Reviews with content warning for Vomit - Stone Butch Blues

didn’t like this as much as I thought I would but I do still like it quite a bit. I wasn’t a big fan of the writing style and I found that the timeline tended to jump forward months or years without warning. It is very clearly a labour of love however, and it is a very interesting and important read. If you are interested in queer history and like historical fiction you would probably like it. It does have a lot of heavy content but I didn’t find it to be gratuitous, it was real and unfortunately necessary to tell an accurate story, (though of course you should check warnings if needed).

Content Warnings

hippiequeen's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Get ready to tear up. As a queer person who is and has been in a relationship with afab and amab trans* people/nonbinary folks, this book hit me hard without having had to experience the struggle with gender and dysphoria on my own skin. I understood and lived through the pain of violence and hate crime, because that I understand.
The History that accompanies the story is simply beautiful. I loved this book.

Content Warnings

beepmbop's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

i cannot say enough about this book. i felt seen in a way i haven’t since i read Jane Eyre for the first time. Like i was reading my own history. I have spent so much of my time being queer feeling out of touch and disconnected from the community, but this felt like coming home - warts and all. I found myself wishing Leslie Feinberg will still alive so i could thank her, over and over and over.

the ending is especially gut wrenching if you read the 2004 edition. I finished this in the first few days of 2024 and thinking about the change that has taken place in the 20 years since her death- it really is astounding.

dark at points and deeply upsetting, but vital to understanding the history of afab gender non conforming people in the US as well as our vital place in the labor rights movement

Content Warnings

barrybj's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

its 5 AM right now and i just blazed through the entire second half of Stone Butch Blues in one sitting. I....dont know how to describe how I feel. I just feel.

Content Warnings