Reviews

It was hard to get through the first half, but I am glad I pushed through because I really liked the second half. It's always refreshing reading queer narratives.

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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? Yes

4.25

I picked up Rosewater following its longlisting for the Polari First Book Prize, which is part of both the #atasteofprizereading and #LiteraryFifteen2024 reading challenges. It is the story of Elsie, a 28 year old, Black gay woman trying to build a life for herself in London. She's a poet who makes ends sort of meet by working in a bar. The novel opens with bailiffs knocking on her door with an order to evict her due to unpaid rent, an issue she knew about but ignored. Her love life is messy and complicated, and when gentrification forces the closure of the bar she works at, Elsie struggles to find another job. In other words, this book has got "messy milennial" written all over it. I often struggled with Elsie's decision-making and sometimes wondered how and why her friends put up with her. Yet something kept me listening, possibly the narrator whose voice I found pleasantly soothing. Whatever it was, I'm glad I stuck with this book because - eventually - all the different aspects of Elsie's life started to come together. And when unexpected tragedy struck late in the novel it helped clarify for her what and who she wanted. It also brought out the best in her and helped me see what her friends saw in her. What was intitally a frustrating book ended up morphing into a satisfying story. I especially enjoyed Elsie's poetry, penned by Kai-Isiah Jamal, and had my heart warmed when she achieved some success for that. Making a living via creative and artistic endeavours can be tough, so it was nice to see someone, even a fictional character, have a win.

Content Warnings