The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
maeverose's review against another edition
4.75
This book made me feel things. The imagery is so vivid and beautiful. I loved the way the magical realism and alebrijes were incorporated. The writing is beautiful. I relate very much to Bastián, though I’m not diagnosed I’ve been pretty sure for a while now that I have adhd, and there were so many quotes I related to. I wish I could’ve read this when I was a teen, I’d have probably loved it even more. I also loved when they each helped each other with their respective neurodivergencies with the testosterone injections .
The only things that bothered me was it was a little difficult to keep the two pov characters straight. They’re both very similar, but I found that they were almost a little too similar, to the point of me constantly having to check who’s pov I was in and remind myself who was who. It got easier towards the end but for the first half at least it was an effort. Second, this is probably nit picky butI didn’t personally understand why Lore rejected Bastián when Bastián already said they accepted Lore as they were. It just felt like unnecessary drama for the sake of adding conflict. Though that might just be me struggling to see things from the perspective of a teenager who’s been through something I haven’t. It also felt like they kept having to explain their neurodiversity to each other, like they kept forgetting and assuming the other was neurotypical. I swear they each told the other multiple times as if it was the first.
The only things that bothered me was it was a little difficult to keep the two pov characters straight. They’re both very similar, but I found that they were almost a little too similar, to the point of me constantly having to check who’s pov I was in and remind myself who was who. It got easier towards the end but for the first half at least it was an effort. Second, this is probably nit picky but
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Ableism, and Bullying
Moderate: Racism, Transphobia, and Misogyny
Moderate: mentions of needles including descriptions of the injections (for testosterone).city_girl_writer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Racism
punky__pie's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
Lakelore is well-written, if a little drawn out in spots. Would be a great read for a teenager or young adult struggling with a recent neurodivergency diagnosis.
Lakelore incorporates magic in a really unique way that was super enjoyable, even as an adult. Definitely worth a read!
Lakelore incorporates magic in a really unique way that was super enjoyable, even as an adult. Definitely worth a read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Ableism
Moderate: Racism and Transphobia
janiscox's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.25
A great book about gender diversity, beurodibergence and mental health. Took a bit to get into because I'm not very adept at colour names, but worth the read. Very touching end and a book I could have done with when I was a teen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, and Racism
Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, Classism, and Gaslighting
Minor: Drug use, Stalking, and Grief
siriface's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Transphobia
maxgdy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Bullying, Ableism, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
Amé el lenguaje inclusivo/neutro. Aunque deja un poco abierta la cuestión del lago, el resto de la historia me pareció muy bonita y los personajes muy reales.caseythereader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Violence, Dysphoria, Ableism, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Transphobia, Sexual harassment, and Racism
ashylibrarian's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
3.0
I wanted to love this book. The description sounded so promising and it was an anticipated read for me for 2022.
I love the trans rep. I love the neurodiversity rep. I love the relationships, platonic and romantic. I love the way in which Lore calls out the education system's flaws in teaching reading. Everything else just fell flat. I didn't feel like a lot happened and I was a bit confused by the world under the water.
This won't likely be a go-to recommendation for me, but I'll keep it on my list.
I love the trans rep. I love the neurodiversity rep. I love the relationships, platonic and romantic. I love the way in which Lore calls out the education system's flaws in teaching reading. Everything else just fell flat. I didn't feel like a lot happened and I was a bit confused by the world under the water.
This won't likely be a go-to recommendation for me, but I'll keep it on my list.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Violence
hobbithopeful's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
Lakelore is an emotional magical story of accepting yourself, and being brave enough to trust others with your truths. POVs alternate between main characters Bastián and Lore, two nonbinary trans Mexican teenagers that struggle with being themselves and navigating the world around them. Lore struggles with Dyslexia, while Bastián works through their ADHD by creating and painting alebrije sculptures. Bastián has discovered that when they release the colorful alebrije into a nearby lake, they transform into the fantastical creature and swim away. Lore is the only other person that is able to see the magic of the lake, and peer into the other world like Bastián is able to. As the lake and its magic begins to encroach on the daily lives of Lore and Bastián, they must learn to confront their pasts, and their futures.
I loved the way gender and its fluidity was discussed in this book, how some days they felt more boy and more girl, and how they interpreted it in terms of "70% boy today".
I have always enjoyed all of Anna-Marie McLemore books, and even though this one followed heavier topics and had a more serious tone, I still had a great time reading it, and it left me with a lot to think about.
The Cover
I adore this cover! The colors on the bottom look so dreamy and trippy and creates an out of body feeling for the illustration. The symbolism of them both being in the water with barnacles growing on them, with maybe an allusion to the fact they are both partially emotionally drowning was extremely well done. It is also a pleasant surprise to see brown characters *actually* be brown and not be white washed.
Cover by
Carolina Rodriguez Fuenmayor
I loved the way gender and its fluidity was discussed in this book, how some days they felt more boy and more girl, and how they interpreted it in terms of "70% boy today".
I have always enjoyed all of Anna-Marie McLemore books, and even though this one followed heavier topics and had a more serious tone, I still had a great time reading it, and it left me with a lot to think about.
The Cover
I adore this cover! The colors on the bottom look so dreamy and trippy and creates an out of body feeling for the illustration. The symbolism of them both being in the water with barnacles growing on them, with maybe an allusion to the fact they are both partially emotionally drowning was extremely well done. It is also a pleasant surprise to see brown characters *actually* be brown and not be white washed.
Cover by
Carolina Rodriguez Fuenmayor
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Racism, Transphobia, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
30something_reads's review against another edition
4.25
4.25⭐ 😭 I'm not crying, you're crying.
When the guy looks at me, he sees a brown girl. And I am a brown girl, just like I’m a brown boy, just like I’m both and neither, in different proportions depending on the day. I’m the gradients of blue and green and violet and silver that the lake turns.
This is one of those books that I am so glad exists for adolescents today. I wish younger me had these kinds of books with this kind of representation.
On the surface, it’s a story told in dual POV about two trans teens, Bastian and Lore, and their discovery of a mysterious world beneath the lake. But when the world beneath the lake begins integrating with their real world, they must figure out a way to stop it.
This is also a story of two teens meeting and feeling fully seen for the first time by one another. Not only for being latine, queer, and trans, but also for their neurodivergency. And all of the intricate ways they must navigate society- Bastian with their ADHD and Lore with their dyslexia.
Once you get past the fear of being seen, you can get to the part where you know you’re not alone.
The depiction of these characters experiences with ADHD and dyslexia were so poignant. It’s so clearly personal to the author, but it also brought tears to my eyes because my neurodivergent ADHD brain felt so seen in those moments.
How do you tell someone that you had to work to learn not follow every impulse your brain has?... That you came into the world with so much quicksand you needed professional help to learn to steer around it?
Beautiful writing. Wonderful representation. A book everyone should read.
When the guy looks at me, he sees a brown girl. And I am a brown girl, just like I’m a brown boy, just like I’m both and neither, in different proportions depending on the day. I’m the gradients of blue and green and violet and silver that the lake turns.
This is one of those books that I am so glad exists for adolescents today. I wish younger me had these kinds of books with this kind of representation.
On the surface, it’s a story told in dual POV about two trans teens, Bastian and Lore, and their discovery of a mysterious world beneath the lake. But when the world beneath the lake begins integrating with their real world, they must figure out a way to stop it.
This is also a story of two teens meeting and feeling fully seen for the first time by one another. Not only for being latine, queer, and trans, but also for their neurodivergency. And all of the intricate ways they must navigate society- Bastian with their ADHD and Lore with their dyslexia.
Once you get past the fear of being seen, you can get to the part where you know you’re not alone.
The depiction of these characters experiences with ADHD and dyslexia were so poignant. It’s so clearly personal to the author, but it also brought tears to my eyes because my neurodivergent ADHD brain felt so seen in those moments.
How do you tell someone that you had to work to learn not follow every impulse your brain has?... That you came into the world with so much quicksand you needed professional help to learn to steer around it?
Beautiful writing. Wonderful representation. A book everyone should read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Violence
Moderate: Transphobia, Dysphoria, and Racism