As an autistic person myself, this collection was a breath of fresh air. It was amazing to see disabled and LGBTQIA+ characters learn not only how to survive, but thrive in fantasy. There is a mix of classic fantasy tropes and settings, but all reimagined through the lens of disability. These stories are hopeful and full of heart, which is sadly something you don't see a lot of in stories that feature disabled characters. The authors do not infantilize the characters or minimize their disabilities. They show that disabled people are just that: people. The message that we belong everywhere, including fantasy stories, is heartwarming and empowering.

There is also quite a mix of disabilities shown. Each story has a foreword and bio that explains the disability/s the story is focused on, and gives a little more insight to the uninitiated. I found myself learning plenty, even as a fellow disabled person. I would recommend this collection to everyone, whether to share in the experience or broaden your horizons. Disabled and LGBTQIA+ inclusivity in writing spaces is so important – if you've ever felt different, give this a shot.

Rating:
🧙‍♂️🧙‍♂️🧙‍♂️🧙‍♂️🧙‍♂️(5)

Give it a shot if you enjoy:
📜Found Family.
📜Dragons being way, WAY cooler than you remembered.
📜Autistic changelings!
📜Reinterpretation of classic myths and tropes.
📜Stories with HEART.

You'll fall in love with at least one story out of the collection. I know I did!

My favorite stories in brief:
✨A Witch's Tale by Rascal Hartley (made me cry, but the good kind).
✨The Changeling of Brushby by Natalie Kelda (fellow autistic author, I am shaking your hand. This story moved me more than I can describe).
✨To Make Her Eat, by M. Stevenson (for giving me a new perspective and some much needed education.)
✨Hope, Be It Never So Faint by Ashley N. Y. Sheely (I couldn't stop talking about this story for hours, the ending made me feel like I was floating on air.)
✨A Night For Mischief by Elior Haley (I am genuinely just a sucker for Altair and his boss. This story was everything I love in fantasy and so very cool.)
✨In Another World, I Twist The Knife, by Rory G. (Gave me a deeper understanding of my own OCD in an amazing way that made me feel SEEN.)