2blueshoes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
McQuiston somehow manages to gift her readers the same hazy, lovesick binoculars as Alex: somewhere in the distance we know democracies are churning apart, but in this moment all we can think about is Henry, and what stupid thing he’ll say, and the next time they’ll be together.
There’s so much to enjoy about this book: the imperfect yet lovable cast of characters, the witty banter liberally splashed with millenial-isms, the side splitting e-mail exchanges… the queer historical post scripts. The writing is surprisingly lush and atmospheric for a story that takes place in only a few settings, and mostly indoors. Most of all, it’s unusual to find a gay romance that is both silly and self assured. I loved it for this reason over any other.
More than anything, this book made me ache for a world that only felt possible in 2016: a world where we believed a mixed race divorced family could live in the White House, where a moral scandal could actually hamper a determined presidential candidate, where an archaic monarchy was not in bed with the Daily Mail, and a year 2020 when we were not in a pandemic. Perhaps McQuinston has written the new romance trope ending we all needed (achievable or not) - where two imperfect characters fall in love, not happily ever after, but in a way where their love might just change the world.
Moderate: Sexual content and Homophobia
Minor: Drug use and Violence
cdoubet'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
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Outing, Sexism, Bullying, and Misogyny
Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Racism
Minor: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Alcohol, Cancer, and Sexual harassment
taylorsevalia'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
Graphic: Homophobia and Cursing
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Alcohol, Outing, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Slavery, Incest, Cancer, Blood, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Colonisation, and Adult/minor relationship
gailsage_thomps'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
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, Homophobia, Outing, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Sexual harassment, War, and Xenophobia
skudiklier'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Outing, Homophobia, Grief, Cursing, and Biphobia
Moderate: Death of parent and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Violence, Racism, Misogyny, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Colonisation, and Alcoholism
readerette's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Terminal illness, and Violence