Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

133 reviews

dragon_lord's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Death, Outing, Toxic friendship, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Excrement, Drug use, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

nightworldlove's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

4.75

Absolutely loved this (audio) book and its narrator, who did a great job! It was really easy to immerse and the story quickly grabbed my full interest. I think it's amazing to have a book about how things were for the queer community back in 1950s, yet doesn't have the devastating ending that I was low-key fearing. Loved Lily and Kath and Lily's exploration of her sexuality <3

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Alcohol, and Gaslighting

Minor: Physical abuse, Mental illness, Outing, Sexism, and Xenophobia

nils_0's review against another edition

informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Abandonment, Alcohol, Drug use, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Xenophobia and Deportation

cheesiefries's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Outing, Homophobia, Racism, War, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Xenophobia, Deportation, Hate crime, and Lesbophobia

adamparrishlover's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: War and Sexism

calicat42's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

5.0

A beautifully challenging story for anyone who has journeyed to love themselves and love another; to find who they are when the world says there must be something wrong. A validating story that truly details how scary and overwhelming it it can be to live an unapologetically authentic life. Although the time period falls in the 1950s, it sadly reads like a relatable story for far too many people today. That said, each moment of love, community, and unrelenting truth continued to create the hope we all need in this world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, Body shaming, Classism, Alcohol, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Abandonment

parasolcrafter's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring tense 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

this book was SO GOOD but made me quite sad, even if it was almost hopeful at the same time??? definitely a cocktail of emotions! the characters were all so well-written and developed (even though i hate shirley; understanding her motives doesnt make what she does okay) and they felt so real. this is one ill think about for a long time. wishing the best for lily and kath :')

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Outing, Classism, Bullying, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: War, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

addyruth17's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful tense 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Racism

Moderate: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Sexism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual content, War, and Deportation

rinku's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense 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

4.0

It was nice that with Last Night at the Telegraph Club, we got a book that combines historical and queer elements. There was just something missing for me to give it five stars, but it’s nevertheless a great read.  

I don’t have too much to say about the story itself since it’s more centred around its main character. We follow Lily, a Chinese American girl in the 1950s, discovering that she’s a lesbian and having to deal with all the prejudices that people have towards her identity. In the course of this discovery process, she meets Kath and visits with her the Telegraph Club. These coming-of-age elements of this novel were written so well and realistic. Furthermore, the time period that the story is set in is interesting as well and I had the feeling that I’ve learnt something about it. I knew the term red scare and that the government acted racist against Asian people in these times, but I didn’t know how extreme it was which is so terrible. The only critique I have towards the way the story was told is that I didn’t like the other POV’s chapter which were not really necessary in my opinion. 

From the beginning, you just have the feeling that something bad will happen at one point – and what happens is so sad and spoilered in the German synopsis, thanks for nothing lmao. After this event,

everything happening is just terrible and my heart ached so much for Lily; it’s so sad how homophobic everyone is and that not even her aunt accepts her

. The ending itself is

quite open and still sad in my opinion because Lily and Kath still have to hide their relationship. Considering the time period, I expected no happy ending from the beginning but still, it’s so sad

. 

I often have my problems with romances but this one was really good. It’s relative slow burn which I always like but some moments between Kath and Lily were a bit too coincidental and hence felt constructed. Together, they were so cute from the beginning, especially their bounding through their love for STEM. Lily was a great main character in general and it’s so intense how she slowly discovers her sexuality and gender identity, just like how she’s caught between her different identities. She has such a tough life and at many moments in the story, I just wanted to hug her. Besides her, I loved the other female characters from the Club as well and the strong solidarity between them. 

All in all, Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a great book for both learning about the red scare period and for experiencing an emotional coming-of-age story together with Lily. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Outing, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Deportation, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Police brutality

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Transphobia

bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative slow-paced

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

4.5

i liked that this book she’s light on a part of the 1950s that isn’t often covered. the historical basis of the book really shines. i enjoyed the context that the supporting characters provided so much that i wish there was more of it. i lao felt that the narrative swung too hard towards leaving things open ended. i also had the impression going in that there would be more of a mystery element to the story and that McCarthyism as it relates to the Chinese-American would be more of a focus. still it was a great book for shedding light on such under-covered topics

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, Racism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Alcohol, and War