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thecriticalreader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? No
4.75
Blurb:
Lily Hu is a high schooler living in Chinatown, San Francisco in 1954 whose life changes when she visits a homosexual bar, The Telegraph Club. As she learns to understand her own desires and identity, she develops a relationship with a female classmate. On top of the regular social pressures and strains that come with coming of age, Lily must navigate the complicated and complex pressures that come with being a queer Chinese girl with big dreams in 1954 San Francisco.
Review:
There are very few books that meet my stringent standards for historical fiction, but I’m delighted to say that Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo passes my scrutiny with flying colors. Lo obviously did her research; the extensive biography in the back confirmed what I knew from reading her writing. The details are immersive and luscious; there was not a single moment that I was drawn out of the story due to a historical inaccuracy or anachronism. Books like this one are the closest we will get to time travel, and for that they are special.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club would already earn a high rating just for its historical immersive quality, but Lo’s storytelling is equally skilled and compelling. The prose is accessible and easy to read, the plot is balanced and well-structured, and the characters feel like real people. Lo captures the nuances and imperfections of real-life circumstances, interactions, and relationships while crafting a focused, hopeful, and touching central storyline. I especially liked reading about the relationship dynamics between Lily and her longtime friend, Shirley. I did not want the book to end.
The only part of the book that I did not absolutely ~love~ is the chapters between sections from the point of view of Lily’s family members. I could not see how these vignettes added to the central story, and consequently, I found them less compelling. I think that Lo should have either put them at the end of the book as “bonus material” or left them out altogether.
Despite this minor quibble, Last Night at the Telegraph is a wonderful read on every level and deserves all of the recognition it receives.
The Run-Down:
You will probably like Last Night at the Telegraph Club if . . .
· You grew up reading the American Girl Doll historical books
· You appreciate slice-of-life storytelling
· You are curious about learning about life from a perspective not often seen in historical fiction
You might not like Last Night at the Telegraph Club if . .
· You dislike books that take time to describe lots of details to set the scene
A Similar Book:
Good Luck, Ivy by Lisa Yee. Although Good Luck, Ivy is written for a significantly younger audience than Last Night at the Telegraph Club, similarities between the books include:
· A Chinese American female protagonist who lives in twentieth-century San Francisco
· Themes of understanding your identity and following your passion
· Historically immersive storylines
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, Sexism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Child abuse, Outing, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage, Classism, Deportation, and Drug use
emfass's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Oh god, my heart. I loved this book. Also realized in reading it that I don't think I've read much historical fiction with queer characters at the center. I cannot fully express what it meant to me to spend time with a character coming into her queerness in the 1950s. It was heartbreaking and validating all at once.
I also ended up loving the interludes where Lo added chapters from the point of view of Lily's parents and aunt, to give voice to the many ways immigration, racism, and living a life spanning multiple cultures affects people.
I deeply appreciate the way Malinda Lo incorporated so much research as well as inspiration from her own family to create such a realistic, respectful view into San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1950s. I also loved reading her Author's Note at the end, which gave historical context to so much of the story.
I listened to this on audio and narrator Emily Woo Zeller was wonderful.
This is going to be one of my favorite reads of 2023.
I also ended up loving the interludes where Lo added chapters from the point of view of Lily's parents and aunt, to give voice to the many ways immigration, racism, and living a life spanning multiple cultures affects people.
I deeply appreciate the way Malinda Lo incorporated so much research as well as inspiration from her own family to create such a realistic, respectful view into San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1950s. I also loved reading her Author's Note at the end, which gave historical context to so much of the story.
I listened to this on audio and narrator Emily Woo Zeller was wonderful.
This is going to be one of my favorite reads of 2023.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Alcohol, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Outing, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Police brutality, Sexual content, Deportation, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, and Body horror
kdenten's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Child abuse
m0_x13's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage
rachelditty's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
A well-written look into the changing identity of a young Chinese woman in the fifties. Hopeful, sad, and reflective, I'm glad my friend told me to read it.
Some quotes I enjoyed:
"The midnight world in which they had met did not belong here in the brightly lit public afternoon," (p. 272).
"She felt the rub of her mother's wedding ring against her skin, and her mother's face swam into focus, her brown eyes full of the sharp worry of love, and Lily thought, You will never look at me like this again," (p. 325).
"She felt as if her mind had been turned off, and all this was happening to someone who looked like her but couldn't possibly be her," (p. 384).
Some quotes I enjoyed:
"The midnight world in which they had met did not belong here in the brightly lit public afternoon," (p. 272).
"She felt the rub of her mother's wedding ring against her skin, and her mother's face swam into focus, her brown eyes full of the sharp worry of love, and Lily thought, You will never look at me like this again," (p. 325).
"She felt as if her mind had been turned off, and all this was happening to someone who looked like her but couldn't possibly be her," (p. 384).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Alcohol, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Child abuse and Deportation
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, War, Xenophobia, Racism, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Child abuse, Misogyny, Outing, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Deportation, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Confinement
Minor: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Pregnancy
Pedophilia warning is just in case, for an adult woman behaving flirtatiously towards the teenage protagonist.jojo_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Child abuse, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Deportation
boomwormbrittany's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
4.0
Last Night At The Telegraph Club follows Lily who has been nothing but a good Chinese-American daughter. When she meets Kath and starts going to the mysterious Telegraph Club she realizes she might have feelings for Kath. But it's complicated when she lives in 1954 America and she's not sure how Kath feels.
I want to preface this by saying I am neither a part of the LGBTQIA+ community nor Asian American so I will not be commenting on representation. This is an own voices novel and I trust the author is telling from her experience and her research. I will simply be commenting on my enjoyment.
I thought this book was really interesting. We don't get a lot of stories from the 1950's following people of color or people in the LGBTQ+ community let alone one that tells both stories. I think this is a really important book for younger people to pick up as it really shows how the world was towards people of color and who were a part of the LGBTQ+ community and the struggle growing up trying to learn more about yourself when everyone is against you.
I thought the character of Lily was great to follow. I loved seeing her start to bloom and become who she is. Although she is timid and scared, she still has a strength to her that is quiet but powerful. I loved seeing her relationship develop with Kath and seeing her start to accept who she is.
The writing was great in this book and it was a really easy and quick read for me. I liked that Malinda Lo added a historical section at the end speaking on the things she touched on in this book. I thought it was really well written and I enjoyed it.
Overall, if you are looking for a diverse coming of age story, pick this book up. I thought it was great and can't wait to see what Malinda Lo releases next.
I want to preface this by saying I am neither a part of the LGBTQIA+ community nor Asian American so I will not be commenting on representation. This is an own voices novel and I trust the author is telling from her experience and her research. I will simply be commenting on my enjoyment.
I thought this book was really interesting. We don't get a lot of stories from the 1950's following people of color or people in the LGBTQ+ community let alone one that tells both stories. I think this is a really important book for younger people to pick up as it really shows how the world was towards people of color and who were a part of the LGBTQ+ community and the struggle growing up trying to learn more about yourself when everyone is against you.
I thought the character of Lily was great to follow. I loved seeing her start to bloom and become who she is. Although she is timid and scared, she still has a strength to her that is quiet but powerful. I loved seeing her relationship develop with Kath and seeing her start to accept who she is.
The writing was great in this book and it was a really easy and quick read for me. I liked that Malinda Lo added a historical section at the end speaking on the things she touched on in this book. I thought it was really well written and I enjoyed it.
Overall, if you are looking for a diverse coming of age story, pick this book up. I thought it was great and can't wait to see what Malinda Lo releases next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Homophobia
Minor: Child abuse and Child death
caffeinatedknots's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-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
I just wish we had more of an ending. It feels like a cliffhanger almost. I know because it’s set in the 1950s that the ending is the way it is though. Loved this book. Such a good representation of so many under represented communities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Racial slurs
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Outing, and Bullying
Minor: Child abuse