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violet_pages's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Racism, Medical content, and Grief
Minor: Drug abuse, Homophobia, and Car accident
spinesinaline's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Full review at spinesinaline.wordpress.com. More like 4.5 stars, thanks to Raincoast Books for an e-ARC!
This is one of the most unique time travel concepts I’ve heard of. A teenage boy receives a liver transplant and suddenly can travel in time! I was immediately intrigued by the premise and pleasantly surprised by the depth of emotions and conversations that the author explores in this book.
I really loved Andre as a character. He’s quick-witted and funny, stubborn and refuses to back down, sometimes to his detriment but it also leads to many important conversations in the book. The main character, and the author, don’t shy away from bringing up privilege, something that’s entirely absent from time travel media, and how Andre’s identity as a gay Black man have an impact on his life in both the present and past. Privilege is explicitly challenged in the book and while some characters are hesitant or feel affronted to have the topic broached, there’s still space for an open discussion, though I still would’ve loved for it to have been expanded on even further. As a note on the content warnings above, there is racist and homophobic content but it is repeatedly called out and often a description of a past incident.
There’s a lot going on in this book but it never feels too busy, taking the time to work through topics of privilege, race, wealth, healthcare, and gay history alongside the major time travel plot. I honestly wouldn’t have complained about the inclusion of many more chapters to further explore the discussions that are raised and continue the characters’ journeys. I was surprised how little of a role Andre’s best friend had in the book but considering how busy he was with his time travel adventures, it makes sense that she wouldn’t be as active in the plot.
There were some small things that held me up at first that made it more difficult to get sucked into the book, some descriptions that didn’t flow well or were nonsensical (like a glass that was empty and suddenly full again), but these were very likely caught by copyeditors in later edits as I did read an advanced copy.
Jackson has created an incredibly beautiful book about a boy who loves big, and this lovely, funny, and yet heartbreaking book touched me more than I ever expected it to and I’m so grateful for that.
This is one of the most unique time travel concepts I’ve heard of. A teenage boy receives a liver transplant and suddenly can travel in time! I was immediately intrigued by the premise and pleasantly surprised by the depth of emotions and conversations that the author explores in this book.
I really loved Andre as a character. He’s quick-witted and funny, stubborn and refuses to back down, sometimes to his detriment but it also leads to many important conversations in the book. The main character, and the author, don’t shy away from bringing up privilege, something that’s entirely absent from time travel media, and how Andre’s identity as a gay Black man have an impact on his life in both the present and past. Privilege is explicitly challenged in the book and while some characters are hesitant or feel affronted to have the topic broached, there’s still space for an open discussion, though I still would’ve loved for it to have been expanded on even further. As a note on the content warnings above, there is racist and homophobic content but it is repeatedly called out and often a description of a past incident.
There’s a lot going on in this book but it never feels too busy, taking the time to work through topics of privilege, race, wealth, healthcare, and gay history alongside the major time travel plot. I honestly wouldn’t have complained about the inclusion of many more chapters to further explore the discussions that are raised and continue the characters’ journeys. I was surprised how little of a role Andre’s best friend had in the book but considering how busy he was with his time travel adventures, it makes sense that she wouldn’t be as active in the plot.
There were some small things that held me up at first that made it more difficult to get sucked into the book, some descriptions that didn’t flow well or were nonsensical (like a glass that was empty and suddenly full again), but these were very likely caught by copyeditors in later edits as I did read an advanced copy.
Jackson has created an incredibly beautiful book about a boy who loves big, and this lovely, funny, and yet heartbreaking book touched me more than I ever expected it to and I’m so grateful for that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Medical content, Grief, and Car accident
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Racism
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the e-arc of this book!
Yesterday is History follows Andre as he deals with the aftermath or not only surviving cancer and a liver transplant, but also developing the ability to travel in time and a connection to two different boys--one in the past, and one in the present.
There is a lot to love about this book, and I think that the good elements make up for the somewhat clunky writing. I don't typically like love triangles unless they end in polyamory, but the queer take on this time-traveling love triangle didn't bother me like they usually do. Instead, it gave a queer boy the ability to have what thousands of straight protagonists have had over the years of fiction--two boys he has to choose between.
The time-traveling element itself was definitely not hard science and you have to really roll with the punches on this one, but I found that it was quite the entertaining premise for a book that was really more contemporary than scifi. It would have been nice if the time Andre spent in the past affected him in other ways than just his love interests; as it stands, it feels like Michael could have been in the present day and still had the exact same effects on Andre.
I thought some of the characters needed to be fleshed out a little better, but Andre himself was a great protagonist to cheer for and follow throughout the novel. All in all, I would definitely recommend picking this book up when it releases!
Yesterday is History follows Andre as he deals with the aftermath or not only surviving cancer and a liver transplant, but also developing the ability to travel in time and a connection to two different boys--one in the past, and one in the present.
There is a lot to love about this book, and I think that the good elements make up for the somewhat clunky writing. I don't typically like love triangles unless they end in polyamory, but the queer take on this time-traveling love triangle didn't bother me like they usually do. Instead, it gave a queer boy the ability to have what thousands of straight protagonists have had over the years of fiction--two boys he has to choose between.
The time-traveling element itself was definitely not hard science and you have to really roll with the punches on this one, but I found that it was quite the entertaining premise for a book that was really more contemporary than scifi. It would have been nice if the time Andre spent in the past affected him in other ways than just his love interests; as it stands, it feels like Michael could have been in the present day and still had the exact same effects on Andre.
I thought some of the characters needed to be fleshed out a little better, but Andre himself was a great protagonist to cheer for and follow throughout the novel. All in all, I would definitely recommend picking this book up when it releases!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Racism, and Medical content
parents disowning queer child
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