Reviews

Charming Young Man by Eliot Schrefer

moreteawesley's review

5.0

4.5/5 ⭐️ What a gentle, lovely little book. A fascinating character piece that’s spun out from and woven with scraps of history.

that_little_drop_of_poison's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

bellsb00ksandwritings's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book so much. I was completely captivated by the story and was 100% emotionally invested. Léon!!! That boy has my entire heart, and the injustice that was put upon him literally hurt. And Félix. Everyone should have a Félix in their life.

Everything was described so beautifully, especially the parts where Léon was writing/performing and relived earlier memories. Absolutely precious. And those last few sentences... I need more books like this!

lenahe's review against another edition

3.75

It's an interesting read, specially when you consider that it's based on real characters. 
Leon is so naive that I wanted to shake him at times, but I enjoyed reading about queerness in the past. 
One of my favourite things on the book are the descriptions of the music. It managed to translate it very well to the readers. 

missmeganmann's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I had no idea I was listening to a historical-fiction-about-real-people book until Proust walked in. Then Sargent. And then I started googling about and was super impressed. It taught me something without me realizing it and I love that.

I love the author’s note explaining how he got to this story and what was and wasn’t invented. I thought this was a really good version of the truth events and gives younger readers the ability to discover something new.

cryleemick's review against another edition

3.0

I liked the beginning of this book but very quickly it became unbearable. Léon was so annoying & I feel like he never really liked playing the piano it was just something to do to help move his status up. 

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

mehtahussain's review

3.0

a fictionalized historical queer ya story based on the real life of Léon Delafosse that was very sweet but felt a bit aimless and meandering

shanthecitygirl's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I think this is a good book but it wasn't to my taste. It told a very interesting historical story about a briefly famous French Pianist with an imagined happily ever after ending. I loved that the author examined how this young man might have felt going through a rise and fall of fame and handling the complex politics of sponsorship and homosexual love at this time. That being said, it felt more like a portrait of a man instead of a story with a beginning, middle, and end. 

thesingingbook's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

grandcapitalr's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0