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throneofhels's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
purplepoodleclub's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
ex_libris_lena's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-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
egoplen7's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
shtik's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
4.5
stefhyena's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The author sais her agenda was "unbury your gays" which is brilliant. There should be books like this and arguably even there should be this much sex scene in it to counteract against the - lesbian characters don't even get a kiss - tendency of the mainstream but...for me the amount of unnecessary, plot-slowing, detailed sex scenes together with the sniggery drug use and the stupid game about launching yourself from the furniture went with the whole chapter of "I'm 23 I can do what I want" and the many soppy long passages about being in lurve to slow down an otherwise engaging story.
It was engaging. The stuck in time thing was handled well- it can never be completely logical but there were intricacies and stuff that made this good. The web of relationships (not just one) was excellent. The toxic mother should probably not have been quite so easily gaslit back into nice mummy TBH.
My other problem was Jane as a born in 1953 (ie Boomer) activist. I've met a lot of Boomer activists and some are adrenaline junkies and love defying authority but they are more purposeful and political about it (and let's face it as a queer WOC "Jane" has every reason to be more political). It was a strangely ahistorical, apolitical view of queer activism of the 70s. I mean I was never in the US but my understanding is that the hatred of cops wasn't just a cute "naughty kid" tic because they don't follow rules (fully accessorised with a black jacket and molotov cocktail) but was political- bravely existing was political. I feel like this book tries to make it into Hilary Clinton style (or perhaps Obama) dilute liberalism where we buy more cool accessories (mention climate change as a problem and then get more plastic bags) and in the presnt day Jane missed protesting so she joined protests (like activism is an interest or a skill set and not a bloody necessity....no activist WANTS to be an activist).
I would also have liked to see more generation gap. I know that would be awkward (because the 45 year thing is gross when you think about it) but Jane so easily just liked modern things. I was more able to accept that Sugust was so used tobeing pushed around and not knowing what she liked that she might try out Jane's tastes so readily but I still thought at some point she should be like "nah this is not for me" which is part of the coming-of-age experimentation. I also had to laugh at a world where you just neglect work and study but still miraculously succeed at both in the background. If only.
So I alternated between being engaged and being irritated. Perhaps I haven't listed the good things enough, apart from the magic realism which is handled well. The drag queens, especially the one next door are good. While I was irritated about the white picket fences capitalist need to couple everyone up and marry them off by the end of the book one of the romances struck me as sweet. The many gender bendy details- even straight couples are destroying cis-het gender in some ways. I found myself craving pancakes reading it (maybe also because winter is setting in here). I like trains, I am a train nerd. I do approve of "unbury your gays" and playing with queer histories (queering them even more by adding time travel).
The gay bar having a capacity of 800 shocked me as in my town 200 is a lot of people but also I really enjoyed descriptions of that to help me heal from the fact my local one is closing. The descriptions of drag queens while unnecessary were cool and enjoyable. I found myself half way through the book thinking "we need more drag kings" and also confusing gender illusionists that noone can quite gender. Like real gay bars have. There was a mention of one drag king very late in the book but I would like to order more of that please. We like our kings thank you xx
Overall despite the fact I really really don't relate to trust-fund brats or middle-class homonormative dream to marry set up house together and shop at ikea (please queer those things more for the bogans some of us are) I did love the level of gay here. I chuckled at the "be gay to crimes" side of things even though I also rolled my eyes and wished they were less childish about it. I don't know too many 23 year olds who have the luxury of still behaving like year 10s to be honest, is that even a thing in America or is it showing us rich lifestyles like TV does to make us buy more?
IDK...mixed feelings but we should have so many gay books that we don't have to love them all!
It was engaging. The stuck in time thing was handled well- it can never be completely logical but there were intricacies and stuff that made this good. The web of relationships (not just one) was excellent. The toxic mother should probably not have been quite so easily gaslit back into nice mummy TBH.
My other problem was Jane as a born in 1953 (ie Boomer) activist. I've met a lot of Boomer activists and some are adrenaline junkies and love defying authority but they are more purposeful and political about it (and let's face it as a queer WOC "Jane" has every reason to be more political). It was a strangely ahistorical, apolitical view of queer activism of the 70s. I mean I was never in the US but my understanding is that the hatred of cops wasn't just a cute "naughty kid" tic because they don't follow rules (fully accessorised with a black jacket and molotov cocktail) but was political- bravely existing was political. I feel like this book tries to make it into Hilary Clinton style (or perhaps Obama) dilute liberalism where we buy more cool accessories (mention climate change as a problem and then get more plastic bags) and in the presnt day Jane missed protesting so she joined protests (like activism is an interest or a skill set and not a bloody necessity....no activist WANTS to be an activist).
I would also have liked to see more generation gap. I know that would be awkward (because the 45 year thing is gross when you think about it) but Jane so easily just liked modern things. I was more able to accept that Sugust was so used tobeing pushed around and not knowing what she liked that she might try out Jane's tastes so readily but I still thought at some point she should be like "nah this is not for me" which is part of the coming-of-age experimentation. I also had to laugh at a world where you just neglect work and study but still miraculously succeed at both in the background. If only.
So I alternated between being engaged and being irritated. Perhaps I haven't listed the good things enough, apart from the magic realism which is handled well. The drag queens, especially the one next door are good. While I was irritated about the white picket fences capitalist need to couple everyone up and marry them off by the end of the book one of the romances struck me as sweet. The many gender bendy details- even straight couples are destroying cis-het gender in some ways. I found myself craving pancakes reading it (maybe also because winter is setting in here). I like trains, I am a train nerd. I do approve of "unbury your gays" and playing with queer histories (queering them even more by adding time travel).
The gay bar having a capacity of 800 shocked me as in my town 200 is a lot of people but also I really enjoyed descriptions of that to help me heal from the fact my local one is closing. The descriptions of drag queens while unnecessary were cool and enjoyable. I found myself half way through the book thinking "we need more drag kings" and also confusing gender illusionists that noone can quite gender. Like real gay bars have. There was a mention of one drag king very late in the book but I would like to order more of that please. We like our kings thank you xx
Overall despite the fact I really really don't relate to trust-fund brats or middle-class homonormative dream to marry set up house together and shop at ikea (please queer those things more for the bogans some of us are) I did love the level of gay here. I chuckled at the "be gay to crimes" side of things even though I also rolled my eyes and wished they were less childish about it. I don't know too many 23 year olds who have the luxury of still behaving like year 10s to be honest, is that even a thing in America or is it showing us rich lifestyles like TV does to make us buy more?
IDK...mixed feelings but we should have so many gay books that we don't have to love them all!
martapaviaa's review against another edition
5.0
Lo he llorado con gusto, espero que los examenes que no me estoy repasando me salgan igual de bien que a August la jugada. Yo también quiero encontrar mi lugar en el mundo.
melissajayhay's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
5.0
alm0lina's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I give this a 4.5-4.75 stars. I REALLY enjoyed reading this. I was not expecting the more supernatural plot point at ALL, but it turned out to be a really awesome plot line.
Jane and August and all of the other characters were really fun and loveable to read about. The bit of plot armor around everything working out and connecting for August was a liiiiiittle much, but ultimately, the premise of the story was so interesting and made for a really great read.
The only other book I have read by Casey was RWRB, and tbh, they’ve done it again - the perfectly placed and ACTUAL diversity with the perfect amount of emphasis and detail that it doesn’t feel out of place, random to the plot, or over-saturated. And I mean this for everything. From race to gender identity to sexual orientation to background of the character as a whole, I felt like the character and their story, their identity, plus their personality just gave me the tools to get to know the character as Casey intended to write them and bring them to life.
One reason I didn’t give this five stars was when I put it down, I didn’t feel the push to check off my to do list to get back to the book, but I enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down when I was reading it.
Definitely recommend
Jane and August and all of the other characters were really fun and loveable to read about. The bit of plot armor around everything working out and connecting for August was a liiiiiittle much, but ultimately, the premise of the story was so interesting and made for a really great read.
The only other book I have read by Casey was RWRB, and tbh, they’ve done it again - the perfectly placed and ACTUAL diversity with the perfect amount of emphasis and detail that it doesn’t feel out of place, random to the plot, or over-saturated. And I mean this for everything. From race to gender identity to sexual orientation to background of the character as a whole, I felt like the character and their story, their identity, plus their personality just gave me the tools to get to know the character as Casey intended to write them and bring them to life.
One reason I didn’t give this five stars was when I put it down, I didn’t feel the push to check off my to do list to get back to the book, but I enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down when I was reading it.
Definitely recommend