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thepassivebookworm's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism
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
rorikae's review against another edition
hopeful
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
'Yesterday Is History' by Kosoko Jackson is a sweet story that explores first love, familial expectations, and more with time travel.
The story follows Andre Cobb, who is recovering from a liver transplant. Andre is just trying to get back to his life, finish off his last classes, and head off to school to be a doctor like his parents have always expected. But suddenly, Andre is pulled back in time to 1969, where he meets Michael, the boy that lives in his childhood home. Andre feels a spark with Michael, but then he is whisked back to his time period and he starts to unravel what happened and what it means for his future.
This story has so much heart. Jackson has created lovable characters that are dealing with difficult situations and often stumbling on their way. Andre is still trying to get his head around his future and whether he wants to follow in what his parents expect for him or what he truly feels called to do. The time travel element works great as a way to demonstrate how Andre is split between his past and the possibilities for his future. I do think that one of the downsides to this story is that it doesn't feel completely fleshed out and at times feels a little rushed. There are moments I wish were given more time and others that are merely mentioned that I think would have been helpful to have seen. There is some reconciliation that happens off the page that I think should have been a full scene and some elements that I think could have been delved further into. Even so, it's a really sweet story and the ending tugged at my heart. I'm interested to see what Jackson writes next as I think this novel shows a lot of promise.
The story follows Andre Cobb, who is recovering from a liver transplant. Andre is just trying to get back to his life, finish off his last classes, and head off to school to be a doctor like his parents have always expected. But suddenly, Andre is pulled back in time to 1969, where he meets Michael, the boy that lives in his childhood home. Andre feels a spark with Michael, but then he is whisked back to his time period and he starts to unravel what happened and what it means for his future.
This story has so much heart. Jackson has created lovable characters that are dealing with difficult situations and often stumbling on their way. Andre is still trying to get his head around his future and whether he wants to follow in what his parents expect for him or what he truly feels called to do. The time travel element works great as a way to demonstrate how Andre is split between his past and the possibilities for his future. I do think that one of the downsides to this story is that it doesn't feel completely fleshed out and at times feels a little rushed. There are moments I wish were given more time and others that are merely mentioned that I think would have been helpful to have seen. There is some reconciliation that happens off the page that I think should have been a full scene and some elements that I think could have been delved further into. Even so, it's a really sweet story and the ending tugged at my heart. I'm interested to see what Jackson writes next as I think this novel shows a lot of promise.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Homophobia, and Medical content
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
goldengirlbookclub's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
I am a huge fan of time travel books so when I saw on Kosoko’s Twitter that he was writing this book about a black gay time-traveling teen, it immediately went to the top of my 2021 TBR.
And let me just say, it did not disappoint!
This book focused mostly on Andre’s journey to self discovery while finding himself both caught in between time and the love of two men who draw him out of himself in very different ways.
I loved the constant switching between serious conversations about passions, life, self expression, grief, and the life and lighter joking sweet, soft moments of tenderness between Andre and the various people in his life. His journey to self-discovery is only beginning when we leave him at the end of the book, but it is a beginning of him living for more than what is expected of him, living with a passion to chase after what makes him happy, that fulfills him and brings him joy.
As an avid reader of this particular niche genre, Kosoko managed to do something that I’ve never really encountered in time travel books. This was the first one I’ve read with a Black gay MC which should not be a novel thing, but it is just for simply existing. And that is a gift. The identity of Andre made the nuances and experiences of time travel that white writers (and readers) often romanticize and take for granted, much more sharp and the privilege of those takes more real. Bc while there is an allure to the fantasy of a time travel plot, the reality of even that fantasy can be frightening for black and queer folks. The past is a terrifying place to be different. Michael and Andre both briefly talk about the fear of being gay (and Black in Andre’s case) in 1969-1970s. However, it is a brief glimpse and not the focus which I found important to point out (as it’s a consideration many white writers avoid in these tropes) but not to dwell on that fear.
I also think Kosoko did an excellent job of showing how grief effects everyone differently and how that, even if given a chance to change the past to save the life of one we love, it is the braver right thing, the human thing, to accept that we should not change something as final and altering as death.
The only issues I had were mainly with the transitions - the scene changes often felt jarring and skipped over important emotional world building to “get to the good stuff” or a “big reveal” so that it seemed that Andre was suddenly in a situation that had little build up or quite made sense emotionally for him to suddenly feel so much after a single hour or day. This may have been fixed in the final edits and I think that would overall have made my rating go up if that character and emotional building were developed just a bit more in those transitional spot.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the arc!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Medical content, Grief, and Car accident
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