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klutzykara's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
My overall enjoyment of the story was sadly dampened by the way other topics (of identity&mental health, not the above topics) were handled. I didn't want to give this story a bad rating because Indigenous stories are so important, but because of the harm I felt and fear others could fear I feel I need to.
I was upset by the way Lou's best friend, Florence, was treated. Her manic behavior is described and glossed over, sometimes pointing out how it makes her flaky, drink too much, & cheat on her girlfriend, as well as references to not being on her meds. Yet, Lou never wants to be the one to reach out and check on her. She was cast aside, it felt like, and treated badly by the character and portrayed negatively in the writing for too long. As someone affected by this, I think that if you can't address it with care and compassion, it should not be included. I had heard it would be in the story, and knew it probably wouldn't make me feel good, but it still hurt & the story's effects stick with me.
I also think Lou's feelings that her identity (asexuality/demisexual) was a result of the trauma (her own & generational) were understandable and valid, and important to work through, but I think it may have become more harmful than helpful for some readers as it takes a while to get to Lou work through it. It would have helped a lot to have Lou to have this conversation earlier (& perhaps not with King but a family member even? It felt kind of like he was mansplaining although that could just be me and could have been better from a family member) and also for other characters' bisexuality to be discussed with more respect.. King was very flippant about it and Florence was once again not treated with much empathy.
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
daniella_s'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: Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
Minor: Addiction and Abortion
tojobee'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? Yes
4.75
Minor: Sexual violence and Violence
maddiewagner's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault
the_vegan_bookworm'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
3.5
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Gore, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion
spinesinaline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death
kindredbooks'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
4.5
There is a lot of trauma within these pages of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet - something that even the author notes from the start of the book - to allow readers to make the choice of whether or not to pick up the book. And within all the trauma is also a story about family, strength, resilience, and surviving against all odds in a system that is designed to keep you down. We enter the story as Lou is entering a summer of transition - her mother is going to travel this summer, she's got a boyfriend who is pressuring her into things that she doesn't enjoy, and her white biological father is out of prison and is reaching out. This is a story about a Métis girl who is still trying to figure out who she is, caught as she is between identities and the pressures of wanting to blend in and fit in. The story truly is one that is bitter and sweet - the reality and trauma behind Lou's story and the hope that endures that the world and its people can be changed for the better when we are able to find the right people around us to face and fight the injustices.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion
avabudavari'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
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Toxic relationship, and Murder
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
NOTE: I cannot speak to the representation in this book. Please read reviews from Indigenous and/or Indigenous reviewers in the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
I have been trying to put my thoughts together since finishing this novel. I had thought the premise sounded so interesting, and when I heard that it was an Indigenous LGBTQIA+ novel set in Canada, I was sold. I absolutely loved getting to hear Jen Ferguson speak at an HCC Frenzy event as well.
There were a few things I really liked about the book:
- The exploration of friendship, and how different friendships can look or function differently. Some are easy to continue or go back to, while others take a lot of work. And just the dynamics of friend groups, one-to-one friendships, and how they change over time. I like that the friendships were just as important as family in the novel.
- The family relationships. They aren't perfect, they are more realistic than most novels make them seem. Families argue, struggle, but stay close and important.
- The depictions of racism, especially anti-Indigenous racism, was dealt with well in the novel. There were the difficult pieces, the difficult conversations, people coming together to support, falling apart because of it, and the persistence of it in a small community. So many people think that racism isn't something that happens in Canada, but it is. And to see it in a novel is a reminder that it is as big of an issue here as it is in other places.
- I absolutely loved all of the Canadian references, terms, places. Mentions of Timmies, bunnyhugs, the Royal Tyrrell Museum - all of it! There are so rarely books set in Canada, and I am always so excited when I find ones that talk about places I know, things I recognize immediately. Ordering a double double and vanilla dip at Timmies? Hells yes. My Canadian heart is happy haha.
The two pieces that I struggled with, though, were very large and integral parts to the story - I think that's why I couldn't rate this any higher. It made my enjoyment dampen a bit.
There is so much lying, deceit, anger, secrets. While teenagers have secrets, and I could never speak to the issues and difficulties that Lou has faced, I really struggled with the lies and secrets. They were so prevalent and big, they overtook the story in a way. I understand that part of it was the fallout of keeping secrets, but it seemed like that was thrown out multiple times in the story before things started to get better. And the biggest fallout about secrets happened before this book even takes place, something we are only given hints to.
The bigger one that I struggled with though was the acephobia. It was really hard to read, since it was both internalized and external. I understand that is common and acephobia is so prevalent in today's world, but it was really hard to read it. It's not even discussed in more detail until the very very end of the novel. I wish it had been discussed sooner because it felt almost like a "convenient" wrap-up - and I hate saying that, but things were kind of quickly discussed and worked through VERY quickly at the end, after being a major issue through the whole book.
I think I was just definitely not the audience for this book. And that's okay. I did take a lot away from reading it, but there are others who this book might be better for.
Graphic: Racism and Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, and Death of parent
MMIWG, the rape and murder are discussed but happened off pagekaris_rogerson'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? Yes
4.75
There were parts of this book that left me breathless with rage and heartbreak - Jen Ferguson did not shy away from depicting racism and anti-Indigenous sentiment. I appreciated the way she sat with the ugliness and then showed how family & community can be tools against them.
I was disgusted by Lou's father and really happy with the outcome of that storyline. Honestly, really loved this book!
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence