Scan barcode
helena_v12's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Hate crime
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexual harassment
123urmom's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Outing, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, and Racism
Moderate: Hate crime and Police brutality
Time-period accurate homophobia and racismlolajh's review against another edition
- 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
Lily Hu. What a fantastic character. A Chinese American lesbian dealing with not just racism and lesbiphobia separately, but as overlapping things that create much more of an impact than one of these things by themselves. The portrayal of Lily’s lesbianism was portrayed a bit iffy in some parts, such as describing her intense focus on other girls’ bodies, but for the most part was described as more than skin-deep.
Lily’s love for Kath, a butch lesbian, was so bittersweet, and a lovely depiction of lesbian love. Their relationship transitions so seamlessly from friends to lovers, and despite the context they are in, neither have internalised homophobia about their lesbianism, and there are never any moments of shame between them after they show affection, which is something quite prominent in a lot of queer books done even in present context. Seeing Lily’s love for butches in this book where the butch is the love interest and femme as the mc was lovely, because I got to see Lily’s admiration for butch lesbians and for Kath. I can clearly see Lily as a femme, whilst it isn’t stated as clearly as Kath being butch, because of how she expresses her femininity in no way for a man, and because of her true love for butch lesbians. They are clearly Lily’s type; her love for butches was just so beautiful to see, and so different from traditionally feminine (but not femme) lesbian stories.
Graphic: Alcohol, Hate crime, Homophobia, Police brutality, Lesbophobia, Outing, Racism, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Deportation, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, War, Blood, Body horror, Medical trauma, and Toxic friendship
kashby's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Homophobia, Hate crime, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Blood, and Miscarriage
hannibanani29's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Outing, Racial slurs, Racism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, and Miscarriage
laurenkimoto's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Outing, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Colonisation, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, War, Hate crime, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Violence
parkyparkpark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Hate crime
Minor: Child abuse
gm_vak's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcohol, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Outing, Sexism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Racism
aus10england's review against another edition
- 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
I really enjoyed a lot of things about this book, and I would def feel differently about this if I was a queer Chinese woman, so for that alone I am so happy this book exists today.
The first third and last third of the book I think we’re the strongest, but the middle is where I lost the most interest and think could have been more concise. The last part of the story was the most thrilling and kept my attention the most.
Overall, an excellent story, and important read for so, so many people.
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, and Homophobia
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Miscarriage
1quillb's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Outing and Toxic friendship
Minor: Hate crime, Alcohol, and Classism