Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

38 reviews

booksdogsandcoffee's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? N/A

5.0

This book is an absolute masterpiece. 

Following Lily, a young Asian American who is traversing figuring out her sexuality, the red scare, family, friends and much more during the 1950’s. Lo did a wonderful job writing Kath as well. You really feel for both of these characters. 

I loved seeing young people during this time and the under ground queer clubs that they had to go to since homosexuality was so outlawed back then. It was also beyond heart breaking to see how Chinese Americans and immigrants were treated during the time communism was in the rise. Lo did her research on the history of the time period. Also after the epilogue you get to hear her story as well. 

This book is a must read for everyone. 

Cw
Xenophobia
Homophobia
Bullying 
Toxic friendship
Violence 
Immigration

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying and Violence

insomnium995's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia and Violence

ivmaurik's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, and Lesbophobia

the_vegan_bookworm's review

emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

5.0

A beautiful, artfully created story about love, homosexuality, race and the oppressive forces at play in 1950's San Francisco. It is well-written with evocative imagery and a plot that keeps you hooked until the end. Thank you, Malinda Lo, for releasing this wonderful piece of fiction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, and Outing

Moderate: Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Police brutality, and Alcohol

Minor: Miscarriage and Violence

laurenkimoto's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

Wow how YA has improved since my days. The complex issues and history that have been woven into this story are amazing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Outing, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Colonisation, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, War, Hate crime, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Violence

taelights'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? It's complicated

4.0

I was a bit nervous to give this one a try but I ended up really enjoying it. The book was obviously well researched based on the author's end notes which I found really interesting to read through and I really enjoyed the story itself. I do wish though that the book had been longer or more fast paced to explore more of the romance and give a slightly longer and more detailed conclusion. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Outing, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia

kaii's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.5

obsessed with this book! the setting truly comes alive and everything feels so real and it made me cry in an airport

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Xenophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug use, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Violence, War, and Alcohol

grandiose_r's review

emotional 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? Yes

4.25

All in all, I really liked this book and its setting. The main character's emotional journey touched me and resonated with me, and I loved this story's celebration of butchness. However, there were some things that held me back from fully enjoying this book. The frequent use of racial terms that were common back then but considered derogatory now (when not used as a self-identifier) was really jarring. Also, for a book that centered a young queer Asian-American girl/woman, I was somewhat disappointed in the story's dichotomy of "queer white people" and "homophobic/queer-antagonistic Asian(-Americans)". In a story about finding yourself and community, I was frustrated by Lily only getting to know queerness as (predominantly) white, coupled with constant racist Othering. I would have loved for her to connect with other queer Asian-diasporic people and other non-white queer people - but despite there being passing mentions of other BIPoC at the queer club, we don't get any interactions with them, never mind Lily getting to know them better.
I also wished the plotline about her father's papers, the communist group and anti-(East)Asian sentiments/discrimination had been more present.

All in all an enjoyable read, but I think I'm at a point where I don't want to read stories about queer BIPoC with white love interests anymore.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Miscarriage, Violence, and War

roefrancis_'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative slow-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

For my first book of 2022, this book was amazing

Shirley is…. I hate her let’s just say (

if Shirley hadn’t started dating Calvin, half of this book wouldn’t have happened and everyone would have been fine!!!

)

I love the build up to the romance and the telegraph club itself, the more it was brought up, the more homely it became and I love that. And characters like Lana, Claire, Paula and Tommy (who I now have mixed opinions for) make the place so well rounded and realistic. 

Grace…

oh my lord YOU DONT FREAKING SLAP YOUR KID FOR BEING GAY!!!

also I’m just saying, I’m convinced Judy is a closeted bisexual woman, she gives off the energy several times in the book.

I’m so excited to hopefully read any more of Lo’s writing because she is brilliant :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Miscarriage

talonsontypewriters's review

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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, Misogyny, Outing, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and War

Minor: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Deportation and other immigration troubles, particularly relating to the post-WWII Red Scare. Setting-typical dated language. Mentions of teacher-student relationships in a film; brief suggestive advances on a teenager by an adult. Non-graphic sex between two seventeen-year-olds and short descriptions of sex scenes in pulp novels. Police raid on a gay bar. Underage drinking and smoking. Scene where a parent slaps a child. One scene featuring an air raid drill at school and discussion of atomic bombs.