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laurataylor's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Cancer, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Emotional abuse
chelseamayxxx's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
This book is so so amazing I loved the main character Arthur the main character though out this whole book the way he told his family and friend he was gay was the most sweetest thing I have read in a book in ages and the way he comes back together with his family after they initially fall out with him at the start of his new life journey it was so good to see how they came back together as a family and how they accepted him in the end. The 2nd main character teddy wasn’t my favourite and his car crash of a friendship and relationships thought out all this book made me so annoyed and so uninterested in his parts of the book. I wish this book was mostly about Arthur if I am been honest. The ending of this book was done in such a cute way and I think the ending of the book really fitted it so well. I was smitten and giggling whilst reading the ending. Xxx
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Suicide
Minor: Cancer
capyval's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Arthur gets out of the closet at age 79, and his daughter doesn't take it so well... Which puts Teddy (Arthur's grandson) in an awkward position, as he's also gay and hasn't told his mum yet.
The story has a cute start, it's cool to see an elderly person coming out of the closet and telling their story, but the book didn't have a strong story and the everything turns boring very early, in my opinion. I didn't care much about any of the characters and their dramas.
The book is not YA as far as I know, but the story is so simple, it may as well be. There's no explicit sex.
TW: suicide
The two narrators of the audiobook are ok, but also not so great IMO.
The story has a cute start, it's cool to see an elderly person coming out of the closet and telling their story, but the book didn't have a strong story and the everything turns boring very early, in my opinion. I didn't care much about any of the characters and their dramas.
The book is not YA as far as I know, but the story is so simple, it may as well be. There's no explicit sex.
TW: suicide
The two narrators of the audiobook are ok, but also not so great IMO.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide, and Cancer
imrereads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This was good, but ultimately a bit too rom-commy for my taste. I have a weakness for older narrators, so the Arthur chapters were definitely my favourite. I loved seeing his growth, learning his life story and seeing him really enjoy the later stage of his life (+ his wonderful and supportive wife was a joy to read about).
I do wish there has been a bit more accountability for characters messing up, and I missed more focus on Teddy's relationship with his friends.
There is a really good cast of characters here though, and I think a lot of people with really like this. I'd definitely recommend this for fans of romantic comedies, especially if you also appreciate a big focus on familial relationships.
Despite being mostly lighthearted it does though on heavy topics, especially homophobia.
I do wish there has been a bit more accountability for characters messing up, and I missed more focus on Teddy's relationship with his friends.
There is a really good cast of characters here though, and I think a lot of people with really like this. I'd definitely recommend this for fans of romantic comedies, especially if you also appreciate a big focus on familial relationships.
Despite being mostly lighthearted it does though on heavy topics, especially homophobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Cancer
just22jess22's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
CW: Suicide, threat of murder, homophobia, gaslighting, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, death of a parent, physical abuse, cancer, addiction, grief, abandonment of a child, abandonment of an elder.
Are you surprised? Because honestly, I was!
To me, “Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out” is marketed as this lighthearted, heartwarming little book about a grandpa and a grandson both coming out to their family members as being gay. I honestly don’t think this book was either heartwarming nor lighthearted in the way that the author aimed for.
[And here is where it gets a bit spoilery – prob don’t read on if you plan to read this book….]
A few of my biggest gripes: This beautifully composed man comes out to his family as being gay at age 79, with full acceptance and support of his ex wife. His daughter FLIPS out and refuses to talk to him for over half of the book, forcing her children (including Teddy) from talking to him also. She then kicks her son out of the house when he declares he is also gay. When she (surprise!) has a complete change of heart in the third act.. Literally no one calls her out for being a shitty human, nor does she seem to have any character growth from the whole experience.
Teddy was my least fav character – he spends the entire book whinging about the silver spoon he has been given, yet literally every time he faces any sniff of hardship, he runs to others to fix his shit. I honestly don’t have enough words to describe how deeply problematic his romantic arc was, so I will just say that the three boys were all as horribly gaslighty as each other and they all deserve each other.
Last thing – why is Arthur suddenly super famous and on the cover of multiple magazines/newspapers for coming out as gay? Does that seriously warrant a front page…?! The mind boggles.
Parts of this book I liked? It was quick and easy to read, I enjoyed that it portrayed the older generation as people who still aimed to live life to the fullest and I love the message that it is never too late to chase your desires.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Grief, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Suicide, Cancer, and Physical abuse
Minor: Terminal illness and Drug abuse
sunny_pipes's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Cancer, and Homophobia
Minor: Violence, Suicide, and Grief
abi2xoxo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was so lovely and heartwarming.
The characters came off so nice and you did feel for their situation and they became your friends throughout the book.
The only negative that I had was that the characters were very formal a lot of the time and sometimes what they were saying was very unlike how normal people communicate. It was difficult to relate to them in them moments.
Other than that, this book had amazing twists and turns and it properly captured what coming out can be like for many people. I like how Lizzie wasn't immediately the bad guy because she didn't understand, yet they also accepted her and gave her time without being angry.
The characters came off so nice and you did feel for their situation and they became your friends throughout the book.
The only negative that I had was that the characters were very formal a lot of the time and sometimes what they were saying was very unlike how normal people communicate. It was difficult to relate to them in them moments.
Other than that, this book had amazing twists and turns and it properly captured what coming out can be like for many people. I like how Lizzie wasn't immediately the bad guy because she didn't understand, yet they also accepted her and gave her time without being angry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Violence
Moderate: Suicide, Terminal illness, Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, and Bullying
thegouldfish's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Suicide and Cancer
Minor: Death of parent, Outing, and Medical content
sophiareads_'s review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
***After some thought, I've decided to post my review of this now, as HQ is an imprint of HarperCollins UK, not HarperCollins US, who are currently striking for living wages and better diversity in publishing. I fully support the strike, and you should too!***
Content Warnings: homophobia, outing, suicide, cancer, violence (mentioned), conversion therapy (mentioned), death of a parent (mentioned)
21 year old Teddy isn't ready to come out - especially when his 80 year old grandfather Arthur beats him to it and takes the brunt of their family's reaction.
I'm sorry to say that this book was super meh for me. Going into it, I was expecting that the story would be building towards the eventual coming out of both of these characters, but actually, Arthur's coming out is the very first thing that happens in the book, and Teddy also comes out in the first half. I do kinda feel like I would have preferred the story I was imagining to the one I actually read, which was a bit of a let down.
I think this is largely a case of a 'not for me' book - I didn't jive with the writing style or pacing. I genuinely really loved Arthur's character and his relationships with Teddy (his grandson), Madeleine (his wife), and Oscar (the first man he goes on a date with post-coming out). The rest of the characters, though…oof. I found almost all of the side character super one dimensional and boring - even when characters had massive changes throughout the book, it felt like they were flipping on a dime with little to nothing in the way of development to make those changes feel earned. Also, the narrative of the story SO wanted me to have forgiven Elizabeth by the end of the book - Arthur's daughter/Teddy's mother, who is so aggressively homophobic for the majority of the book before seemingly randomly changing her mind in the last quarter. Absolutely not. Hated her guts.
All in all, I think this was a very sweet concept, and again - Arthur and Teddy's relationship was really sweet and wholesome. For me, it didn't really make up for the predictable plot and boring side characters, I'm sorry.
Thank you to HQ, NetGalley, and Ryan Love for providing the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to HQ, NetGalley, and Ryan Love for providing the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Moderate: Suicide and Cancer
Minor: Violence and Death of parent