Those who thought Frozen was heavy on the gay subtext better prepare to let it go, because Neil Gaiman's new children's book, The Sleeper and the Spindle, features a sapphic smooch between two iconic fairy tale heroines.

Described by publisher Bloomsbury as a "dark twist on classic fairy tales," The Sleeper and the Spindle weaves together "a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic":

On the eve of her wedding, a young queen sets out to rescue a princess from an enchantment. She casts aside her fine wedding clothes, takes her chain mail and her sword and follows her brave dwarf retainers into the tunnels under the mountain towards the sleeping kingdom.

This queen will decide her own future - and the princess who needs rescuing is not quite what she seems.

Gaiman, best known for penning The Sandman series and the novels Stardust and American Gods, has never shied away from LGBT themes. In The Sleeper and the Spindle, Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell present two strong female characters who don't need a man, no way.

"The Sleeper and the Spindle simply shows that not every princess will be awoken by a prince," said Suran Dickson, CEO of Diversity Role Models, which pushes for positive LGBT role models for queer youth. "This helps children understand different relationships, as well as giving representation to those young people with same-sex parents and can therefore reduce bullying."

Though The Sleeper and the Spindle is not a gay story per se, a Bloomsbury spokesperson told Gay Star News, "there is much to be said about having a female kiss not only described but illustrated in a book for young readers."

The Sleeper and the Spindle comes out October 23.