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sauvageloup'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
4.0
pros:
- poetic language, with some very good poems and thoughtful writing. it carried the story along quickly, moving through time and settings with no confusion and vividly.
- a very accessible story about lots of complicated ideas around identity, race, gender, christianity, coming of age, etc. it covers a lot of topics without feeling rushed or shallow.
- I was especially interested in the MC's exploration of his mixed race heritage and culture and feelings as a British guy and how being black influenced his queer experience. I didnt know much about that at all so that was very rewarding to read.
- the characters were all interesting and you rooted for them or disliked them depending on the character. some were complicated, like daisy and Rowan and had growth. I liked how it spanned a full 2 decades of life really well. we could see Michael's whole journey from barbie playing child to realised and accepted black gay drag queen.
- interesting also to see a British perspective as other books I've read have had a US one.
cons:
- I found the start quite childish in tone. I know it was focused on a child and told from his POV, but the simplistic language felt dull. but i got into it fast and enjoyed the uni sections much more.
- maybe there could have been more depth of background characters, or the book just felt much shorter because of the prose. but I did like it a lot. would have liked to see Michaels and Kieran relationship go further.
overall, a fun, different read from my usual. not prose like I expected but good!
Graphic: Drug use, Violence, and Homophobia
lynxpardinus's review
4.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, and Racism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Pedophilia, Violence, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Abandonment, Cultural appropriation, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, Slavery, and Transphobia
helhas3letters'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Abandonment, Drug use, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Transphobia, Sexual content, and Police brutality
thebookpaiges'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
4.75
Graphic: Homophobia and Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol, and Drug use
Minor: Racial slurs and Violence
clarabooksit'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? No
3.25
Graphic: Racism, Bullying, and Homophobia
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Drug use
Minor: Violence
cranedphoenix'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? Yes
4.5
Had some points that I felt iffy with but overall it wasn't a terrible boik
Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, and Racism
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Violence
lindseyhall44's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This beautiful novel-in verse- wraps around your heart and doesn’t let go.
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Violence, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Abandonment, and Bullying
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
ive never read anything like it before: a novel in verse, the poems suffused w/ simple yet lyrical beauty, filled w/ great illustrations, w/ the page breaks used to maximum effect, and all the elements work so well tgt still. i also greatly enjoy the writing: certain lines, phrases, words, and the imagery they conjure make me simply marvel at their cleverness, insight, or emotional impact.
this book honestly hits close to home w/ the identity crises, and the author's portrayal + exploration of the intersectionality in terms of race and gender from a mixed-race black perspective is sth to behold; the microaggressions and seemingly 'simple' remarks or actions carry such weight and illustrate the systemic level of the problems explored. though the journey certainly isnt easy, all the different parts of michael's identity come to form a cohesive whole who, by the book's end, knows and loves enough to stand up for himself and similar others.
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Abandonment and Bullying
Minor: Violence
asourceoffiction'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
It's a wonderful expression of freedom and identity, and something I think everyone should read.
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Homophobia, Violence, and Abandonment
lucystolethesky'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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Bullying, Alcohol, and Drug use
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse