Description
After thirty years, Aziz’s marriage now consists mostly of arguing about whether to sell their store to a developer. His wife has a social life, interests and plans for the future, but the pawnshop is Aziz’s connection to his community. And then one day a desperate fox rushes into the shop looking for the honeymoon tape his husband sold. Seizing on this chance to make a difference, the cheetah steps up to help save their crumbling marriage. A gay couple might not show him the way to a new life, but he’s running out of ways to save his old one.
Story by Kyell Gold, with illustrations by Kamui.
Author: Kyell Gold
Style: Literary Work
Content: Novella
Pages: 140
ISBN:
Parental Rating: PG
Publication Date: December 2016
Tim (verified owner) –
I found this to be a very touching story, reconciling love despite traditional ideas in many different places. The story is engaging, and had a very touching finale, especially before the epilogue.
sturmeinlagen (verified owner) –
This is a story about finding a place and peace with yourself. It’s neatly written, and you can find quick insight on how a middle-aged Muslim character would struggle with unwanted desires and deeply rooted prejudices. There are also some relationship problems discussed, like, breaking a relationship, making a divorce, having to relocate, etc. At times it gets quite emotional.
There are no graphic sex scenes, also not much action. Language is also
pretty mild, so it’s really a story for everyone. I think Kyell did here what he loves doing: he targeted a wider audience than just the fandom readers. You can swap all furry characters with humans, and fictional places with real locations, and the story would still read the same.
I’d hoped there would be more scenes from main character’s home country (Kyell’s version of Middle East). There is one, though, well inserted into the story, but I won’t give you spoilers!
One thing I didn’t like how it was dealt with, is the topic of economy. Gentrification moves the plot quite a bit, but isn’t explored enough. Near the end, one of the character reconciles that the economic processes are elemental like sandstorms or tornadoes, and that the best one can do is to move away and save their lives, instead of trying to fight the apparently inevitable. As a politically radical thinker I find that opinion to be kind of depressing – the notion that saving a society from economical and political storms is impossible, and that only a personal salvation is worth fighting for. Moving to another place, coming out as gay, changing a life-long partner, fleeing from a war-torn country, isn’t that the easy way out? I’d really love to read Kyell’s take on stories which don’t have simple endings. This one goes and ends just too smooth for my taste, but I suppose it’s targetted for more sensible people.
All in all, it’s a nice foray into the world of religion most of us doesn’t know enough, with a typical warm touch you’d expect to see in every Kyell Gold story.
P.S. I noticed three easter eggs, let me see if you can find them!
Ferret Jesus –
Profound and lovely. This novella was a fantastic read delving into sexuality and the Muslim faith. I’m not Muslim myself, so I cannot say how much is right in this book, but it takes a deep look into a father coming to terms with his estranged gay son and his deep faith and love of his community. The characters feel real, as if you can reach out and touch them with how Kyell wrote them into a carefully crafted existence. He has now made a new fan from this novella and his calatian series.