Boundless
Ed. Ismée Williams and Rebecca Balcárel
Inkyard Press, June 2023
Hardback, £14.99
ISBN 9781335428615
“No matter where I was, I always felt like I was wearing someone else’s clothes,” says Frankie, the protagonist in ‘Thicker Than Water’. This line contains many of the feelings encapsulated in Boundless, a short story anthology focused on characters who are biracial and multicultural. The 20 stories explore the unique struggles that impact teenagers who belong to families with different racial or ethnic backgrounds. These protagonists may not look like their parents, or may not speak the same language as them. Their family gatherings can be strained as the differences between cultures try to coexist. Their classmates may not look past one part of their identity, unseeing or dismissive of other experiences. They face microaggressions and snippy comments because they cannot be categorised easily into one box, and often they feel at odds trying to work out where they belong.
Continue reading Boundless edited by Ismée Williams and Rebecca Balcárel: Review
Another strength is the characters. Feasey’s primary antagonist is sympathetic and likeable despite his nefarious aims, the elusive and charismatic High Priestess is a particular highlight, and even minor characters like King Brundorl and Magorlana jump off the page despite brief appearances.
