yeahdeadslow's review
4.0
This was an impulse buy on the way out of my favourite local used bookstore. They recently expanded and unbeknownst to me added a small LGBT bookshelf which I didn't notice till I was on my way downstairs to the cash register where my family already was. I scanned and deliberated quickly, and chose this book because it was a novel written by a woman in the 80s and published on a Feminist press. The back-blurb was an excerpt from the introduction where the author humorously recounts reading her writing to her grandmother who is impressed only that her granddaughter could read so well without glasses. I didn't see anything about lesbians on it, but I decided to hope for the best.
The reason the author wrote about reading this book to her grandmother is because there is a character in this book, the matriarch of a Jewish family, that is based on her grandmother. As the book opens on a scene with the grandmother I was unsure if she would be the main character or not, but it soon became clear the main character was her granddaughter, Sunny, who was... a woman in love with another woman. (Ding ding ding! Lesbian jackpot!)
What I thought was interesting was that in Sunny's life she struggles to come out..... as Jewish. Unlike what I would expect, the issues of homophobia and coming out are just touched upon. Antisemitism and racism are delved into on a deeper level. This was a welcome change! In fact, I've been looking for gay novels like this one.
The character of Sunny's brother Jack was the one sour note. I don't understand what he was being so sullen about (regarding his adoption). Also I didn't appreciate his vindictive seduction of Sunny's lover, Kay. I don't think either of the women ever strictly identify themselves as a lesbian but still... I don't know about you, but I'm tired of fictional queer women cheating on their female partners with a man. (Or anyone, yes. But specifically men.) Writing about it plainly like this seems like it should be an unforgivable offense, therefore ruining the book. But it wasn't. I though it was handled well. The reason why it happened was led up to well and the after-effects were realistic. Even with such betrayal, I was still rooting for Sunny and Kay. A lot. I won't spoil the ending, though... I'm not sure there's anyone who cares. Well, I'll just say the ending left me satisfied.
The reason the author wrote about reading this book to her grandmother is because there is a character in this book, the matriarch of a Jewish family, that is based on her grandmother. As the book opens on a scene with the grandmother I was unsure if she would be the main character or not, but it soon became clear the main character was her granddaughter, Sunny, who was... a woman in love with another woman. (Ding ding ding! Lesbian jackpot!)
What I thought was interesting was that in Sunny's life she struggles to come out..... as Jewish. Unlike what I would expect, the issues of homophobia and coming out are just touched upon. Antisemitism and racism are delved into on a deeper level. This was a welcome change! In fact, I've been looking for gay novels like this one.
The character of Sunny's brother Jack was the one sour note. I don't understand what he was being so sullen about (regarding his adoption). Also I didn't appreciate his vindictive seduction of Sunny's lover, Kay. I don't think either of the women ever strictly identify themselves as a lesbian but still... I don't know about you, but I'm tired of fictional queer women cheating on their female partners with a man. (Or anyone, yes. But specifically men.) Writing about it plainly like this seems like it should be an unforgivable offense, therefore ruining the book. But it wasn't. I though it was handled well. The reason why it happened was led up to well and the after-effects were realistic. Even with such betrayal, I was still rooting for Sunny and Kay. A lot. I won't spoil the ending, though... I'm not sure there's anyone who cares. Well, I'll just say the ending left me satisfied.
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