As much as I love dark and complex sapphic fantasy and science fiction stories that push the boundaries of the genre and challenge me to consider all the possibilities, I also love a sweet fairytale. Forgive Me Not, the latest YA graphic novel from artist and writer Mari Costa, is one such fairytale. I loved every aspect of this book: it exemplified everything that makes fantasy stories like it so great.
Aisling is your stereotypical princess. She loves music and dancing and dreams of one day falling in love and marrying a Prince Charming. However, a week away from her 18th birthday, her life is changed dramatically when she is abducted from the castle by a brutish woman named Forget-Me-Not. Not reveals to Aisling that she, not Aisling, is the true princess. Not was was abducted when she was a baby and replaced with Aisling. She also reveals that Aisling is not even human, but a changeling whose father is an Unseelie courtier named Gristlebone. Gristlebone’s plan was simple: have Aisling become queen and then take over the kingdom. But with Aisling in tow, Not has a plan of her own: take Aisling to the Seelie Court in the hopes of getting out of her contract with Gristlebone. Plans get complicated along the way as feelings begin to develop between the two women. But Gristlebone is ruthless and will stop at nothing to have his way.
Both Not and Aisling are characters that fit classic romantasy archetypes while also being incredibly rich and complex. Not is our hardened and brooding rogue who has endured much and yet found a way to survive the fae with their humanity intact. She has every reason to hate Aisling, but as the story progresses, you see that that hate is only superficial. Meanwhile, Aisling has all the trappings of the spoiled princess, but is more clever and kind than she has any right to be. Both play off each other perfectly and grow in ways that feel authentic to their core. Their chemistry also shines through even when they are at each other’s throats. It’s so sweet to read.
The story of Forgive Me Not is a perfectly paced enemies-to-lovers fairytale that fans of the trope will enjoy. It begins with a sword and a threat and ends with a swoon-worthy kiss and a happily ever after. It takes its time getting there, though, with plenty of missteps and action along the way. They have to fight (mostly Not) and clever (mostly Aisling) their way through multiple dangerous situations as they travel through a feywild teeming with tricky creatures who wish them harm. Throughout their journey, Not and Aisling grow closer and closer, with every beat of this increasing closeness feeling earned. The walls between Not and Aisling’s do not shatter in one singular moment, but slowly crumble brick by brick as they learn more about each other until there is nothing left. The ending also does a great job showing how far Not and Aisling characters have come. In fact, their survival hinges on that change. The only reason they are able to survive is because of their growth as individuals as well as their love for each other. Altogether, it makes for masterful romantasy storytelling that feels like the best fairytales out there.
Mari Costa’s art is also outstanding. Her vibrant color work makes the human world and especially the feywild come alive. There were several times in which I could not help but linger on a page just so I could take it all in. Costa also does a great job in her character designs and her facial expression illustrations. I especially like the ways in which Not’s design opens up so many storytelling avenues that Mari is barely able to explore given the size of the book. When it comes to her work with facial expressions, you are never at a loss for what the characters are feeling in the moment. They also give you a clear sense of character voice without having to rely on different speech bubble styles. By the end, I had a clear sense of Not and Aisling’s voices because of how expressive they were illustrated. Lastly, Mari’s panel and layout work really helped the pacing of the story. Several pivotal moments in the story hit harder because of how she went about leading the reader through them panel by panel.
In summary, Forgive Me Not is the perfect YA sapphic romantasy for readers of all ages. I was entranced from the first moment until the very end. It’s a fairytale I plan on reading to my daughter and cherishing for a long, long time.
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