Scan barcode
overbooked207's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
- 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
📖 Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore Book Review 📖
2nd book of August 2022 and 19th of the year:
“And I am a brown girl. Just like I’m a brown boy. Just like I’m both. And neither. In different proportions depending on the day. I’m the gradience of blue and green and violet and silver that the lake turns.” - Lore.
I absolutely loved this book! There was fantastic representation for trans/non-binary characters, genderfluidity, ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, and more, and the discussions around mental health/illness, self-love, self-acceptance and acceptance in general, and disabilities and how disabled and/or neurodivergent people navigate our world/society in it were so important! The writing style, characters, romance, and magic were also amazing, and I keep thinking about it months later! I don’t think the magic in it was 100% explained, so if you need an explanation for those things in stories, you might be left a little wanting in that regard, but it didn’t bother me too much or take away from the rest of the book being amazing. I also loved the audiobook SO much, and the fact that one of the narrators was Vico Ortiz from Our Flag Means Death made me SO happy! I definitely recommend picking it up, easily gave it five stars, and can’t wait to read more books by the author! TW for transphobia, misgendering, dysphoria, racism, ableism, bullying, a scene of sexual harassment toward the end, descriptions of needles, and anxiety📖🌊🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
2nd book of August 2022 and 19th of the year:
“And I am a brown girl. Just like I’m a brown boy. Just like I’m both. And neither. In different proportions depending on the day. I’m the gradience of blue and green and violet and silver that the lake turns.” - Lore.
I absolutely loved this book! There was fantastic representation for trans/non-binary characters, genderfluidity, ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, and more, and the discussions around mental health/illness, self-love, self-acceptance and acceptance in general, and disabilities and how disabled and/or neurodivergent people navigate our world/society in it were so important! The writing style, characters, romance, and magic were also amazing, and I keep thinking about it months later! I don’t think the magic in it was 100% explained, so if you need an explanation for those things in stories, you might be left a little wanting in that regard, but it didn’t bother me too much or take away from the rest of the book being amazing. I also loved the audiobook SO much, and the fact that one of the narrators was Vico Ortiz from Our Flag Means Death made me SO happy! I definitely recommend picking it up, easily gave it five stars, and can’t wait to read more books by the author! TW for transphobia, misgendering, dysphoria, racism, ableism, bullying, a scene of sexual harassment toward the end, descriptions of needles, and anxiety📖🌊🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Medical content, Racism, Ableism, Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual harassment
breadwitchery's review
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Ableism, and Bullying
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Violence
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
very sad to say that lakelore is unfortunately a disappointment for me. while the story has mclemore's signature imaginative magical realism, along w/ amazing diversity and representation, i personally find it dragging + monotonous, and confoundingly feel no connection to its characters.
the magical elements are very creative here, and i find the lake and alebrijes a wonder, filling the novel w/ cultural elements that also crucially serve as an important metaphor for its themes. and while there's much diversity here, as usual mclemore's a step above many others in imbuing them all w/ complexity and nuance; i learn more abt enby folks, and a lottt abt ADHD and dyslexia reading this (this is the first book ive read that prominently features and explores the latter two, and what an exploration they are). how the theme of coming to terms w/ one's self both past and present is portrayed and explored is also powerful and very relatable, esp lore's story.
despite the aforementioned positives, however, they're outweighed by the negatives. unlike mclemore's other book that ive read, the writing in lakelore isnt particularly special, much less delicate or tinged w/ magic. the breaks in chapters and scenes can also feel disjointed and confusing at times; sometimes i was unclear what timeline i was reading. moreover, lore's and bastian's narrative voices are too similar, and i oft forgot whose POV i was reading, which is a lil concerning esp considering this is a dual POV book. storywise, i understand the concept and scope of it, but somehow feel no connection to or emotional impact from it whatsoever. things always, to use the book's titular setting, skim merely above surface for me, neither delving deep nor soaring high enough to make any kind of impression, in addition to seeming like a halfway between a character study and magic-driven story.
this novel def isnt a bad one - nothing from mclemore can be objectively considered bad tbh - it has great diversity, rep, magical elements, and powerful themes, though i personally find the story a bit lacking and bereft of emotional impact or connection.
the magical elements are very creative here, and i find the lake and alebrijes a wonder, filling the novel w/ cultural elements that also crucially serve as an important metaphor for its themes. and while there's much diversity here, as usual mclemore's a step above many others in imbuing them all w/ complexity and nuance; i learn more abt enby folks, and a lottt abt ADHD and dyslexia reading this (this is the first book ive read that prominently features and explores the latter two, and what an exploration they are). how the theme of coming to terms w/ one's self both past and present is portrayed and explored is also powerful and very relatable, esp lore's story.
despite the aforementioned positives, however, they're outweighed by the negatives. unlike mclemore's other book that ive read, the writing in lakelore isnt particularly special, much less delicate or tinged w/ magic. the breaks in chapters and scenes can also feel disjointed and confusing at times; sometimes i was unclear what timeline i was reading. moreover, lore's and bastian's narrative voices are too similar, and i oft forgot whose POV i was reading, which is a lil concerning esp considering this is a dual POV book. storywise, i understand the concept and scope of it, but somehow feel no connection to or emotional impact from it whatsoever. things always, to use the book's titular setting, skim merely above surface for me, neither delving deep nor soaring high enough to make any kind of impression, in addition to seeming like a halfway between a character study and magic-driven story.
this novel def isnt a bad one - nothing from mclemore can be objectively considered bad tbh - it has great diversity, rep, magical elements, and powerful themes, though i personally find the story a bit lacking and bereft of emotional impact or connection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Ableism, and Bullying
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Homophobia, and Medical content
Minor: Violence
nostoat's review against another edition
slow-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
5.0
The prose of this book sparkles and shines, catching the light like the glitter jars Bastián makes. When the magic of the lake soaks the pages, it takes my breath away. I've never read a book with main characters who talked about and related to gender in the ways I do, not as "masculine" and "feminine" only but also as sensory experiences, vibes, weather. I felt so incredibly seen by the trans, neurodivergent mains in this book and it will be living in my brain a long time. I did feel a little annoyed by one character being so caught up in a mistake they made in the past but these are teenagers so it's fitting I guess.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Bullying
piperclover's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
The descriptions of dyslexia and ADHD are absolutely phenomenal. The author gives such wonderfully detailed descriptions using analogies and metaphors that really resonate even if you don't have either of these conditions. I really appreciate his part the most and is why I've given it 4 stars instead of 3.5 like I initially was going to. If you've ever wondered or not understood what it's like to have ADHD or dyslexia read or listen to this book because it's very eye opening and very well done.
However, it almost feels like there's 2 different stories in this book and I think maybe they should be separate. The fantasy part of it is really interesting and the personal plot line is really good but they seem a little strange to be mixed to me. It's kind of repetitive so the characters will tell you the same things multiple times even though you don't need reminders of it and there's lots of very poetic visual descriptions which I found a little bit burdensome to listen to sometimes. If you like very detailed descriptions and poetic writing, you'll love this.
(The longer I sit with this the less I like it, so now quite a few months after reading it I would rate it significantly lower than my initial 4 stars.)
However, it almost feels like there's 2 different stories in this book and I think maybe they should be separate. The fantasy part of it is really interesting and the personal plot line is really good but they seem a little strange to be mixed to me. It's kind of repetitive so the characters will tell you the same things multiple times even though you don't need reminders of it and there's lots of very poetic visual descriptions which I found a little bit burdensome to listen to sometimes. If you like very detailed descriptions and poetic writing, you'll love this.
(The longer I sit with this the less I like it, so now quite a few months after reading it I would rate it significantly lower than my initial 4 stars.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Bullying
Minor: Sexual harassment
The harassment is brief and is an important part of character development so don't be put off!littlesmaug's review
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
Lakelore is the textbook example of when own voices creates an incredible story. Funnily, when I went to choose if it was plot or character driven, I did have a moment where I thought "wait... what was the plot?"
But I realized that the lake was almost the secondary aspect of the story. It wasn't really the focus so much as this aspect of symbolism. And it was a symbolism that I understood. At first, the lake confused the hell out of me. It did make me wonder what exactly I was reading. But then it clicked... the lake's magic symbolizes the way Bastián and Lore's lives are truly exhausting them. I'm not saying this isn't a book of magical realism or that the lake wasn't this mystical thing... clearly it was, that was part of it, but it was just so clearly a representation, too, that the things they were compartmentalizing/suppressing were rising up to drown them and take over.
The writing was beautiful. I absolutely loved Bastián's POV the most because I remember when my ADHD was at that extent where no one could follow my thoughts. I actually loved the hectic-ness of Bastián's chapters because I understood that process. And I have a lot of students that are like little versions of them.
And Lore! Lore and Bastián kind of remind me of aspects of my soulmate. Ze is on T but also presents very differently on a day-to-day, like Lore. I liked that a lot.
Basically, this book made me very happy. Two nonbinary main characters with neurodivergences that were written from the author's lived experience with both ADHD and dyslexia. I guess it speaks to how much I prefer character-driven books sometimes because I didn't really mind the lake plot being messy and hard to follow. I treated it like symbolism and viewed the plot as more the character development and burgeoning relationship.
Also! No deadnaming. No present transphobia (just some brief stuff in Lore's past). Accepting parents. Lesbian parents! Queer friends! A whole lot of healthy.
But I realized that the lake was almost the secondary aspect of the story. It wasn't really the focus so much as this aspect of symbolism. And it was a symbolism that I understood. At first, the lake confused the hell out of me. It did make me wonder what exactly I was reading. But then it clicked... the lake's magic symbolizes the way Bastián and Lore's lives are truly exhausting them. I'm not saying this isn't a book of magical realism or that the lake wasn't this mystical thing... clearly it was, that was part of it, but it was just so clearly a representation, too, that the things they were compartmentalizing/suppressing were rising up to drown them and take over.
The writing was beautiful. I absolutely loved Bastián's POV the most because I remember when my ADHD was at that extent where no one could follow my thoughts. I actually loved the hectic-ness of Bastián's chapters because I understood that process. And I have a lot of students that are like little versions of them.
And Lore! Lore and Bastián kind of remind me of aspects of my soulmate. Ze is on T but also presents very differently on a day-to-day, like Lore. I liked that a lot.
Basically, this book made me very happy. Two nonbinary main characters with neurodivergences that were written from the author's lived experience with both ADHD and dyslexia. I guess it speaks to how much I prefer character-driven books sometimes because I didn't really mind the lake plot being messy and hard to follow. I treated it like symbolism and viewed the plot as more the character development and burgeoning relationship.
Also! No deadnaming. No present transphobia (just some brief stuff in Lore's past). Accepting parents. Lesbian parents! Queer friends! A whole lot of healthy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Racism
armontheroad's review
emotional
reflective
fast-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
5.0
Lakelore is one of those books I cannot talk about without crying my eyes out. Anna-Marie McLemore is brilliant and I cannot wait to make my way through their entire backlist. This book was done so beautifully! The magical realism was perfection. The in-depth discussions about ADHD and Dyslexia were amazing! I adored the T4T (trans for trans) relationship between two neurodivergent (ND) Latine characters. The trans rep in this made me sob. This book means so much to me as a ND Latino in a T4T relationship!! Lakelore is a book I desperately wish I had when I was a teenager. For a book so short, it packs a major punch! Would suggest everyone interested in this book to pick it up!
CWs/TWs: racism, bullying, physical assault, ableism, sexual harassment, misgendering, etc.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Ableism
Minor: Sexual harassment
middumullu's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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
3.0
audiobook. not particularly subtle with the analogies & what it was trying to say but it was very sweet. the explicit descriptions of lived experiences could be either really well done or kind of heavy handed but it was good, like nice to explore these identities and experiences in this story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Transphobia
Moderate: Dysphoria, Hate crime, and Sexual harassment
traeumenvonbuechern's review
emotional
inspiring
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Violence and Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism
kayles514's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Bullying, Ableism, and Sexual harassment
More...