When I was younger, I had to develop a system with my family in order to take a bath. I had to let them know when I was going in, and I had to respond to knocks on the door by shouting “still alive!” at various intervals because I stayed in until my finger prunes …

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim starts out exactly as its pitch promises: it’s Project Runway meets Mulan. Maia, daughter of a tailor who has fallen on hard times, longs to be known for who she is inside, rather than as the girl everyone sees on the outside. Aside from singing “Reflection” and getting a …