wetcheesereviews's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
I read it in a day, it reminded me of my ex and is relationship.
imrereads's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I bought this exclusively because of the cover. Something about it called to me - I just knew I would find it valuable. And I did. Our main character is a queer man closing in on 50, and as he struggles with insomnia, he reflects on his past as a throwaway teenager and a sex worker, drugs, relationships, and friends who passed in the 80s and 90s. This nonlinear narrative is comprised of vignettes, and the first sentence haunts me; "My dead friends are back. I lie in bed at night and see them."
Later we also get this gem, that I think about equally as often; "I can't repel ghosts when I don't even believe in them. And yet they are everywhere." I felt this novel talked about the reality of queer adulthood (and aging in general, perhaps) and the loneliness that comes with it, especially when we think about the tragedy of the AIDS crisis. But it also speaks of connection and community. I'm glad I stumbled upon this. It's one to reread.
Later we also get this gem, that I think about equally as often; "I can't repel ghosts when I don't even believe in them. And yet they are everywhere." I felt this novel talked about the reality of queer adulthood (and aging in general, perhaps) and the loneliness that comes with it, especially when we think about the tragedy of the AIDS crisis. But it also speaks of connection and community. I'm glad I stumbled upon this. It's one to reread.
tpatz's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
cwzw's review against another edition
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Mental illness, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
shlynnnn's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. I found myself purposely putting it down even when I didn't want to so I could elongate my time with this short masterpiece.
The story is told as vignettes of a queer mans life told through the lens of memories that come to him during yet another sleepless night. They show snippets of the relationships and experiences that made him; friends dying, sex work, and aging through all of that. Despite the heavy subject matter, this book made me laugh out loud many times - lots of raunchy humor but in the best and most authentic way.
The story is told as vignettes of a queer mans life told through the lens of memories that come to him during yet another sleepless night. They show snippets of the relationships and experiences that made him; friends dying, sex work, and aging through all of that. Despite the heavy subject matter, this book made me laugh out loud many times - lots of raunchy humor but in the best and most authentic way.
wendell's review
4.25
At first it felt really paced and dizzying, it took a while to get used to how it jumps time periods and scenarios from paragraph to paragraph. Once I accepted it then it felt like a large dark, raw, and complex portrait of not just the main character's life but his friends, his lovers, and his clients he's lost through the 80s.
daucreates's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
megan_gates's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lotten's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Sexual violence
Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
nathansnook's review against another edition
3.0
READING VLOG
This will come off as an insult, but this reminded me a lot of a book that had a chokehold on me as a teenager. Lippens's novel reminds me a lot of Exit Here by Jason Myers. The difference only being that Lippens's novel is a lot more mature and honest in its lyrical voice. I think it's the tone, the ways in which so much angst in a teen can carry you so far and fast into worlds that test your survival.
Short, fast, and full of raw honesty, it's one of those books I would definitely recommend to get someone out of a reading slump.
Such beautiful vignettes of life lost, life gone and far off. It's so lonely to be an example of survival. And it's all under a harsh spotlight lit by the heaven of tyring humor, art mentions, and very real characters.
This will come off as an insult, but this reminded me a lot of a book that had a chokehold on me as a teenager. Lippens's novel reminds me a lot of Exit Here by Jason Myers. The difference only being that Lippens's novel is a lot more mature and honest in its lyrical voice. I think it's the tone, the ways in which so much angst in a teen can carry you so far and fast into worlds that test your survival.
Short, fast, and full of raw honesty, it's one of those books I would definitely recommend to get someone out of a reading slump.
Such beautiful vignettes of life lost, life gone and far off. It's so lonely to be an example of survival. And it's all under a harsh spotlight lit by the heaven of tyring humor, art mentions, and very real characters.