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emilye3's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 This was a very beautifully written book and I really enjoyed the themes it represented. The main characters were persons of color and one was transgender. Another side character was lesbian. I believe another was bisexual. There was definitely good representation in this book. The writing was very flowery which took a little bit to get used to but after I found myself really enjoying the story. Magical realism can be either hit or miss for me and this fell in the middle. I understood most of what was going on by the rest of the time I was just confused.
laurasarmientov's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Had I DNFed this at Sea of Island like I was planning to, I would have given this book 1 star. I haven't DNFed a book in a crazy long time, so I decided to power through and found myself less bothered by the writing and caring a lot for the two main characters. The beginning is very hard to get through; the writing is overly descriptive, repetitive, and bland. My theory is that the author may have had a hard time figuring out how to introduce the characters without giving too much away. It was confusing; the fantastical element was detracting from the story, and it was overall very poorly paced. In the first 20 pages, I rolled my eyes at least 15 times because the execution of the introduction was so bad. Miel and Samir are way too complex characters to start using metaphors and anterior motifs when the reader knows nothing about them. That leads me to my next point: a book that uses magical realism has to use this style for a purpose beyond theme representation; it actually has to make sense in the world that is being built. The characters are supposed to find this normal. What "When the Moon Was Ours" does is take random pieces of different Latin American and Arabian folklore, picks and chooses when the magical elements are meant to be real, and then completely neglects necessary explanations that end up creating plot holes. As the book progresses, it is clear that the writer becomes more comfortable with the story they are building; the writing becomes much more coherent, and as the characters discover more about themselves, the prose itself makes more sense. I am so glad I finished this book; by the end, I was mesmerized by Miel, Samir, and Aracely. The main issue is that while I find myself understanding why Miel is linked to water and Samir to the moon, I still cannot differentiate between the parts of the book that were meant to be symbolic and the ones that were real.
This story is not perfect, but it is a beautiful representation of trans people, those who have experimented with their gender, and overcoming bullies by having true connections and staying true to who you are. The main love interest, Samir, and his mother are Palestinians who express cultural and generational trauma. The individual characters are wonderful and shine a light on a trans Palestinian character being comfortable in this family yet accurately portraying the internal and societal barriers a non-fictional trans boy like him would face. When it came to shaping the characters, there is no doubt in my mind that the author writes authentically, drawing from their experiences and those of their loved ones. There is so much thought and care that went into their internal and external dialogues, their personalities, and their purpose. I just wish that care went into every other description of the plot.
Rather than the story itself, what will stick with me is Samir and Miel as people and the love they shared. Not a perfect book, but perfect leads indeed.
This story is not perfect, but it is a beautiful representation of trans people, those who have experimented with their gender, and overcoming bullies by having true connections and staying true to who you are. The main love interest, Samir, and his mother are Palestinians who express cultural and generational trauma. The individual characters are wonderful and shine a light on a trans Palestinian character being comfortable in this family yet accurately portraying the internal and societal barriers a non-fictional trans boy like him would face. When it came to shaping the characters, there is no doubt in my mind that the author writes authentically, drawing from their experiences and those of their loved ones. There is so much thought and care that went into their internal and external dialogues, their personalities, and their purpose. I just wish that care went into every other description of the plot.
Rather than the story itself, what will stick with me is Samir and Miel as people and the love they shared. Not a perfect book, but perfect leads indeed.
fuzzyhead's review against another edition
2.0
I had high hopes for this book, but ended up disappointed. I loved the concept, and I loved the love story itself, but I found the poetic language McLemore used way too distracting and flowery. It seemed like every other sentence had a simile in it, and most of the time they completely took me out of the story. Seriously. I had to reread certain passages at points, getting caught up in wondering why the author chose to use a certain simile or evoke a particular image that seemed to have no bearing on what was going on. And while I love magical realism as a medium, it needs to serve a purpose, you know? I felt some of the more fantastical elements of the story were just put there for the sake of *~magical realism~*.
It's frustrating, because despite my reservations, I believe McLemore has the potential to be really great. The writing itself is often very beautiful, and it's very clear that telling this story is very important to her. (Honestly, one of my favorite parts in the book is the note at the end where she talks about her and her husband's love story and how it shaped the writing of this book.) I am a cis woman so I can only speak from that perspective, but I found the way she talked about trans identity incredibly moving and sensitive.
I am actually looking forward to reading her next book, Wild Beauty, which comes out at the end of the year, to see how her writing has developed since the this book.
It's frustrating, because despite my reservations, I believe McLemore has the potential to be really great. The writing itself is often very beautiful, and it's very clear that telling this story is very important to her. (Honestly, one of my favorite parts in the book is the note at the end where she talks about her and her husband's love story and how it shaped the writing of this book.) I am a cis woman so I can only speak from that perspective, but I found the way she talked about trans identity incredibly moving and sensitive.
I am actually looking forward to reading her next book, Wild Beauty, which comes out at the end of the year, to see how her writing has developed since the this book.
abrooklynbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
So beautiful and important, I wish I'd had this book to read when I was younger!
lnlee78's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful book. I haven't read much magical realism so everything was pretty new to me but McLemore's writing was stunning. I had somewhat of an issue w/ the plot since the villains , and that pretty much drove the entire story/was the motivation for Miel to act and be strong. I can't help but wish there was more development on Sam's part, although I really appreciated the very unique and organic way that he came to accept himself as a trans boy. Miel's personal journey towards self-forgiveness and acceptance was great as well.
CWs for: misgendering, using dead names, mildly gory scenes, PTSD, and other potentially triggering content.
Spoiler
used Sam's dead name as a threatCWs for: misgendering, using dead names, mildly gory scenes, PTSD, and other potentially triggering content.
musingswithmiranda's review against another edition
4.0
Anna-Marie McLemore’s books have always been something that I have wanted to check out, but I have not managed to pick up any copies. A new book club I joined this month voted for this to be our book of the month, and I was lucky enough to get the last copy at my local library. I was not sure what to expect, but this book was amazing!
When the Moon Was Ours is a beautiful story between two inseparable best friends, Sam and Miel. Miel mysteriously appeared out of a water tower when she was only five years old, and she has roses growing out her wrist. Sam is known for painting moons, but no one really knows anything about his past. Both are seen as odd in their town, but maybe not as odd as the four Bonner sisters who are rumored to be witches. Many people avoid these sisters who always get what they want, but Miel cannot escape them as they hope to take her roses that supposedly make people fall in love. The Bonner girls push Miel to her breaking point by using secrets against her and going after those she loves.
Immediately after starting this book, I was completely captivated by and invested in the writing. It held my attention throughout and made the story come to life. McLemore’s writing is incredibly atmospheric as well. It somehow felt so soothing and calming to read even though the author does tackle some hard hitting topics throughout. Sometimes certain books will take me a little longer to get into, especially if I have never read anything by the author before. It is normal for me to need a few chapters to understand and get used a style or voice. However, McLemore does not waste any time. Their writing shines from beginning to end. It was amazing to see how they took inspiration from their own life to incorporate so many different things like being transgender, the practice of bacha posh, and the legend of La Llorona. I appreciated how the author’s note expanded on these experiences as well.
Samir and Miel were really great main characters. I appreciate how developed they were both as individuals and as people navigating a friendship and their growing feelings. They were both very unique and compelling. I also really loved how McLemore explored their internal struggles. Within their relationship, they felt like the other was the only person who could understand. They supported one another and created their own little bubble. Yet, their struggles remained mostly internal. It was interesting to see how both characters struggled with identity, belonging, and accepting themselves. Samir’s story was very emotional and compelling as he worked through his feelings about bacha posh and what it meant for his future and being transgender. McLemore shows how hard it can be to work through something and accept it yourself let alone share it with another person. Samir is more upfront and shares his secrets with Miel, but the latter stays more guarded. I appreciated how this book discussed that and portrayed letting another person in.
While Samir and Miel were my favorite characters, I did like the cast of side characters as well. I loved the interactions between Samir and Aracely that happened later in the novel. The Bonner sisters seemed so odd and creepy. They always left me on edge, but they were well developed.
When the Moon Was Ours was a quick and heartfelt read. The writing and story were both incredible and captivating. Anna-Marie McLemore has definitely been added to my list of authors I need to read more of. I cannot wait to explore their previously published books, and I will definitely keep an eye out for their new releases!!
*Content warning: body horror, child abuse, confinement, bullying, deadnaming, misgendering, transphobia, death of a parent, drowning, homophobia, attempted suicide/suicide ideation, racism, blood, sexual content*
When the Moon Was Ours is a beautiful story between two inseparable best friends, Sam and Miel. Miel mysteriously appeared out of a water tower when she was only five years old, and she has roses growing out her wrist. Sam is known for painting moons, but no one really knows anything about his past. Both are seen as odd in their town, but maybe not as odd as the four Bonner sisters who are rumored to be witches. Many people avoid these sisters who always get what they want, but Miel cannot escape them as they hope to take her roses that supposedly make people fall in love. The Bonner girls push Miel to her breaking point by using secrets against her and going after those she loves.
Immediately after starting this book, I was completely captivated by and invested in the writing. It held my attention throughout and made the story come to life. McLemore’s writing is incredibly atmospheric as well. It somehow felt so soothing and calming to read even though the author does tackle some hard hitting topics throughout. Sometimes certain books will take me a little longer to get into, especially if I have never read anything by the author before. It is normal for me to need a few chapters to understand and get used a style or voice. However, McLemore does not waste any time. Their writing shines from beginning to end. It was amazing to see how they took inspiration from their own life to incorporate so many different things like being transgender, the practice of bacha posh, and the legend of La Llorona. I appreciated how the author’s note expanded on these experiences as well.
Samir and Miel were really great main characters. I appreciate how developed they were both as individuals and as people navigating a friendship and their growing feelings. They were both very unique and compelling. I also really loved how McLemore explored their internal struggles. Within their relationship, they felt like the other was the only person who could understand. They supported one another and created their own little bubble. Yet, their struggles remained mostly internal. It was interesting to see how both characters struggled with identity, belonging, and accepting themselves. Samir’s story was very emotional and compelling as he worked through his feelings about bacha posh and what it meant for his future and being transgender. McLemore shows how hard it can be to work through something and accept it yourself let alone share it with another person. Samir is more upfront and shares his secrets with Miel, but the latter stays more guarded. I appreciated how this book discussed that and portrayed letting another person in.
While Samir and Miel were my favorite characters, I did like the cast of side characters as well. I loved the interactions between Samir and Aracely that happened later in the novel. The Bonner sisters seemed so odd and creepy. They always left me on edge, but they were well developed.
When the Moon Was Ours was a quick and heartfelt read. The writing and story were both incredible and captivating. Anna-Marie McLemore has definitely been added to my list of authors I need to read more of. I cannot wait to explore their previously published books, and I will definitely keep an eye out for their new releases!!
*Content warning: body horror, child abuse, confinement, bullying, deadnaming, misgendering, transphobia, death of a parent, drowning, homophobia, attempted suicide/suicide ideation, racism, blood, sexual content*
summer_winter's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
First off just going to say I think I would have enjoyed this book alot more but I was in a big reading slump so I did enjoy it as much.
This book was very whimsical and poetic, I liked the characters and the general feel of the book. I felt at times it did get abit boring and slow but overall a good read
First off just going to say I think I would have enjoyed this book alot more but I was in a big reading slump so I did enjoy it as much.
This book was very whimsical and poetic, I liked the characters and the general feel of the book. I felt at times it did get abit boring and slow but overall a good read
laurenkara's review against another edition
4.0
The writing in this is so incredibly beautiful and the issues it tackles are so important. I adore magical realism to pieces and I loved the world that was created. However, there was something about this that made me not be able to love it completely. I also wasn't a huge fan of a character's transitioning being used as a Shocking Plot Twist Reveal. Overall, it was a lovely read though and I definitely recommend this.
1_800_fuck_off's review against another edition
boringgg (imo ofc)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Outing
the outing tag is not confirmed since it was just being heavily threatened up to the the point where i stopped so idk if it actually happenedtiarala's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not generally a big fan of magical realism. I tend to find it heavy-handed, getting in the way of the story. McLemore has made me rethink this. The interweaving of cultures is brilliant and the storytelling is just magnificent. Sam and Miel navigate morality, love, friendship and, oh yeah, it's got a trans protagonist and isn't a coming out story like pretty much any YA that touches on gender identity. I have never seen a trans story handled so beautifully and seamlessly within a story. (It helps that McLemore's husband is trans, I'm sure.) It's just so, so good. This should be on every YA reading list.