In South Korea, not many people celebrated Christmas in the 1980s. It was the perfect time for a group of college students to go hiking in the mountains. But when their organizer, Hoon, is stopped in the street and arrested for listening to banned music, the group members are forced to go without him.

They end up on the mountain with nothing but potatoes for food. Not everyone has the right equipment for a night in the cold and snow. Despite the missteps, everyone is excited to have a night away from the oppression of their everyday lives.

Hyun Sook isn’t sure how to move forward after Hoon is arrested. He was trying to pass along the leadership of the banned book club to her. She’s not sure she wants that responsibility. Even though some of the rules are relaxed, there’s still a curfew and people are still being arrested for small infractions.

As the night wears on, secrets are shared and friendships are forged. Christmas is a time for magic.

No Rules Tonight is the graphic novel that follows Banned Book Club. Hyun grows over the course of both installments. She’s hesitant to share books that are banned because it’s not safe. Many in the group have secrets that are not safe. It’s hard to imagine a society with curfews and people being jailed over the types of music they’re listening to. As a reader, I can’t help but cheer on the characters when they find the courage to be themselves in a safe environment. I loved having the epilogue.