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blynn817's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Moderate: Homophobia, Death, and Racism
mattyvreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Slavery, Child death, and Sexual assault
pkprouvs's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Death, and Violence
lenaschrn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Police brutality, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, and Terminal illness
danaslitlist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
"A childhood spent attending church services, and the first time I ever felt the Word touch me was during a sermon from Dorothy Cotton delivered in Larry Kramer's bedroom. I felt like I'd finally reached a long sought destination and tasted the purest water (....) Until Dorothy removed the scales from my eyes, I'd had one hundred ways of asking one thing: Why did I feel hunted in my homeland? Because my government means to kill me. Amen! Amen and glory hallelujah! At last, I could explain the force shaping my existence."
I commend Rasheed Newson for such an impactful, creative and bold debut that is My Government Means to Kill Me. The decision to make this historical fiction read as an autobiography was a choice that could've not worked, but not only did it enhance the reading experience, I fully believe that it was one of the only ways to properly tell Trey's story effectively. When the queer community talks about the Pride, when we talk about queer history and activism, we are talking about the people like the ones in this book. The focus on intersectionality between race, gender, and sexuality, the conversations about activism and how it changes with time, and the sheer emotional impact of the topic of the AIDs epidemic make for a powerful history lesson of how much we owe to the older queer generation and the allies who fought for us.
Graphic: Grief, Racism, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Classism, and Death
chellemerrill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Terminal illness, Grief, Police brutality, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Medical content, and Sexual content
samanthamurk's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Police brutality, Racism, and Violence
notcharlottete's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Medical content, Sexual content, Violence, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Racism, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault
woolgatherer's review against another edition
3.75
On that note, the book often read more as an opportunity for Newson to teach the reader than to experience a story, making things feel a bit labored at times. There were also some plot points that kind of floated around, most notably the story with Trey’s brother. I wasn’t entirely sure what Newson wanted to get out of this.
This novel is a great dive into queer history, and it’s clear that Newson took great care to do as much research as possible. However, as a fictional work, I felt that there was a lot left to be desired.
Graphic: Terminal illness, Classism, Hate crime, Sexual content, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Alcohol, Addiction, Racism, Drug use, Violence, Death, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Lesbophobia
anxiousnachos's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Grief, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Police brutality, Pandemic/Epidemic, Hate crime, Sexual content, and Murder