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katewhite77's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
Wow, just wow
I have previously adored Still Life and When God Was A Rabbit and enjoyed A Year Of Marvellous Ways. Everyone one said what a masterpiece this was, so I decided to stop saving this for a rainy day and get on and read it.
You know what, those people weren't wrong. However, if you do read this, and I very much recommend that you do, you are going to need tissues throughout because it is the definition of heartbreakingly beautiful.
The story opens with a pregnant woman telling an abusive husband where he and she stand after coming home from winning a painting in a raffle.
We then flash forward thirty years, and Ellis starts to tell his own story, including meeting Michael, whose perspective we hear from later in the novel.
We follow them down the yellow brick road of life through the A.I.D.S. crisis to a point of self-acceptance. However, these two men both have very big hearts.
I have previously adored Still Life and When God Was A Rabbit and enjoyed A Year Of Marvellous Ways. Everyone one said what a masterpiece this was, so I decided to stop saving this for a rainy day and get on and read it.
You know what, those people weren't wrong. However, if you do read this, and I very much recommend that you do, you are going to need tissues throughout because it is the definition of heartbreakingly beautiful.
The story opens with a pregnant woman telling an abusive husband where he and she stand after coming home from winning a painting in a raffle.
We then flash forward thirty years, and Ellis starts to tell his own story, including meeting Michael, whose perspective we hear from later in the novel.
We follow them down the yellow brick road of life through the A.I.D.S. crisis to a point of self-acceptance. However, these two men both have very big hearts.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, and Death
Minor: Physical abuse, Bullying, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Child abuse
danaaliyalevinson's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
This was pretty beautiful. The first half was a little meandering, but it really started to sing in its second half. This also felt like an AIDS crisis book done right, focused on the queer people whose lives were affected, and the interplay between the AIDS crisis and internalized homophobia and shame about queer sexuality. I am also partial to love stories that exist beyond labels, which definitely applied to this book. The two main characters, yes, were queer men, but one was never explicitly labeled, and all we as the audience had to know was that they loved each other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Grief, Car accident, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness
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