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rainbowrachel's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
leahloura's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
3.5
I really enjoyed this novel.
I wish I had read it when I was 15 and in love with a girl. Nancy Garden captures beautifully the immediacy of first love, and the purity and fear involved in falling in love with a friend.
To me, the novel felt more like it was more about Liza overcoming her internalized homophobia, as much as it was about the love story with Annie. Garden doesn't shy away from addressing how difficult it is to come to terms with your sexuality when you're surrounded by homophobia and prejudice.
I do feel that both characters could have been developed more deeply. I found the central conflict of the novel (the drama with Liza's school) to be very frustrating and anxiety inducing and it didn't offer much character development. It felt at times that the plot of the novel was centered too much around the homophobia that they had to overcome. Which was a little cliche, but understandable considering that it was originally published in the 80's. The homophobic remarks made by characters in response to Liza and Annie's relationship can be very triggering so TW to my fellow queer folks with religious trauma.
That said, I was wholeheartedly invested in their love story and couldn't put it down. Their relationship was so cute and I literally screamed with happiness into my paperback copy:
“Have you ever felt really close to someone? So close that you can't understand why you and the other person have two separate bodies, two separate skins?”
OH MY GOD. If you know you know.
I definitely grew to love and relate to both Liza and Annie. It's hard to say whether this book reopened or healed some old wounds. Maybe both. The metaphor of the snow monster was very striking and stuck with me. Liza lost sight of the goodness within herself because of the hurt she felt her relationship caused others. She saw her sexuality as a beast she had to fight. It wasn't until she could live with the seeming paradox that her 'beast' was pure and made of love that she found peace inside herself and was able to reconnect with Annie.
A really sweet book. For sure a winter read.
I wish I had read it when I was 15 and in love with a girl. Nancy Garden captures beautifully the immediacy of first love, and the purity and fear involved in falling in love with a friend.
To me, the novel felt more like it was more about Liza overcoming her internalized homophobia, as much as it was about the love story with Annie. Garden doesn't shy away from addressing how difficult it is to come to terms with your sexuality when you're surrounded by homophobia and prejudice.
I do feel that both characters could have been developed more deeply. I found the central conflict of the novel (the drama with Liza's school) to be very frustrating and anxiety inducing and it didn't offer much character development. It felt at times that the plot of the novel was centered too much around the homophobia that they had to overcome. Which was a little cliche, but understandable considering that it was originally published in the 80's. The homophobic remarks made by characters in response to Liza and Annie's relationship can be very triggering so TW to my fellow queer folks with religious trauma.
That said, I was wholeheartedly invested in their love story and couldn't put it down. Their relationship was so cute and I literally screamed with happiness into my paperback copy:
“Have you ever felt really close to someone? So close that you can't understand why you and the other person have two separate bodies, two separate skins?”
OH MY GOD. If you know you know.
I definitely grew to love and relate to both Liza and Annie. It's hard to say whether this book reopened or healed some old wounds. Maybe both. The metaphor of the snow monster was very striking and stuck with me. Liza lost sight of the goodness within herself because of the hurt she felt her relationship caused others. She saw her sexuality as a beast she had to fight. It wasn't until she could live with the seeming paradox that her 'beast' was pure and made of love that she found peace inside herself and was able to reconnect with Annie.
A really sweet book. For sure a winter read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia
kajoreads's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Not my personal favourite, but I’m glad it exists.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Hate crime, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Colonisation
books_hay's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
chibiloki's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
the_true_monroe's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I have had this book on my to read list for 10 years. This was filled with so much more hope, love and acceptance and happiness than I thought it would have been which is why I think I held off a decade on reading it. The extreme challenges of being gay in the early 1980’s and prior decades are very clear but what also is clear are how the times were changing and what that looked like for these girls who were exploring and recognizing their true selves.
I listened to the 2008 audiobook which includes a wonderful interview of the author and is so eye opening to listen to as 25 years had passed since the book was published at that point and now an additional 16 years have gone by and I wonder how Nancy’s answers would have been today especially since she mentioned in that interview hoping for more transgender representation which we indeed do have today, although an increase in attacks on the trans and LGBTQIA+ community including queer youth- another group she focused on in the interview.
I listened to the 2008 audiobook which includes a wonderful interview of the author and is so eye opening to listen to as 25 years had passed since the book was published at that point and now an additional 16 years have gone by and I wonder how Nancy’s answers would have been today especially since she mentioned in that interview hoping for more transgender representation which we indeed do have today, although an increase in attacks on the trans and LGBTQIA+ community including queer youth- another group she focused on in the interview.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cursing, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Pregnancy
jesshudzik's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
An absolutely beautiful love story between two young women finding themselves despite the homophobia they face. The message of hope and resilienance really resonated with me in my own life. The homophobia the MCs face is a main part of the plot, but they do not face violence and do have some support throughout the book which made it easier for me to read without too many negative emotions.
A quick read that should not be passed up.
A quick read that should not be passed up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
opalchainsaw's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
bookhails's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
bisexualwentworth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a cute lesbian coming-of-age novel that is absolutely the blueprint for so many of the queer high school books that have come after. The Henna Wars especially is a recent sapphic book that has a very similar plot. And it's a super effective formula!
This book is really historically significant, and I appreciate it so much for being one of the first YA books to portray queer characters, especially lesbians, in a positive light and with a happy ending.
The story didn't make a particular impact on me, but the historical context did. I would definitely recommend it.
This book is really historically significant, and I appreciate it so much for being one of the first YA books to portray queer characters, especially lesbians, in a positive light and with a happy ending.
The story didn't make a particular impact on me, but the historical context did. I would definitely recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Classism