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4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
Beautiful l, heavy and deep and a bit wordy but loved it
emotional
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
informative
sad
tense
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
It has taken me ages to write this review because this book has just been stuck in my brain since I finished it and I feel incapable of communicating all my thoughts.
I'll start by saying that I was skeptical of a fiction (compared to a non-fiction) book about the AIDS epidemic. As a gen z queer woman who was not alive during this time period, though, I think that the storytelling structure was very beneficial for helping me conceptualize the experiences of members of the queer community during this time period. The epidemic and subsequent activism is such an important part of queer history and this is a valuable resourse for helping younger generations learn that history.
Anyone who is familiar with Chicago and the boystown neighborhood will find this story particulary impactful, as that is where much of it takes place. Some of the places mentioned are still there. It was very surreal reading about the experiences of these character 40 years ago in the same places I go with my friends.
I was originally unsure about Fiona's POV but the way everything tied together made it work. I ended up really appreciating the perspective of a survivor and the challenge of trying to continue on after losing so many loved ones.
Usually I would say "I enjoyed this book" but I am not sure if that is the right word here since I was crying for at least a quarter of the reading. I will say it was an excellent book and I highly reccommend it, just make sure you have tissues. And also, fuck Ronald Reagan and fuck the Republican Party :)
I'll start by saying that I was skeptical of a fiction (compared to a non-fiction) book about the AIDS epidemic. As a gen z queer woman who was not alive during this time period, though, I think that the storytelling structure was very beneficial for helping me conceptualize the experiences of members of the queer community during this time period. The epidemic and subsequent activism is such an important part of queer history and this is a valuable resourse for helping younger generations learn that history.
Anyone who is familiar with Chicago and the boystown neighborhood will find this story particulary impactful, as that is where much of it takes place. Some of the places mentioned are still there. It was very surreal reading about the experiences of these character 40 years ago in the same places I go with my friends.
I was originally unsure about Fiona's POV but the way everything tied together made it work. I ended up really appreciating the perspective of a survivor and the challenge of trying to continue on after losing so many loved ones.
Usually I would say "I enjoyed this book" but I am not sure if that is the right word here since I was crying for at least a quarter of the reading. I will say it was an excellent book and I highly reccommend it, just make sure you have tissues. And also, fuck Ronald Reagan and fuck the Republican Party :)
I absolutely loved this book. I felt instantly connected to the characters and felt as if I was part of this group. That says a lot about the quality of the writing and character development. It was also a plus that it was set in Chicago and I have lived in the area my entire life, so it was fun to recognize all of the references. I also love art and Paris so those aspects also increased my enjoyment. It was in the end both very sad but also in a strange way happy. It made me angry as well in regards to how the AIDS crisis in the gay community was handled. I was only a small kid during the 80’s and I’ve heard how horrible it was, but this brings a very personal view to the crisis.
I also very much enjoy books written in two time periods that go back and forth. For all this and more 5+ ⭐️!
I also very much enjoy books written in two time periods that go back and forth. For all this and more 5+ ⭐️!
3,5*?
Geen vrolijk verhaal, over de forse impact die AIDS had op een groep vrienden in de jaren 80/90 in Chicago. Yale, werkzaam in een kunstgalerie komt via-via in contact met een oude dame die haar kunst graag aan zijn galerie wil schenken. Zij is de oudtante van een goede vriend die net aan AIDS is overleden.
"Lately he’d had two parallel mental lists going—the donor list and the sick list. The people who might donate art or money, and the friends who might get sick; the big donors, the ones whose names you’d never forget, and the friends he’d already lost. But they weren’t close friends, the lost ones, until tonight. They’d been acquaintances, friends of friends like Nico’s old roommate Jonathan, a couple of gallery owners, one bartender, the bookstore guy. There were, what, six? Six people he knew of, people he’d say hi to at a bar, people whose middle names he couldn’t tell you, and maybe not even their last names. He’d been to three memorials. But now, a new list: one close friend."
"And then there was the list of acquaintances already sick, hiding the lesions on their arms but not their faces, coughing horribly, growing thin, waiting to get worse—or lying in the hospital, or flown home to die near their parents, to be written up in their local papers as having died of pneumonia. Just a few right now, but there was room on that list. Far too much room."
Het tweede deel van het boek volgt een van de karakters uit het eerste deel, als ze in 2015 in Parijs op zoek gaat naar haar dochter, en geconfronteerd wordt met het verleden.
"It was a gift, this name of her youth handed back to her by someone she associated with a time when she’d been optimistic and unencumbered. Granted, she associated him with the next years, too, the ones with Nico gone, with Nico’s friends, who’d become her only friends, dying one by one and two by two and, if you looked away for a second, in great horrible clumps. But still, still, it was a time she missed, a place she’d fly back to in a heartbeat."
Geen vrolijk verhaal, over de forse impact die AIDS had op een groep vrienden in de jaren 80/90 in Chicago. Yale, werkzaam in een kunstgalerie komt via-via in contact met een oude dame die haar kunst graag aan zijn galerie wil schenken. Zij is de oudtante van een goede vriend die net aan AIDS is overleden.
"Lately he’d had two parallel mental lists going—the donor list and the sick list. The people who might donate art or money, and the friends who might get sick; the big donors, the ones whose names you’d never forget, and the friends he’d already lost. But they weren’t close friends, the lost ones, until tonight. They’d been acquaintances, friends of friends like Nico’s old roommate Jonathan, a couple of gallery owners, one bartender, the bookstore guy. There were, what, six? Six people he knew of, people he’d say hi to at a bar, people whose middle names he couldn’t tell you, and maybe not even their last names. He’d been to three memorials. But now, a new list: one close friend."
"And then there was the list of acquaintances already sick, hiding the lesions on their arms but not their faces, coughing horribly, growing thin, waiting to get worse—or lying in the hospital, or flown home to die near their parents, to be written up in their local papers as having died of pneumonia. Just a few right now, but there was room on that list. Far too much room."
Het tweede deel van het boek volgt een van de karakters uit het eerste deel, als ze in 2015 in Parijs op zoek gaat naar haar dochter, en geconfronteerd wordt met het verleden.
"It was a gift, this name of her youth handed back to her by someone she associated with a time when she’d been optimistic and unencumbered. Granted, she associated him with the next years, too, the ones with Nico gone, with Nico’s friends, who’d become her only friends, dying one by one and two by two and, if you looked away for a second, in great horrible clumps. But still, still, it was a time she missed, a place she’d fly back to in a heartbeat."
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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
A beautiful story written about beautiful flawed people. Shone light on a period that I had truly never thought about. The timelines were connected very intentionally. I especially appreciated in the way it gave you two perspectives on some events from two points in time. The themes are woven deep and very though provoking. It is rare that I underline passages in a fiction book. Specifically the thought that we all have love for those in our lives, love that an outsider, someone who never met those we love, would never be able to feel simply by looking at a picture of that person.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia
Good book to read during the Covid era--reminds us of how long it took medical science to diagnose and come up with helpful medicines for AIDS. As far as the story itself, I'm conflicted about a rating. At the beginning I thought the writing was superb, but the plot slogged on and on and on, although maybe it's me. The characters were so well-drawn that I felt as close to them as to some of my family, like I could phone one of them up and know what to say. However, I can't figure out why the title is The Great Believers--seems like it should be called The Hopeless. Not a good read to finish at Christmas, but I'm glad I read it.
I have some little quibbles with the structure, but it doesn't take away from how deeply I appreciate the sensitive telling of an important story.
For example, the 2015 Fiona arc, while important to the overall integrity of the story, always felt like it took up too much narrative space.
For example, the 2015 Fiona arc, while important to the overall integrity of the story, always felt like it took up too much narrative space.