Scan barcode
cmstein's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aliciaceasar's review
3.0
***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Take Her Down is a queer Julius Caesar retelling and does manage to follow a lot of the beats that the original play did in a new way. The book is divided into five acts much like the play. All the characters a cheekily named in a way that nods to the original character. There is a ton of representation in this book. The way this author talks about what it is like to consider yourself as queer but be in a relationship with someone who is straight felt very real. The discussion of bisexuality was done very well.
I think this book would be very important to any high schooler who is dealing with their sexuality and isn’t really sure where they land. There is a bit of homophobia and biphobia (?) in this book, but for the most part, the high school in this book is very progressive and welcoming to whatever identity the student relates to.
This book also got very dark towards the end, which makes sense considering the source material. I just wasn’t expecting it. There are a lot of content warnings for this book. I’ll put the ones that stuck out to me at the bottom of my review but be aware if there are things that trigger you.
While I am not the target audience for this book, I can normally get past that and enjoy a book for what it is. However, the first “act” of this book that set up all the characters and relationships felt so long. The first act is nearly the entire first half of the book. I would have liked it more if the acts were divided more evenly and we could really explore what happens after everything happens. There were a few times that I was close to just putting this book down. At the end, I’m glad I didn’t but it was a struggle.
I can see how this book would be really important to someone in high school, in particular someone who is struggling with identity. But this isn’t really a YA book that can be enjoyed across all ages.
CW: sexual assault/rape, bullying, teenage drinking, bipolar/manic struggles
Take Her Down is a queer Julius Caesar retelling and does manage to follow a lot of the beats that the original play did in a new way. The book is divided into five acts much like the play. All the characters a cheekily named in a way that nods to the original character. There is a ton of representation in this book. The way this author talks about what it is like to consider yourself as queer but be in a relationship with someone who is straight felt very real. The discussion of bisexuality was done very well.
I think this book would be very important to any high schooler who is dealing with their sexuality and isn’t really sure where they land. There is a bit of homophobia and biphobia (?) in this book, but for the most part, the high school in this book is very progressive and welcoming to whatever identity the student relates to.
This book also got very dark towards the end, which makes sense considering the source material. I just wasn’t expecting it. There are a lot of content warnings for this book. I’ll put the ones that stuck out to me at the bottom of my review but be aware if there are things that trigger you.
While I am not the target audience for this book, I can normally get past that and enjoy a book for what it is. However, the first “act” of this book that set up all the characters and relationships felt so long. The first act is nearly the entire first half of the book. I would have liked it more if the acts were divided more evenly and we could really explore what happens after everything happens. There were a few times that I was close to just putting this book down. At the end, I’m glad I didn’t but it was a struggle.
I can see how this book would be really important to someone in high school, in particular someone who is struggling with identity. But this isn’t really a YA book that can be enjoyed across all ages.
CW: sexual assault/rape, bullying, teenage drinking, bipolar/manic struggles
mousereads's review
3.0
BLOG|INSTAGRAM|TWITTER|YOUTUBE
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was interesting, and it's a bit hard to describe what kind of book it is. The formatting was actually really consumable, the different points of view portrayed as auditory interviews. This made the pacing quick and the layout of the plot well done. Admittedly though, I was frustrated by how long it took to find out what happened. Once I got 50% in and knew what happened and then learned the heavier parts of it - I was invested. However, any book that takes that long for me to get invested... feels eh to me.
This book tackles the incredibly complex subject that is biphobia and the experiences of queer femmes who date cishet men while showing the viewpoints of those who participate in said biphobia. I feel like it did this well, however, at times it did feel a little "much"- like identities were more important than plot, at times.
as CAWPILE: Characters: 7 | Atmosphere: 8 | Writing: 8 | Plot: 5 | Intrigue: 5 | Logic: 8 | Enjoyment: 5
Total: 6.57 / 3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was interesting, and it's a bit hard to describe what kind of book it is. The formatting was actually really consumable, the different points of view portrayed as auditory interviews. This made the pacing quick and the layout of the plot well done. Admittedly though, I was frustrated by how long it took to find out what happened. Once I got 50% in and knew what happened and then learned the heavier parts of it - I was invested. However, any book that takes that long for me to get invested... feels eh to me.
This book tackles the incredibly complex subject that is biphobia and the experiences of queer femmes who date cishet men while showing the viewpoints of those who participate in said biphobia. I feel like it did this well, however, at times it did feel a little "much"- like identities were more important than plot, at times.
as CAWPILE: Characters: 7 | Atmosphere: 8 | Writing: 8 | Plot: 5 | Intrigue: 5 | Logic: 8 | Enjoyment: 5
Total: 6.57 / 3 stars
danireads1225's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, which is a LGBTQIA retelling of Julius Caesar.
The book is written as if it’s for a student’s thesis paper, and written into 5 acts. The main point is two former best friends are both trying for class president. At times this book is dark, so please check any trigger warnings before reading.
The book is written as if it’s for a student’s thesis paper, and written into 5 acts. The main point is two former best friends are both trying for class president. At times this book is dark, so please check any trigger warnings before reading.
megsreading5x5's review
3.0
A queer Julius Caesar retelling? Told in the format of a student thesis? With clever twists on the original names for the characters? Alright, I’m interested.
First things first, the positives of this book. It has lots of representation, from sexuality to gender to mental illness. It talks about questioning sexuality, thinking you're one thing then life turns that on it’s head for you. I think this will mean a lot for young people still coming to terms with themselves. Knowing it’s okay to not know and it’s okay to change your labels if the old ones don’t suit you anymore.
The cover is BEAUTIFUL. That’s what really drew me in first.
Now for the not so good stuff. It’s split into acts, like the original Julius Caesar play is (a good thing!). However, the first act of this book is an introduction. It is way too long (exactly 45% of the book, according to Kindle) and way too repetitive. I get that Bronwyn has a boyfriend now. I get that Porter is bipolar. I get that Cass is questioning herself and is a cheerleader. I get that Hillary lost the election (why I had to read that 100 times in the year 2022 is beyond me). I get that Jude is biphobic. I don’t need to be told these things over and over again for the entire first half of the book. I almost stopped reading because I didn’t want to read any of these things AGAIN.
Also, and I know this might sound crazy, but there’s too much representation in this book. It’s doing too much, and not providing good representation for everyone it’s trying to. Not everyone HAS to be queer.
Also the mean biphobic lesbian trope never sits well with me. Could’ve done without that for sure.
Overall, this book had such a promising premise but it didn’t really hit the mark for me. Perhaps a younger audience will do better with it. Though this book does turn very dark once you get by the first half so be sure to check the trigger warnings if you’re going to read this. There were some parts of this book that I really liked, and all of them were after that first 45%. I just wish the acts had been more evenly spaced so the story had a real chance to grow and thrive.
First things first, the positives of this book. It has lots of representation, from sexuality to gender to mental illness. It talks about questioning sexuality, thinking you're one thing then life turns that on it’s head for you. I think this will mean a lot for young people still coming to terms with themselves. Knowing it’s okay to not know and it’s okay to change your labels if the old ones don’t suit you anymore.
The cover is BEAUTIFUL. That’s what really drew me in first.
Now for the not so good stuff. It’s split into acts, like the original Julius Caesar play is (a good thing!). However, the first act of this book is an introduction. It is way too long (exactly 45% of the book, according to Kindle) and way too repetitive. I get that Bronwyn has a boyfriend now. I get that Porter is bipolar. I get that Cass is questioning herself and is a cheerleader. I get that Hillary lost the election (why I had to read that 100 times in the year 2022 is beyond me). I get that Jude is biphobic. I don’t need to be told these things over and over again for the entire first half of the book. I almost stopped reading because I didn’t want to read any of these things AGAIN.
Also, and I know this might sound crazy, but there’s too much representation in this book. It’s doing too much, and not providing good representation for everyone it’s trying to. Not everyone HAS to be queer.
Also the mean biphobic lesbian trope never sits well with me. Could’ve done without that for sure.
Overall, this book had such a promising premise but it didn’t really hit the mark for me. Perhaps a younger audience will do better with it. Though this book does turn very dark once you get by the first half so be sure to check the trigger warnings if you’re going to read this. There were some parts of this book that I really liked, and all of them were after that first 45%. I just wish the acts had been more evenly spaced so the story had a real chance to grow and thrive.
eboycourt's review
4.0
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book!
The cover is beautiful omg! I overall enjoyed this book but it was a lot darker then I initially thought. It felt a little repetitive at times but I really loved reading it!
The cover is beautiful omg! I overall enjoyed this book but it was a lot darker then I initially thought. It felt a little repetitive at times but I really loved reading it!
caidyn's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
At first, I wasn't sure about this book just purely because it felt like one where there were tons of pop culture just for "the kids". But I finally got into the story and warmed up to it quite a bit. A great YA retelling of a Shakespearean play that doesn't get enough of a spotlight.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault
ofthewildland's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
"the truth is, loud and proud is great. but for some of us, it gets exhausting. and confusing."
3.5/ 5⭐.
ARC Provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
(Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, self harm, mental illness, biphobia, bullying, implied sexual content, f-slur used to refer to oneself, mentions of alcoholism, mentions of underage drinking, mentions of drug use, parental abandonment, potential outing, mentions of Tr*mp.)
Told in the form of a student theses, Take Her Down is a modern queer Julius Caesar retelling with plot twists and representation that is done flawlessly.
First of all, I will start off by saying that the premise of this book seemed promising.
I loved the representation and how casually it was done.
It was comical to me how, in most stories, characters are usually being ostracised for their attraction to the same gender, but in this book, Bronwyn is "exiled" because of her attraction to a straight, white man.
I think the author did a wonderful job at capturing the uncertainty surrounding queerness and sexuality, especially as teenagers.
The mental health coverage was superb!
As promising as the premise of this book seemed though, the further I read, the more bored I became.
There is an excessive amount of useless information in this book that could have easily been taken out. Backstories of characters who have minor roles. Five pages of pointless inner monologue. The repetition. Irrelevant.
The characters were okay, but I couldn't find it in myself to care for them. There was a disconnect between myself and the characters. They weren't getting through to me the way I thought they would.
The mystery surrounding Jude's narrative was the only thing that kept me completely hooked. I also wanted to see what consequences Bronwyn would face.
The ending felt like a cop out, in my opinion. But I get why the author did it this way.
The format almost reminded me of A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, but make it extremely gay and add some biphobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Self harm, and Biphobia
Minor: Drug use
beca_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This ultimately sounded interesting, what isn't to love about a Shakespeare retelling? Unfortunately I just didn't like this. I'm not a fan of pop culture reference's and this is filled with them, on every page. I read to escape and I don't want to read about the pandemic. I also felt like this book was trying to do way to much; however there was good commentary around mental health specifically Bipolar and sexuality. I feel this book would have been better if Whalen had chosen to focus on a few subjects and had developed on them further. I also feel there were way to many character's and they were underdeveloped; again this could have been solved with fewer characters.
aiyam's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
First off: Massive TW for biphobia. This is a constant throughout the book, from straight people and queer people alike.
Okay I loved this book so much. The format of the book is just stunning, the characters are enthralling, and I was obsessed from the second I picked it up.
The story is a queer YA retelling of Julius Caesar, and if that isn't enough to convince you to pick it up I don't know what you could need. Bronwyn - Brutus, Cass - Cassius, Porter - Portia, and Jude Cuthbert - Julius Caesar are the main characters that you will come to know and somewhat despise. Do not despise Porter though, I am a Porter stan until I die okay, I will defend this man until my dying breath. He is me and I am okay with that because I love him. Possibly my favorite thing that Whalen did was make me truly dislike some of these characters despite not wanting to. The mark of a good author is the ability to evoke emotion, and I felt many negative ones when reading about these characters and their behavior.
The betrayal and backstabbing is just so well done. The nasty exclusionary high school behavior was so realistic I got chills. There are a couple of bullying incidents from Jude that as I was reading, I could picture who I know that would do the same thing without even thinking about it. Every part of the story unfolds with a crystal clear motive, and it is disgusting what they are doing but I was on the edge of my seat. The impact of all of this being told after the fact is just so powerful and such an amazing literary choice.
Honestly I think everyone should read this (provided you check the laundry list of trigger warnings first). I guarantee this will be a hit with the queer Shakespeare obsessed teenagers (mostly because it was a hit with me) and I hope that a massive audience can read this and take it for all it is.
Okay I loved this book so much. The format of the book is just stunning, the characters are enthralling, and I was obsessed from the second I picked it up.
The story is a queer YA retelling of Julius Caesar, and if that isn't enough to convince you to pick it up I don't know what you could need. Bronwyn - Brutus, Cass - Cassius, Porter - Portia, and Jude Cuthbert - Julius Caesar are the main characters that you will come to know and somewhat despise. Do not despise Porter though, I am a Porter stan until I die okay, I will defend this man until my dying breath. He is me and I am okay with that because I love him. Possibly my favorite thing that Whalen did was make me truly dislike some of these characters despite not wanting to. The mark of a good author is the ability to evoke emotion, and I felt many negative ones when reading about these characters and their behavior.
The betrayal and backstabbing is just so well done. The nasty exclusionary high school behavior was so realistic I got chills. There are a couple of bullying incidents from Jude that as I was reading, I could picture who I know that would do the same thing without even thinking about it. Every part of the story unfolds with a crystal clear motive, and it is disgusting what they are doing but I was on the edge of my seat. The impact of all of this being told after the fact is just so powerful and such an amazing literary choice.
Honestly I think everyone should read this (provided you check the laundry list of trigger warnings first). I guarantee this will be a hit with the queer Shakespeare obsessed teenagers (mostly because it was a hit with me) and I hope that a massive audience can read this and take it for all it is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Biphobia, Sexual assault, and Bullying