The Palomas and Corbeaus have a long-standing feud, twenty years to be exact. Not only are they rival performers (with the Palomas swimming in the water like mermaids, and the Corbeaus dancing in the trees like birds), they've had what they believe to be personal loss inflicted upon them by the other. Two weeks out of every year the families end up performing at the same time, in the same small town. Since childhood the Paloma's have always been taught to stay away from the Corbeaus and their magia negra. Likewise, the Corbeaus have always been taught never to go near the Palomas with their magie noire. Unless of course they're throwing punches, that contact is highly encouraged. 
 This is the first year Lace Paloma will get to wear a tail and perform with her cousins in the show. She doesn't want anything to mess up this chance, she's been dreaming about it forever. But when disaster strikes the small town of Almendro where the families are performing, Lace's life is saved by one of the very people she's been warned away from. 
 Cluck may be a Corbeau by name, but he's treated like le diable by most of his family. Not being allowed to perform in the trees with his brother and cousins, Cluck contributes by making their beautiful wings. When he saves Lace, he doesn't know at the time that she's a Paloma. 
 When Lace figures out the boy who helped her was a Corbeau, she's cast out of the family. Trying to get back in the Palomas' good graces Lace sends up incorporating herself into the very family she's been taught to hate. In doing so, Lace begins to question the very superstitions that reign supreme within both families. 
 Magical Realism is one of my favorite sub-genres of fiction. I love fantasy and paranormal stories to the extreme, but sometimes the subtlety of magic that just is can be so wonderful. Magic that just shows up in everyday life, no rhyme or reason. Anna-Marie McLemore pulls this off wonderfully with the Palomas and the Corbeaus all while mixing in some classic feuding families. 
 I loved the subtle commentary about grudges and superstitions. While reading, we are constantly reminded why each family feels the way they do about the other. The wrongs and heartache both families have suffered at the hands of the other. We're learning this from Lace and Cluck's POVs. Two characters who weren't even alive when the slights were committed. I remember thinking how confusing each claim was, how blurred they seemed. The minute changes in each retelling of each blight. But I think that was supposed to be that way. Cleverly stating that, over time, the point of these feuds become lost and muddled until someone is angry only because they are told they should be angry. 
 I loved Lace and Cluck. Together, by themselves. They were great characters. Both respecting the superstitions put upon them by their families, but never letting these superstitions completely close them off from what they know is right. Lace might believe the Corbeaus have black magic and touching one can put a deadly curse upon you, but she still doesn't want actual conflict with them. Until she's forced into their presence, her solution is to stay away from them. She doesn't encourage the fighting that some of the others in her family are prone to. 
 In his own way, Cluck tries to avoid conflict too. Even though the violence Cluck has to endure comes from his own family. He doesn't encourage it by fighting back. He never fights back with his fists, but never once did I take this as weakness on Cluck's part. On his side, Cluck holds no love for the Palomas either, but he also feels the skirmishes between the families need to stop. Cluck fights simply by opposing his brother's penchant for bringing harm to the other family. True, this brings more harm upon Cluck's shoulders but he doesn't stop. 
 Of course, all their beliefs are pretty much thrown out the window once Lace and Cluck get to know one another. Their burgeoning relationship was really sweet amid all the vileness and hatred. 
 Anna-Marie McLemore has truly written a beautiful tale about seeing something with your own eyes and not letting anyone else have influence over it. 
 This will definitely be a story I reread over and over. There's a timelessness about it that I absolutely loved. I look forward to reading more stories by Anna-Marie McLemore in the future. 
 *ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.