Magdalena Herrera has a secret.
It's not that she's seeing a girl who has a boyfriend, or that she has a sick grandmother whom she cares for, or even that she's never been to a real teenage party. Her secret lives trapped in the basement of her house, and every night, she feeds it. Every night, it leaves her weak, with a bleeding palm. And if she ever let this secret out, it could mean deadly consequences. So Mags keeps her head down and doesn't let anyone get too close-- until Nessa, Mags' childhood friend, comes back to town. The more time Mags spends with Nessa, the closer they get, but her family's rules remain strict: do not tell anyone.
The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag is a beautiful story that explores family dynamics, self-acceptance, and queer love. The art is mostly in black-and-white, but bursting with color where the story needs it. It is ultimately a story about letting yourself and others see and love the parts of you that feel too "dark" or shameful to let see the light, and definitely a must-read for fans of Ostertag's previous works, like The Girl From the Sea.
-Michelle J