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rieviolet'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? No
5.0
I really really loved this book, it was such a compelling read. I flew through it and read the final 90 or so pages in a single day because I was so invested and wanted to see what would happen to the characters.
I loved the mixing of the personal coming of age story with the wider historical and social context of the time. It was also so interesting to see how the author explored the different aspects of Lily's identity, how being both Asian-American and lesbian affected her.
Above all, I was stunned by how the words on the page provoked so many emotions within me. There were so many passages that really struck a chord with me and left me on the floor, knocked out, completely destroyed.
Lily and Kath's relationship was so beautifully developed, it felt raw and tender and hopeful, in spite of all adversities.
I loved the mixing of the personal coming of age story with the wider historical and social context of the time. It was also so interesting to see how the author explored the different aspects of Lily's identity, how being both Asian-American and lesbian affected her.
Above all, I was stunned by how the words on the page provoked so many emotions within me. There were so many passages that really struck a chord with me and left me on the floor, knocked out, completely destroyed.
Lily and Kath's relationship was so beautifully developed, it felt raw and tender and hopeful, in spite of all adversities.
Graphic: Racism and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual harassment
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
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? No
4.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Xenophobia, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Police brutality, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Miscarriage, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Deportation and other immigration troubles, particularly relating to the post-WWII Red Scare. Setting-typical dated language. Mentions of teacher-student relationships in a film; brief suggestive advances on a teenager by an adult. Non-graphic sex between two seventeen-year-olds and short descriptions of sex scenes in pulp novels. Police raid on a gay bar. Underage drinking and smoking. Scene where a parent slaps a child. One scene featuring an air raid drill at school and discussion of atomic bombs.
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