archive of Our Own is better, in my opinion.) Anyway, 'In Other Lands' was just what I wanted: a cheerful satirical fantasy romp. It stars the insufferable yet loveable Elliot and his two best friends. At the age of 13, Elliot is invited to cross a magic wall to the Borderlands, where he joins a sort of military school. Being a genre-savvy smartarse, he resists being turned into a child soldier and instead chooses the diplomacy course. His attempts to counter war-mongering at the Borderlands camp are a serious theme amid the teenage shenanigans. The setting features no actual magic, much to Elliot's disgust, but there are various types of nonhuman beings: elves, trolls, dwarves, mermaids, and harpies. My favourite character was Serene-Chaos-in-The-Heart-of-Battle, a bloodthirsty elf warrior brought up with the misandrist ways of her culture. Cultural differences between humans and elves provide some of the most hilarious moments of the book.

There is also plenty of teenage romance, of the best kind: light-hearted and not heteronormative. Most of the romantic happenings are distinctly farcical and there are plenty of queer characters including Eliot, who is bi, and his joint-best friend Luke, who is gay. I expected that they'd get together and was delighted when they finally did. It was really fricking cute. The books follow Elliot's life from the ages of 13 to 17, as he grows up and deals with academic, family, romantic, and diplomatic challenges. I was greatly entertained and would classify this as a perfect lockdown read. It's escapist, smart, and very funny. Now the challenge is to locate the sequel, a short story called 'Wings in the Morning' that is found in an anthology called [b:Monstrous Affections: An Anthology of Beastly Tales|20697444|Monstrous Affections An Anthology of Beastly Tales|Kelly Link|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1394830704l/20697444._SX50_.jpg|40016938] which the library does not have. I'll track it down at some point, as the characters are very endearing and I want to know what happens to them next. ( )

If you like laughing with the characters, this book is a treasure chest.
It starts in a deliberate way, along what seem to be well-trod paths. Without going into wildly new territories, it offers novelty, depth, and a handful of compelling characters whose stories are told in a smoothly flowing way. The lack of obvious magic, despite fantasy races and creatures, was a bit jarring for me. ( )

In one word, delightful. ( )

Elliot cracked me up. He’s like a mashup of Percy Jackson and David Rose. I couldn’t get enough of him.

Very different! Pleasantly unpredictable in some ways. ( )