This novella was a very confortable read, pleasant and interesting. The background was convincing (1900 with a pinch of fantastic-an eruption of strange births, the babies presenting ‘malformations’) and the evolution of the story was rather convincing for such a short format. I say rather, as I was a bit ambivalent about the transformation of the heroine from a apprentice midwife, gifted with some vague magic, not really understood and not mastered, to a champion to save the world.
Byt clearly the theme is that of embracing ones differences and live openly with them, without shame, proud of it, ready to be strong, useful and happy, and I like that the differences were magic but also sexuality: the stories with lesbian relationships aren’t so numerous! Quite a good feminist story too.

(I thank Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)