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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
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
lvosler21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Transphobia, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Outing, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Infertility, Homophobia, Alcohol, Vomit, Suicide, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Slavery, Sexual content, and Racial slurs
onmalsshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A coming of age story following a black, gay man as he makes his own way in New York City after leaving his privileged family behind in Indianapolis. Set in the 1980s during the AIDS epidemic, this collection of lessons that the main character, Trey, learns almost reads like a collection of memoir essays.
This was a powerful reflection on a man coming of age in the Gay Rights movement as well as the AIDS epidemic. With both heartbreaking and comical moments, this was a powerful story that should be a must read.
If you enjoy books that trick you into thinking it’s nonfiction, but are actually fictional - pick this one up!
A TIP: Pick this one up as a physical or ebook copy! The footnotes help make the story and the audiobook version does not have the footnotes
Graphic: Police brutality, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Classism, Infidelity, Chronic illness, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, Racism, and Terminal illness