Taiga dreams of becoming an actor, so the first thing he does upon entering high school is join the drama club. There, he meets the beautiful, enigmatic Maria and immediately falls in love with her. Not long after, Taiga is told that she is actually a boy–but is that all there is to Maria’s story? This beautifully illustrated one-volume tale, the debut work of creator PEYO before their untimely passing in 2020, explores the layered nature of personal expression and the fluidity of the power of love.
a serious gay love story that had me spinning a bit afterwards.
it has the charm of a youth romance with a blatant darker side— the trauma of both sides of the pair takes front and center at times, adding a depth to their romance that i liked.
don’t get me wrong! it is light-hearted at times, too! there is a lot to it, though, and a purity to taiga that makes him lovable despite his initial ignorance. the characters grow and change in such wonderful ways, too. a thoroughly good read.
