nicholasl_'s review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, Terminal illness, and Death
Minor: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings
m_hates_reading's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A queer, first-love romance, but set in 1989 New York and based in the AIDS crisis - it’s one of the most moving books I’ve read. It’s been sat on my bookshelf since I originally came out in 2020, and I never bothered to read it until now. Im actually glad I didn’t read it when I first got it, bc I don’t think I would have been able to appreciate the imagery and symbolism as well.
Graphic: Violence, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Outing, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Alcoholism
hannahmayhere's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
*explanation content warning on aphobia* one character does say a few times some aphobic lines ( sex is needed for a relationship, sex is ultimate goal of all relationships, everyone wants it, etc.) and it goes unchallenged because they are the character’s thoughts. Part of this could be explained as he is a high schooler grappling with fear due to the AIDS epidemic but it still read as invalidating. So just a warning to fellow aces!
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical content, and Bullying
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, and Islamophobia
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Ableism
hmatt'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
4.5
Where I had a small issue was with the main point of conflict - it just felt very contrived to me.
Spoiler
I guess I just didn't buy in that it would be such a big deal to Judy that Art had a crush on Reza, acted on before she and Reza started dating, was rejected, and then kept his distance for the duration of their relationship. It's believable that she would be upset to some degree, but the extent it went to didn't make a lot of sense to me.Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Medical content, Police brutality, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Homophobia, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Vomit, and Xenophobia