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greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Dysphoria, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
elwirax's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"I see your old name like a moth, dusty-winged and glowing. The name escapes out the open window and into the soupy August night, into forever."
A Million Quiet Revolutions was a great exploration of identity, love and rewriting queer people back into history. It was very touching to see Aaron and Oliver find and accept themselves and I love that this novel ended happily (it is all too often that queer and trans stories end in tragedy). There were many poetic and beautiful lines throughout. While the format didn't always work for me in terms of strong characterisation, it did enough to illustrate authentic characters and struggles. I enjoyed the main themes of identity, family bonds, religious hypocrisy and reclaiming history that worked together to really bring the story to life. There was also a further reading list at the end which I found to be a great addition on where to continue learning about trans and queer history.
There were some questionable choices that didn't really work for me such as having sex in a cemetery and the obsession/ romanticisation of war. Admittedly, the re-enactment weren't really my thing either. I understand the importance and symbolic meanings of these things in the novel and appreciate what was trying to be communicated but the execution wasn't my thing.
Overall, this was undoubtedly an important book particularly for trans and gender non conforming folk who get to see themselves represented. The war plot itself didn't really work for me but the representation and strong themes were great.
Graphic: Transphobia and Deadnaming
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and War
Minor: Sexual content
foreverinastory'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
5.0
I am very emotional after reading this.
A Million Quiet Revolutions is a YA contemporary novel in verse that follows the journey of two trans boys who are best friends and fall in love with each other. When they find the story of two trans men in the Revolutionary war, they adopt their names: Aaron and Oliver. Just as they feel like their relationship is blossoming, Aaron is forced to move away. The two continue to write letters to each other and cling to the hope of love, identity and finding their place in history.
This book broke me. I am a void after reading this heartbreaking and breathtaking story of two trans boys in love. I loved how much these two boys cared for each other. I loved the exploration of queer culture, Latine culture and Jewish culture that we got in this novel. Aaron and Oliver's journeys to acceptance are different for them both, but each was powerful.
I loved watching Aaron find a community for himself, including other queer Latine people. I loved seeing Oliver dive deeper into history and finding stories of queer heroes. Oliver's home life is much more accepting and I loved how easily his parents supported him. Aaron has a tougher time, but the way his relationship with his older brother, Jose, is explored was amazing. I loved seeing these two open up to each other and how Jose was always willing to help Aaron if that's what he wanted.
Overall, this was a moving and evocative story and I loved it with my whole heart.
Jewish gay trans male MC, Puerto Rican Christian gay trans male MC, Latine queer nonbinary side character, Puerto Rican cishet side characters, various queer side characters, Black male side character.
CWs: Homophobia/homomisia, transphobia/transmisia, deadnaming, misgendering. Moderate: misogyny, consensual sexual content, sexual assault, rape, sexual violence, religious bigotry, dysphoria. Minor: Antisemitism.
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Deadnaming
Moderate: Rape, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Antisemitism
criticalgayze's review
- 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
This is such a powerful book that I think is a must-have for high school classroom libraries.
At first, I thought that the poems in this novel-in-verse were a little too narrative, but they grew on me over time. I do think some pieces are stronger than others, but I think they also build a solid narrative whole.
I really like that the author uses side of the page as a means to delineate the two narrative voices, instead of poem style or structure. This allows the author to play a little more and creates an extra intensity in the pieces. Formatting WAS a little interesting here, and I will be interested to see the final form of the novel when it drops in print next week. (I will be picking up a physical copy, which is very rare for me with eARCs.)
I do think the ending does fizzle out a little, but it is a minor quibble with what is otherwise a very strong piece.
Quotes:
I see your old name like a moth, dusty-winged and glowing. The name escapes out the open window and into the soupy August night into forever.
I hate the idea that war could be a game, but I love when you win.
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Outing
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual content
betweentheshelves's review
- 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
Graphic: Homophobia, Deadnaming, and Transphobia
Minor: Antisemitism
armontheroad's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Deadnaming, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Sexual content, Dysphoria, Misogyny, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Antisemitism