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dododenise's review
slow-paced
- 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
A lovely story.
At some points it did slow down a bit too much for me and I grew bored. I don’t think I was hooked enough for how long the story was. But then there was also parts where I devoured the pages.
At some points it did slow down a bit too much for me and I grew bored. I don’t think I was hooked enough for how long the story was. But then there was also parts where I devoured the pages.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, and Grief
teaskate's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Enjoyed the diversity that is really missing in the current media we are presented with. A lot of people don’t get representation, which is just plain said awful. So I liked to see the representation. Other than that is the message really heart warming and so important. Seeing Elsie grow was pretty great. Thank you :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent
linnea1801's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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
THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Racism
Moderate: Death
izzye1500's review
5.0
i so deeply and earnestly wish that i’d been able to read “if you still recognise me” when i was 16. i recognize so many parts of myself in elsie. and i love her dearly for it. this is one of those books that heals that part of me that is still a lonely gay high schooler looking for connection and finding it, in many ways, through fandom. this was extremely cute, surprising, and complicated. a few loose ends could have been handled better— i felt like ritika sort of dropped out of the story partway through — but oh man. i’m in tears! i loved it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism
kaynova's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
There was a moment in the book where I was close to DNF'ing because the main character was very self centered, but I am glad I kept pushing forward because the romances and storylines outside of the main character were too compelling to stop.
I still do believe the main character, Elsie, is self-centered and never really regards her friends in the best manner. The scene that made me almost DNF was near the beginning when they were planning a trip and she didn't even consider her friend's thoughts or feelings, just loading more on her on why she should do things for Elsie. It annoyed me so much and the main reason she is in search of reconnecting a lost connection BETWEEN PEOPLE SHE DOES NOT KNOW is because she wants to believe she can also fall in love. If that's not self-centered, I don't know what is. I wanted to believe she had good intentions, but at some point, she neglected other people's opinions and didn't even tell Ada what she was doing when it involved ADA'S LIFE. I didn't like that part of the plot, but I will say that I love seeing two people reconnect again and are able to be in love even if they haven't talked in decades.
I found the family dynamics more compelling and riveting that Elsie and Joan's relationship. I believe Joan has feelings for Elsie, but Elsie...not so much. I think a lot of the time as I reading she saw herself in Joan and wanted to reclaim that as well as reclaim her old childhood friend. She didn't even really think about her feelings until someone else told her to look in front of her. Whereas with Joan, I always felt it with her, like she had feeligns for Elsie, it was kind of hinted in the beginning when they reconnected, too.
Back to the family issues, I loved reading the complexity of coming out to parents who are stuck in their ideologies even if the rhetoric is so outdated. I also love the author didn't force a quick remedy on broken bonds, because realistically, it's not always going to be better from one conversation and in this book, it is repeated that failed connections take time to repair. I enjoyed Uncle Kevin, Elsie's mom, and even Po Po. They made the book (even Ada, who is a gem, though she is not related to Elsie).
I think if Elsie wasn't so self-centered at times, I would've liked this more, but alas, the subplots made this enjoyable to me.
I still do believe the main character, Elsie, is self-centered and never really regards her friends in the best manner. The scene that made me almost DNF was near the beginning when they were planning a trip and she didn't even consider her friend's thoughts or feelings, just loading more on her on why she should do things for Elsie. It annoyed me so much and the main reason she is in search of reconnecting a lost connection BETWEEN PEOPLE SHE DOES NOT KNOW is because she wants to believe she can also fall in love. If that's not self-centered, I don't know what is. I wanted to believe she had good intentions, but at some point, she neglected other people's opinions and didn't even tell Ada what she was doing when it involved ADA'S LIFE. I didn't like that part of the plot, but I will say that I love seeing two people reconnect again and are able to be in love even if they haven't talked in decades.
I found the family dynamics more compelling and riveting that Elsie and Joan's relationship. I believe Joan has feelings for Elsie, but Elsie...not so much. I think a lot of the time as I reading she saw herself in Joan and wanted to reclaim that as well as reclaim her old childhood friend. She didn't even really think about her feelings until someone else told her to look in front of her. Whereas with Joan, I always felt it with her, like she had feeligns for Elsie, it was kind of hinted in the beginning when they reconnected, too.
Back to the family issues, I loved reading the complexity of coming out to parents who are stuck in their ideologies even if the rhetoric is so outdated. I also love the author didn't force a quick remedy on broken bonds, because realistically, it's not always going to be better from one conversation and in this book, it is repeated that failed connections take time to repair. I enjoyed Uncle Kevin, Elsie's mom, and even Po Po. They made the book (even Ada, who is a gem, though she is not related to Elsie).
I think if Elsie wasn't so self-centered at times, I would've liked this more, but alas, the subplots made this enjoyable to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
cboddie's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
8th & up
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
r0ry_'s review
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexual content
puttingwingsonwords's review
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- 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
I loved reading about Elsie’s journey. Through looking for her overseas crush’s grandma’s old friend, she meets queer people of different generations and ends up learning more about herself and coming into her own.
And that’s just one story-thread; Elsie is also uncovering her own family secrets, rekindling a relationship with an old friend, dealing with a past toxic relationship, and trying not to neglect her current best friend in the process. All in the summer between graduation and starting uni. Definitely a stand-out in YA queer contemporary!
And that’s just one story-thread; Elsie is also uncovering her own family secrets, rekindling a relationship with an old friend, dealing with a past toxic relationship, and trying not to neglect her current best friend in the process. All in the summer between graduation and starting uni. Definitely a stand-out in YA queer contemporary!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Homophobia, and Racism
kelsreadsthings's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
vampire_burrito's review
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, and Toxic relationship