Bloemetje: A Queer, Decolonial, Space Fantasy Fairy Tale

One miniature girl leads her human and fairy people to decolonize Venus in this speculative, queer-inclusive space fantasy reimagining of Thumbelina. A quiet, literary fairy tale for adult readers who love speculative fiction with queer, ecological, and decolonial themes.

Image of a book cover. The silhouette of a girl stands among rows of tulips. She gazes up at a sky that is clearly not of Earth, as it has three planets in it. The title of the book - Bloemetje - is written in script.

A Dutch company known as The Bedrijf commences colonizing Venus via the construction of a dome filled with plants that convert its natural air into something breathable by humans. Since all workers are granted permission to bear a child, a woman and her spouse join the crew. But the woman soon discovers she is plagued with infertility. When her spouse illegally brings home a tulip from the garden, they discover a miniature baby inside who they name Bloemetje – little bloom. As the baby grows in mere days into a teenager, pushing her boundaries, she illuminates the true horrors of colonization and leads them all on a journey to decolonize. 

This retelling takes the original Thumbelina’s focus on marriage and flips it on its head, granting the miniature girl a strong voice of her own and questioning her removal from the fairy world. Exploring themes of childlessness, adoption, being childfree by choice, colonization, decolonization, negative impacts of capitalism, and what LGBTQIA+ inclusive societies can look like, this novelette comes in 17 bite-sized episodes perfect for reading in the small snippets of time available to modern individuals and families.

Enjoyable and Thought-Provoking Storytelling

  • “This is a thought-provoking retelling of Thumbelina with a compelling and fun twist. I fell in love with Bloemetje, a cute and strong fairy that was unknowingly taken from her people and raised by a human couple.” – Robin Ginther-Venneri, Goodreads
  • “Wonderful novella in a genre I didn’t even know existed! Story explores different themes and points of view with a strong story lead in Bloemetje herself.” – Emily LoPresto, Amazon

Strong Characters and Representation

  • “I really enjoyed Bloemetje’s strength and forwardness, and Oppas was such a kind, gentle elder. Each character was a joy to read about.” – Dawn, Amazon
  • “This book was magical. A retelling of Thumbelina, in outer space? It sounds crazy, but it works. A++ for the nonbinary characters, and all the LGBTQ+ additions.” – ReneeGreen, LibraryThing

Unique and Engaging Worldbuilding

  • “The story is told in third person in a very clear, fairytale-like style with descriptive settings and strong character motivations. The LGBTQ+ themes around family and identity are a welcomed and needed addition to sci-fi stories.” – NatashaCreates, LibraryThing
  • “One of the very first things I enjoyed seeing in this book was the way these parents had to deal with their love of Bloemetje versus letting her be her own person and explore the world.” – kiiitasticbooks, Storygraph

Giving Back to the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness

A portion of proceeds is donated to the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness, a Native American-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

When you purchase Bloemetje, you’re not only enjoying a thought-provoking read, but also supporting the important work of the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness.

Ready to join Bloemetje and her loved ones on their decolonizing journey? Grab your copy today!

A purchase button labeled "Amazon" and "Barnes & Noble"
A purchase button labeled "Bookshop.org"
A purchase button labeled "other retailers."

Looking for a free way to read? You can also borrow Bloemetje from the Brooklyn Public Library (ebook) and the Bigelow Public Library (print).

Extras

Depicting Queer Families in Fairy Tales: My Journey from the 90s and Y2k to a Thumbelina Retelling – a feature on Sapphic Book Club.

Want to dive deeper into the creation of Bloemetje? Check out this feature article where I share the inspiration behind the book and my reflections on queer families in fairy tales.