Brooms by Jasmine Walls and Teo Duvall

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Brooms only came on my radar over the past few months but I liked how unique it sounded and I enjoy historical fantasy stories. I find them a great way to touch on a little bit of history with the fun an excitement of the fantastic. I was able to read an early finished copy courtesy of Levine Querido. 

This is set in an alternate history in 1930s Mississippi, where magic is outlawed for Black and Native American people. This graphic novel follows a cast of characters who each get into illegal broom racing as a means to be able to escape to a better life. 

Sisters Emma and Mattie are Black and Choctaw who have to hide their magic to avoid being put into a residential school and potential stripped of their powers. Luella who is Mexican and Choctaw has already been stripped of her powers after an incident at one of the schools and is doing her best to protect Emma and Mattie. Cheng Kwan is Chinese American and just wants to be able to embrace her identity. Billie Mae is Black and deals with chronic pain. Loretta is Black and disabled after a stroke. And last Billie Mae is Black and dealing with chronic pain.

It's a very straightforward plot as this band of witches takes on a set of rivals from a white magic school. I liked the small touches in the artwork like Emma's sign language however the emotions on the faces of different characters weren't always clearly illustrated. With the wide range of identities and disabilities you can tell the authors are very intentional about the message they want to portray. I didn't always feel immersed in the setting however it was a fast-paced enjoyable read.