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novella42'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? It's complicated
4.0
I was surprised how progressive it was for its time, and grateful for the glimpse into queer history. I'm a sucker for found family tropes and recognized Mrs. Madrigal in quite a few of my own friends.
It was also a reminder of a time in my life when some friends and I took a budget trip to San Francisco, sleeping on couches and eating dehydrated soup rations just to be able to see the city. I felt like I was there again. The city came through almost like its own character. It was the comfort I needed, with one exception.
There was one component of the book that was racist and which was not handled well. (Spoiler for this book and a little for book two as well.)
character in the first place. When Maupin brings the character back in the next book, he doubles down on the lack of consequences, letting her off the hook entirely and painting her as still slightly exotic. It left a bad taste in my mouth and is the reason I took off a star.
As a side note, I was bored enough and nostalgic enough over the city setting that I found the 1993 miniseries streaming free online and watched all eight episodes in two days. It was *remarkably* faithful to the material, staying close to the author's writing in a way I think modern miniseries don't bother with. I want to read the rest of the series so I can then watch the rest, especially the 2019 Netflix miniseries with Elliot Page and a lot of the original actors.
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Grief
Minor: Body shaming, Drug use, Fatphobia, Abortion, and Alcohol
viktorsboy's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia and Pedophilia
marioncromb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, and Abortion
literatemushroom's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Misogyny and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse and Pedophilia
Both moderate warnings only show up at the end of the book, but a character that had been decently present has child pornography in his possession. It is also clear that he participated in child pornography woth a young girl who he is seen taking care of in earlier chapters.acoffeeandagoodbook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The chapters are short and snappy, with much of the storytelling relying on snappy dialogue. There are a lot of characters, and I found it tricky to remember who was who and how they were linked to everyone else at times. Despite this, many are funny and enjoyable to read about, if they aren't always likable. These are characters with flaws that make them real.
I had a good time but found the plot thin. Not much happens until the very end, I assume setting you up for the next in the series.
Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, and Suicide
Moderate: Pedophilia, Racism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Addiction, Sexual assault, and Abortion
helen___'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, and Suicide
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
opinionsofawolf's review against another edition
4.0
Review:
This was a fun, quick read! I can see why it became a queer lit classic. It could have been better at intersectionality (see my linked full review below for details). It's definitely soap opera style. You need to like a large cast of characters with overlapping ridiculous storylines to enjoy it.
Check out my full review.
Moderate: Pedophilia and Racism
angelbabe_cj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Biphobia, Child abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
deezy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Infidelity, Pedophilia, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
mlebarrow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Minor: Child abuse and Pedophilia