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lbarsk's review
3.0
Really a 3.5 -- there were parts of this book that I very much enjoyed reading! Ramona and Freddie's relationship was absolutely sweet; the friendship between Ruth, Saul, and Ramona was lovely; and the "social justicey" aspects of the book felt fully integrated instead of like, randomly dropped throughout the story. (AS OPPOSED TO CERTAIN OTHER GAY YA NOVELS I HAVE READ RECENTLY!!!)
However, as a bi person it was actually really hard for me to read this book. It has that same Dress Codes for Small Towns "I don't know what I am but I'm not pressuring myself to figure it out and I'm somewhere in the queer zone but we'll see" message and... just... argh. While that is a SUPER necessary message that I'm sure resonates with or is helpful for a lot of readers, it was just damn hard to see the word bisexual included in the book (props to Julie Murphy for including the word! better than so many other types of media that gloss over the identity whole cloth) and then ultimately discarded. Maybe I'm just not reading enough books with bisexual protagonists -- if I were reading more perhaps this wouldn't feel like such a blow!!!
And again, I don't want to discount Ramona's identity, or ANYONE's identity who's going through a similar thing as Ramona. I don't want to force people to identify themselves in a specific way and I don't at all want to seem like I'm trying to limit the number of sexual identities out there. I just felt let down by this book -- I thought we were going to get one thing (a bisexual identity) and then that didn't happen.
However, as a bi person it was actually really hard for me to read this book. It has that same Dress Codes for Small Towns "I don't know what I am but I'm not pressuring myself to figure it out and I'm somewhere in the queer zone but we'll see" message and... just... argh. While that is a SUPER necessary message that I'm sure resonates with or is helpful for a lot of readers, it was just damn hard to see the word bisexual included in the book (props to Julie Murphy for including the word! better than so many other types of media that gloss over the identity whole cloth) and then ultimately discarded. Maybe I'm just not reading enough books with bisexual protagonists -- if I were reading more perhaps this wouldn't feel like such a blow!!!
And again, I don't want to discount Ramona's identity, or ANYONE's identity who's going through a similar thing as Ramona. I don't want to force people to identify themselves in a specific way and I don't at all want to seem like I'm trying to limit the number of sexual identities out there. I just felt let down by this book -- I thought we were going to get one thing (a bisexual identity) and then that didn't happen.
reeyabeegale's review
4.0
It's a 3.50 stars to be exact.
There were a lot of good points and aspects in this story that I loved, but I felt like towards the end, everything wasn't tied up neatly. It felt rushed and forced. I'm not gonna lie, I thought this will come second in my list of Most Favorite Books in the world but the ending disappointed me heavily. It affects me differently to how it will affect you.
A review for this will come up on Written Constellations, at www.archivesofenigma.com.
There were a lot of good points and aspects in this story that I loved, but I felt like towards the end, everything wasn't tied up neatly. It felt rushed and forced. I'm not gonna lie, I thought this will come second in my list of Most Favorite Books in the world but the ending disappointed me heavily. It affects me differently to how it will affect you.
A review for this will come up on Written Constellations, at www.archivesofenigma.com.
maritzah's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, definitivamente no esperaba esto de este libro. Comencé este audiolibro solo porque era uno de los pocos que estaban en español y además estaba en mis pendientes así que ni lo pensé, pero este libro siento que me cambió aunque sea un poco.
Hasta ahora, no había leído ningún libro donde la protagonista es bisexual y para alguien que descubrió hace poco que lo era, me sorprendió gratamente. Ramona es un protagonista que me cayó muy bien desde el principio desde como era con su familia hasta con sus amigos, relaciones, etc. Esta chica tenía mucha garra y sabía pelear por lo que quería. Ame su evolución, que debe enfocarse en sí misma antes que todo, obviamente la familia es importante pero tu misma lo eres más. Además el punto que tocaron sobre la bisexualidad fue algo bien hecho desde mi perspectiva, el no saber si solo es el o el que ahora le guste Freedie significaba que todo por lo que paso cuando salio del closet fue anulado, vi su strugle y aunque no pase ni remotamente por lo mismo la entendí y me sentí entendida.
Ahora Fredie es un amor de persona, desde que apareció supe que era un buen chico y que siempre estaría ahí para apoyar a Ramona, tanto el como su abuela fueron una gran ayuda para ella, un ejemplo es que gracias a ellos, ella encontró su pasión de nadar y su salida hacia el mundo. Entiendo el final que le dieron a su relación es algo real y que va con lo que nos muestra el libro, en mi mente ellos se vuelven a encontrar y terminan juntos :3
Con respecto a su familia, hubo veces donde renegaba, también donde sentía esa unión y me daba una ternura y también sentía ese jalón que no dejaba avanzar a Ramona. Lidiar con la familia siempre es difícil y con la situación de Ramona y su hermana se entendía perfectamente. Fui feliz al ver esa relación de hermanas donde siempre se tienen la una para la otra y entender que aunque no estén 24/7 con la otra no significa que no la apoyas o estas ahí para ella, significa que estás avanzando a tu propio ritmo, viviendo tu vida and that's ok.
Hasta ahora, no había leído ningún libro donde la protagonista es bisexual y para alguien que descubrió hace poco que lo era, me sorprendió gratamente. Ramona es un protagonista que me cayó muy bien desde el principio desde como era con su familia hasta con sus amigos, relaciones, etc. Esta chica tenía mucha garra y sabía pelear por lo que quería. Ame su evolución, que debe enfocarse en sí misma antes que todo, obviamente la familia es importante pero tu misma lo eres más. Además el punto que tocaron sobre la bisexualidad fue algo bien hecho desde mi perspectiva, el no saber si solo es el o el que ahora le guste Freedie significaba que todo por lo que paso cuando salio del closet fue anulado, vi su strugle y aunque no pase ni remotamente por lo mismo la entendí y me sentí entendida.
Ahora Fredie es un amor de persona, desde que apareció supe que era un buen chico y que siempre estaría ahí para apoyar a Ramona, tanto el como su abuela fueron una gran ayuda para ella, un ejemplo es que gracias a ellos, ella encontró su pasión de nadar y su salida hacia el mundo. Entiendo el final que le dieron a su relación es algo real y que va con lo que nos muestra el libro, en mi mente ellos se vuelven a encontrar y terminan juntos :3
Con respecto a su familia, hubo veces donde renegaba, también donde sentía esa unión y me daba una ternura y también sentía ese jalón que no dejaba avanzar a Ramona. Lidiar con la familia siempre es difícil y con la situación de Ramona y su hermana se entendía perfectamente. Fui feliz al ver esa relación de hermanas donde siempre se tienen la una para la otra y entender que aunque no estén 24/7 con la otra no significa que no la apoyas o estas ahí para ella, significa que estás avanzando a tu propio ritmo, viviendo tu vida and that's ok.
juanitad15's review
4.0
I liked how this book took this girl’s pretty ordinary life, and her ordinary struggles, and turned it into a pretty good book. It was slow paced but not in a way that exhausted the story. Actually, there were things I felt I missed out on in the story or didn’t really get to see fully develop. I like Ramona, she’s strong and honest and loyal and confused.
It also didn’t feel like the big glaring problems that were present at the beginning of the story were really resolved enough that it would give Ramona that final push to go to college. I guess that might be the pint, that you have to push yourself even when your circumstances are less than ideal.
It also didn’t feel like the big glaring problems that were present at the beginning of the story were really resolved enough that it would give Ramona that final push to go to college. I guess that might be the pint, that you have to push yourself even when your circumstances are less than ideal.
the_red_one's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
b0hemian_graham's review
5.0
I don't get the hate for Julie Murphy. Her protagonists are flawed, and realistic. This novel isn't a "magical penis turns lesbian straight!" story, it's about a girl discovering herself, and realizing that nothing is black and white, for many things in addition to sexuality, such as class, race, and gender. It's not erasing lesbianism, since there's a lesbian couple, and another girl who identifies as homoromantic demisexual. The novel isn't about sticking a label on something and sticking with that label. This book is just about one character, and isn't the definite story for all bi/lesbian women. I didn't know this novel was so polarising and controversial until I started reading it. I read it because I adored Dumplin' another Julie Murphy novel that people love to hate based on a few lines taken out of context. I'm still processing, and I'm on a smartphone. I will edit this review later
marieintheraw's review
3.0
This is clearly a book about the characters and with the characters constantly trying to label Ramona, made for a less enjoyable time.
werestep123's review
5.0
Love this book. It was a nice feel good book, had some sad moments but definitely a good book to read when you want a happy sappy story !
lunaballz's review
5.0
Ramona Blue is a sweet, honest story about a girl discovering the fluidity of both sexuality and life. Those who preemptively rated it 1-star out of fear of it being a story where a lesbian is cured by a boy need to actually read it themselves. This is a beautiful coming of age story where Ramona makes it very clear, even after realizing her feelings for Freddie, that she definitely is not straight. In fact, there's a scene
Why I picked this up: the controversy when the summary first came out
What I liked:
The style: just the way it was written was really enjoyable, I never felt like the characters were forced into strange events but it really felt like I was reading a true story about the daily life of a teenager and her friends in Mississippi. The dialogue also felt really natural and was pleasant to read.
I also felt Ramona Blue tackled issues you don't often see in YA books, especially not YA romance.
The main character is gay, but it isn't a coming out story and instead is just a story with a gay protagonist, which is so fantastic. It also is really great because it's about a lesbian who is discovering that she might actually be bisexual, and that is something you almost never see.
Another great thing is that she has gay friends. Gay people in real life have gay friends, but in books it always seems like they only have straight friends, so this is really nice to see.
Plus, the love interest is black and I feel like you never see interracial romance in YA. Freddie is also not just the token black character, but his family are also important characters, and there's also black background characters, like you'd actually see in real life. The author always seems to take care to mention a character's color so that "white" doesn't become the default.
Not only is it great for having an interracial couple, but it touches on some important aspects of Freddie being black. There's a part
The book also shows some of the realities of being poor. Ramona's family barely makes any money, and she herself struggles to live her own life under the crushing responsibility of helping to provide for her family.
What I didn't like:
Only the fact that the blurb can be misconstrued as a book about curing lesbianism. Everything in the book is fantastic.
Would I recommend?
Excuse my french but f**k yes I would recommend. It's an honest, well-written book by an own-voices author that has the representation I think a lot of people need. I will most certainly be recommending this to anyone I can
Spoiler
where she refuses to tell her mother that she's dating him because she doesn't want her mother to think her being a lesbian was just a phase.Why I picked this up: the controversy when the summary first came out
What I liked:
The style: just the way it was written was really enjoyable, I never felt like the characters were forced into strange events but it really felt like I was reading a true story about the daily life of a teenager and her friends in Mississippi. The dialogue also felt really natural and was pleasant to read.
I also felt Ramona Blue tackled issues you don't often see in YA books, especially not YA romance.
The main character is gay, but it isn't a coming out story and instead is just a story with a gay protagonist, which is so fantastic. It also is really great because it's about a lesbian who is discovering that she might actually be bisexual, and that is something you almost never see.
Another great thing is that she has gay friends. Gay people in real life have gay friends, but in books it always seems like they only have straight friends, so this is really nice to see.
Plus, the love interest is black and I feel like you never see interracial romance in YA. Freddie is also not just the token black character, but his family are also important characters, and there's also black background characters, like you'd actually see in real life. The author always seems to take care to mention a character's color so that "white" doesn't become the default.
Not only is it great for having an interracial couple, but it touches on some important aspects of Freddie being black. There's a part
Spoiler
in the book where Ramona, Freddie, and their friends are breaking into someone's property in order to use the pool, but it's left ambiguous to Freddie about whether they're allowed to be there. When the owner comes and chases them out, Freddie tells Ramona that she can't be colorblind and ignore him when he says he can't do that kind of stuff, because as a black boy he's the one who's going to get shot when that happens.The book also shows some of the realities of being poor. Ramona's family barely makes any money, and she herself struggles to live her own life under the crushing responsibility of helping to provide for her family.
What I didn't like:
Only the fact that the blurb can be misconstrued as a book about curing lesbianism. Everything in the book is fantastic.
Would I recommend?
Excuse my french but f**k yes I would recommend. It's an honest, well-written book by an own-voices author that has the representation I think a lot of people need. I will most certainly be recommending this to anyone I can