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ncq'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: Ableism, Bullying, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Transphobia and Blood
Minor: Racism
madi_oasis'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
4.75
“You can’t separate everything hard from everything beautiful.” - Bastián
I could connect with these characters on so many levels, and with A.M.’s writing, being a young adult who’s queer and non-binary I felt seen and also felt like I could gain another valuable perspective into the life of the people in my life who have ADHD and dyslexia. This is a must-read if you want to experience queer YA with a character-driven story, believable angst, and LGBTQIA+ hope.
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Mental illness, and Transphobia
Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Self harm, Blood, and Stalking
I did take a quarter of a star off for the first half of the book being a bit slow, and the shock of some of the triggers that ended up being in the book. I wasn’t prepared fortalonsontypewriters'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
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Medical content
Moderate: Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
Needles/injections (HRT).the_true_monroe'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
4.75
When we utilize art in this way though, what are we trying to do for ourselves? Are we trying to put the worst of us into a form that we should keep sealed shut like a genie in a bottle and mask, or are we wanting to capture each part of us so we can recognize what is going on in our head, why and how we can process that, or for some other reasons?
This book presents two nonbinary, brown, neurodivergent teens who have a curious and mystical connection with a part of the world others are unable to enter and perceive, that seems to revolve around using art as an escape and release. We see these characters who truly have been growing into their true selves, confronted by things from the past they worked so hard to bury deep down.
I absolutely loved listening to the audiobook, and how aside from a focus on internalized ableism, along with experiences of ableism, racism and transphobia , both main characters have solid, strong support systems and people who really do get them. There is no sugar coating but also so much emphasis on how simple it can be for people to accept you as you are, and learn and grow alongside you.
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
Minor: Hate crime, Medical content, and Stalking
lopeared'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: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Hate crime, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
Minor: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail
maeverose's review against another edition
4.75
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
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: mentions of needles including descriptions of the injections (for testosterone).city_girl_writer'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: Ableism, Bullying, and Transphobia
Moderate: Racism and Sexual harassment
rachelgreenreads'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
4.0
The message was a bit bluntly communicated, but the messages were good ones and the story telling was beautiful. It did get a bit repetitive at times but overall it was a really sweet read.
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Racism and Sexual harassment
citrus_seasalt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Anna-Marie McLemore’s books have a few tropes in them, which I’ve noticed across reading six of them, and unfortunately Lakelore is not immune to that. Specifically,
I still have this in my “four-star favorites”, though, because Lakelore is a deeply meaningful book to me. And I think it’s important, too! I like it’s representation, and the the themes it addresses. Because I could tell that in discussing Bastián’s self doubt, and Lore’s trauma, it was written from a standpoint that could only be from personal experience. In my perception as a reader, Anna-Marie McLemore writes their heart out onto the pages of most of the books they’ve published. It’s not something that is different with Lakelore. That’s something that keeps me returning to their work even with my criticisms, and a large part in my adoration of this book. Plus, this was the first one of their books I’d read. It made me fall in love with their writing.
Maybe another part of my positive bias comes from my audio reread, too. I liked the narration, and knew of both of the narrators (Avi Roque and Vico Ortiz)(Bastiàn and Lore’s chapters, respectively) from TV roles I’d come to love and find comfort in as a nonbinary person looking for solid representation. (On my Goodreads account, I even have a Lumity profile picture I drew myself!) To come back to Lakelore and realize they had some part in it when I’d already loved this book and read it a month or two prior was really cool to me! Obviously compared to some other points, it’s minor, but still neat imo.
So in conclusion, I really love this book and regard it as one of my favorites, but I understand the criticisms and why some people don’t.
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Medical content and Sexual harassment
maxgdy'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? No
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Medical content, 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.