Reviews tagging 'Cultural appropriation'

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

27 reviews

funkylitchick's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Xenophobia

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Cultural appropriation, and Deportation

lisa_m's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

This was an interesting book. It deals with important topics and I especially enjoyed the authors notes at the end of the book.
There she writes about lesbian culture and especially the role Asian-American and other marginalised groups played. 

Sadly the story just didn't grip me. I really wanted to love this book but I didn't. I liked the story and I think it's a really important one to tell. It was just not a very enjoyable read for me.

I guess I just don't want to read about queer people being seen as abnormal and gross. I get that at the time that was normal but it still just made me uncomfortable and mad.
Also the author uses some words that made me uncomfortable because of their negative connotations. She also addresses this at the end of the book and that she used those words because it's what would have been used at the time.

I also didn't really connect to any of the characters. They all felt a bit shallow and like just a way to portrait the story. If I liked the characters more I might have been able to overlook the rest..

Edit:
For me it was probably a 2 star read. I did not enjoy it and the weird terms like calling the Asian protagonist 'china doll' multiple times just made me uncomfortable. I do think that this book is important though. It is not catered towards me and I cannot identify with the mc very much but maybe I'm just not meant to and that's okay. There are so many books written about girls I can identify with extremely well so I don't think that this is a bad book just because it's not for me. Actually I would maybe even recommend this to a very niche group of people. Queer people (of colour) with historical interests or interest in the LGBTQ movement.
For those reasons I have decided to give this book 3 stars instead of the 2 it was for me. it would just feel unfair and not do this book justice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Cultural appropriation, Deportation, Hate crime, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Outing, Police brutality, Bullying, Confinement, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and War

mle11's review against another edition

emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Racism, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Cultural appropriation, Outing, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, and Sexual content

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Pedophilia

Minor: Police brutality and War

mik113's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Racism

dizzyizzy's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, and Miscarriage

julesadventurezone's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Cultural appropriation, Homophobia, Outing, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Drug use, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia

Minor: Miscarriage

onefineelephant's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense 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? N/A

3.5

7/10. I've heard glowing reviews for this book and I don't really get the hype. I like the book well enough but I think it's far from being one of my favorites. One of my biggest criteria for if a book will get a 10/10 or be one of my favorites is if it makes me laugh and cry and this book unfortunately did neither for me.

The girls don't really get together/confess their feelings until more than half of the way through the book which is not my thing. Also, many of the flashback chapters seemed disjointed from the main story and it felt like they took away from the plot when I really wanted to know what was happening with Lily and Kath. I'm not sure if it was because of the historical fiction genre or the author's writing style, but it felt like all of the characters were at an emotional arm's length; there wasn't enough depth of emotion or communication as I personally am into. I enjoyed the exploration of queerness during this time period, especially with the added element of a person being in high school and being a non-white person.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Miscarriage

Minor: Cultural appropriation, War, Racism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, and Xenophobia

hannibanani29's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

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

andromeda_1998's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

Last night at the telegraph club took me by surprise. For school I had to read an historical fiction and as the raging queer that I am I chose this book to read. I wanted to read something that would mean more to me than just that one book I read for school and well…. The telegraph succeeded in that. Normally I’m not a big fan of this kind of book is just amazing. 

Characters 
The list of characters is really diverse and I loved it. I cannot speak for the Asian rep but I loved the sapphic love. I could really find myself in the panic that surrounds a baby gay and I wish with whole my heart that Lily’s story would have been easier. I felt a lot for her and she deserved better. 

Worldbuilding 
The worldbuilding is done in a very fun way. The story is played oud in the real world and it shows. If you google the locations you are able to find them and I love this! 

Story 
This is one of those books that is very important but before you read this please check the triggerwarnings! 

Writing 
The writing was beautifully done and gripped me. I had to finish this book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Outing, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia

Minor: Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Adult/minor relationship, and Forced institutionalization