The Game Weavers
Rebecca Zahabi
Zahabi’s debut YA novel set in a future right-wing Britain of intolerant rigid heteronormativity looks at what happens when a ‘sports’ hero lauded for his celebrated skills at ‘Twine’ has a dangerous Queer encounter which leaves them exposed. Twine is a magical game where competitors creative unique creatures from their fingertips, weaving them with material threads and then battling them against each other and Zahabi’s prose brings this idea to life, along with the world of the fans, pressures of competition and expectations of the people who’re invested in the game for more than just competition.
At its heart this is a coming of age love story, mixed in with struggles to accept sexuality and yearnings denied. It’s an interesting look at sport and what happens when you’re a winner but different to all the others and also wraps up family dynamics between the main three protagonists, two of them brothers, as they struggle with their own flawed expectations and come to some understanding and acceptance of who, and what, they are.
Good fun, thumping narrative tensions, with the game played out constantly in the background and a surprisingly tender examination of new young queer relationships in a fantasy sci-fi setting.
Out now Paperback, £9.99
for more info or to order the book see the publishers website here:
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