Book Rec: A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, by Foz Meadows
Novel content warnings: sexual assault, suicidal thoughts and actions, homophobia, transphobia, violence
A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is the queer romantasy that you’ve been looking for. Romantasy is one of those new portmanteaus that’s cropped up in recent years referring to (no surprise) the combination of the Romance and Fantasy genres. While no one has quite nailed down if it means “fantasy with romance” or “romance with fantasy,” Foz Meadows wrote a great example of both.
The story follows Velasin, a nobleman’s third son who is secretly queer in the deeply bigoted country of Ralia. His father has secured him a wife as a treaty with the nearby, far more progressive country of Tithenai, but when Velasin’s former lover, Kellic, shows up and assaults him, he outs Velasin in the worst way. The situation is salvaged (in his father’s political eye) by switching Velasin’s intended from the original woman to her brother. The rest of the book follows Velasin traveling to Tithenai, meeting his new husband Cae, and trying to unravel a murder plot while dealing with internal demons triggered by Kellic’s assault.
Velasin and Cae’s sweet friendship-turned-romance is the heart of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. They quickly discover that they balance each other well, Velasin’s empathetic and politics-savvy personality enhancing Cae’s forthrightness and martial abilities. Their relationship is tested during the twisting murder mystery unfolding around them but none of the tension feels forced for the sake of drama.
The secondary characters, like Velasin’s valet/best friend Markel, Cae’s entire family, several guards, and others, have adequate page time for characterization. I look forward to seeing more from them in the second book.
A soft magic system exists in the world but takes up only a small portion of page space, at times fading to the background so much that I forgot it was there. By the second half of the book, magic takes a more prominent role, especially in the politics of the world.
Inclusiveness and diversity are woven into the fabric of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. It starts on page one, from Velasin’s perspective, with Ralia’s stark viewpoint on acceptable romantic pairings and gender expression (heterosexual only, and traditional male and female roles). Tithenai is the opposite in every way, accepting of queer relationships, no restriction on gender in terms of occupations, and an established third gender identity. Adapting to this new culture takes work on Velasin’s part, as he has to deal with his own internalized views on what is acceptable and begin the long, slow process of deconstructing from his repressive Ralian upbringing, with Cae always at his side for support.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys queer fantasy and queer romance. I already have the follow up, All the Hidden Paths, and I’m excited to read!