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imskylow'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? No
5.0
This book spoke to me and wove itself into my soul in a way I had forgotten an amazing book can do. I think I’m gonna start calling this phenomenon soul books. These are books I’m terrified to finish— a life I’m scared to let go of. I want to collect each and every one of these characters and crush them in big bear hugs. I want to cry with them about the lifetime of shit we’ve gone through together over 400 pages. It feels like I’ve known them longer than the 5 days it took for me to inhale this. The highs the lows the heartbreak the excitement and joy were just communicated so well to me and my soul. I love the way Casey McQuiston handles dialogue. I enjoy the characters’ relatable and humorous banter. I love the imagery. I adore sense nostalgia that they tuck around the edges. I am excited by the high energy moments and thoughtful in the moments of quiet simplicity. It may not be everyone cup of tea, but it feels like it was made just right for me.
If Casey McQuiston has one fan, I am that one.
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Outing
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
bubbly_lara's review
- 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
5.0
History, huh? Hell yes, they made some!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Outing, and Alcohol
Moderate: Biphobia, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
shansbookjournal's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
riverpuppy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Outing, and Alcohol
kingspite618'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
Minor: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Outing
acasiamae'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Drug use, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
adrienanthony'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Cancer, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Outing, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, and Stalking
strixy16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Outing, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Abandonment
elauer24'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Outing
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
The addiction & death mentioned in warnings are past events in the one of the character's lives. The outing is used for personal gain.2blueshoes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
McQuiston somehow manages to gift her readers the same hazy, lovesick binoculars as Alex: somewhere in the distance we know democracies are churning apart, but in this moment all we can think about is Henry, and what stupid thing he’ll say, and the next time they’ll be together.
There’s so much to enjoy about this book: the imperfect yet lovable cast of characters, the witty banter liberally splashed with millenial-isms, the side splitting e-mail exchanges… the queer historical post scripts. The writing is surprisingly lush and atmospheric for a story that takes place in only a few settings, and mostly indoors. Most of all, it’s unusual to find a gay romance that is both silly and self assured. I loved it for this reason over any other.
More than anything, this book made me ache for a world that only felt possible in 2016: a world where we believed a mixed race divorced family could live in the White House, where a moral scandal could actually hamper a determined presidential candidate, where an archaic monarchy was not in bed with the Daily Mail, and a year 2020 when we were not in a pandemic. Perhaps McQuinston has written the new romance trope ending we all needed (achievable or not) - where two imperfect characters fall in love, not happily ever after, but in a way where their love might just change the world.
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use and Violence