I think Unraveller is a bit more borderline - it feels like the older end of that age group at least! - but I also felt a bit conflicted about voting for it. I do think there's a bit of an issue with getting unambiguously YA stuff onto the Lodestar shortlist, but I don't read a huge amount of YA myself so it's hard to be the change!

Ooh. I think I might feel similarly on the queerness but that's a deeply intriguing sentence.
Right? Some of the good stuff in that book is REALLY good.

I actually specifically am noodling at a book idea that's very much "what if magical divine right of kings is real but actually monarchy is still bad!"
Ooooooh I love that idea.

LOL, same on all counts!
Every now and then I remember the secret stash of gold bouillon, and crack up all over again.