Reviews

This feels like CMBYN if you remove the grooming, honestly. The yearn for equally returned love and the yearning to just be happy, despite it all. Despite knowing you cant live in a country that persecutes you, you still try to. To live in hushed silence and to learn quietly not to speak out about anything. You have to make your path based on lies. You have to make up a character just to live. I love the quote “you cant make people love you the way you want them to” because it’s so heartbreaking as a gay person to live like that. To see someone and know you won’t get a happy ending, not being able to love someone freely and them not loving you back. Being gay feels like a rejection. Nobody wants you, and everybody’s looking for you. It feels like a hunt where you’re the prey. This book perfectly encapsulates that awful feeling, and the awful realisation of trying to get on with life despite all the lies and the secrets. Beautiful.

erinnic's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

kelseyallen's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

sad gay Soviet-era Polish boys :(

jamiep's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

anfernae's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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? No

5.0

spacebras's review against another edition

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emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.0

I can see why this book has a profound impact on some.

I was mostly interested in the historical setting then the relationship to be honest. They didn't seem to like each other much other than that "I'm just so drawn to you", most of their relationship was off screen and didn't lend itself to the drama later.

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