And I wasn't remotely surprised by this, given how often conservatives attack LGBTQ+ people, especially when given representation in children's books.

But I didn’t get even one comment about the characters being gay or ace before the kiss, or the fact that the very pointedly evil villains were using magical conversion therapy on the characters. And that just makes me wonder if I WAS too subtle after all? (It’s pretty unlikely, but who knows.)

But the part that DID surprise me was how they were only “betrayed” about the kiss, and not about all the times I mentioned the boy liking other boys, or how Lena didn't have feelings at all for boys or girls, since I was trying to give some ace/aromantic representation in these books as well.