withlivjones's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
A modern-day retelling of the story of Iphis and Ianthe set in Inverness in the early noughties that is about love in its many forms and speaking up against injustice. I loved that the stream-of-consciousness style of the narration made this book fairly easy to read and really brought out the personalities of the two sisters who narrate it, and the evolution of their relationship is just as heartwarming and sweet as the romance in the book. Ali Smith also perfectly captures what it is like to grow up surrounded by casual sexism and homophobia and how it can have significant repercussions in later life where it impacts not only one’s opinions of others but also one’s own self esteem. A great read for anyone looking for a beautifully written, low-stakes but nonetheless powerful sapphic romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, and Alcohol
Minor: Death
scruffie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
That was a pretty fast read. Though the book touches on issues such as sexism, homophobia, and eating disorders (and more beyond), it does so within an overall inspiring and hopeful narrative.
Smith's stream-of-consciousness writing style took me some effort to get used to, but I think it worked out pretty well for this book specifically.
Smith's stream-of-consciousness writing style took me some effort to get used to, but I think it worked out pretty well for this book specifically.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Misogyny, and Vomit
Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism
Minor: Death
inkstutter's review
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Antisemitism, Death, Islamophobia, Vomit, and Xenophobia
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