Clarissa Pattern’s Airy Nothing is a tale of love, hope, and longing and one chock full of faeries, hobgoblins, and very relatable characters. The story centers around John, a “badly made boy,” who goes on a quest for the Faerie Queene in seventeenth-century London in hopes she will help him become a man and make him “new and clean.” His yearning for this comes from past abuse, loss, and rejection.

Not long into his journey, John meets a thief, Jack, who thinks John is a girl and kisses him in a public alley. John swoons but worries about what Jack will think when he discovers the truth about him. 

The two make fast friends as Jack introduces John to a world of new people and experiences, but as the story progresses, one worries that Jack only intends to use John. Whatever his aims, Jack and John help the other in ways they have never encountered before. And when they face a common enemy, their relationship takes a swift turn.

This fantasy/coming of age story rings genuine notes about identity, acceptance, and learning to face reality with support from others. At one point, Jack tells John, “If you want to be something, be it, do not fret over what others are thinking,” and this is undoubtedly a central theme in the novel.

Pattern’s research shines as she brings a fantastical London to life with some characters who get close to one’s heart and others who intimidate and repulse. Her use of language keeps the reader engaged and entertained. Some scenes gave me chills, and some brought tears to my eyes.

Airy Nothing is a significant contribution to LGBTQ+ literature. I recommend reading it and do hope to see it in school libraries as well; words open worlds, and Pattern has created a universe where finding acceptance of oneself can begin with the turn of a page.

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