ramalam98'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
4.0
"When did you last read a novel about a young, black, gay, Jehovah's Witness man from wolverhampton who flees his community to make his way in London as a prostitute?" - Bernardine Evaristo.
I really liked this story of family, religion, identity and nationality (and also daddy issues). It's written so tenderly in a way that makes you really feel what Jesse feels as he crashes through early adulthood. I also feel like I've learnt a lot from it.
The last 100 pages were less good, featuring a 14 year time jump where a lot has magically developed and improved without us able to actually see Jesse experience it. I also found some of the commentary in the final chapters a bit heavy-handed.
Graphic: Terminal illness, Racism, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, War, and Homophobia
Minor: Outing, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
reshusky'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
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual assault
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Racism
Minor: Police brutality, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
uranaishi's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Cursing, Medical content, Mental illness, Outing, Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cancer, Cultural appropriation, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Slavery, and Terminal illness
darkmattersoybean'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Drug use, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage
autiedragon'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? Yes
4.0
My negatives though that I feel need to be said is that I found it odd how someone who is clearly intelligent, well read and educated and heavily left wing could still be fatphobic. It wasn’t frequent but it was frequent enough, and I expected it to be addressed or something at some point but it never was. He mentioned when someone was thin once as a positive, but all the occasions he mentioned someone was fat it was done negatively.
I also didn’t like that it kept bouncing between timelines, by the end of the book it wasn’t as hard to follow but especially to begin with it was hard to know where we were in Jesse’s life and when.
Definitely one to read for those interested! A solid four star read for me, I think.
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Abandonment and Fatphobia
Minor: Cancer, Dementia, Miscarriage, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
thelightabyss'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Physical abuse
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Drug use, and Racial slurs
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
chig_flicks'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cancer, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Miscarriage
nikolas_fox's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, and Racism
Moderate: Miscarriage and Sexual assault
booksjessreads'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? No
4.25
The writing style was also good and I thought it flowed well and really brought the characters, their love and friendship to life. I will definitely give this a re-read and it is something that has stuck by me as one of my favourite LGBTQIA+ novels with a lot of representations across lots of different communities.
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Miscarriage