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kal517'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
Graphic: Terminal illness, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, and Racism
Minor: Violence
brookey8888'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
5.0
I cried multiple times and just felt for the characters. This story is so important to learn about what activist did for the queer community and how things have changed,but how much still needs to be done. I don’t know why I didn’t realize this might be sad when it’s set during the AIDS epidemic. I really liked our characters(for the most part). I just like the growth and courage they all had. The family relationships in this were so sweet for the most part. Now Art was not that likable at times which is the point, but it was so hard to read his POV sometimes(also he’s a teenager so it makes sense). I also didn’t really love the ending. It was bittersweet to me, but realistic.
Graphic: Islamophobia, Medical content, Death, Abandonment, Body shaming, Outing, Racism, Bullying, Fatphobia, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, and Violence
linnea1801's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Bullying, Death, Grief, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, and Violence
greenlivingaudioworm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Death, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Vomit, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
ofpagesandparagraphs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia and Terminal illness
Moderate: Fatphobia, Medical content, Death, and Racism
Minor: Sexual content
an_everyday_penguin'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
3.5
Graphic: Homophobia and Death
ranjanireviewsreads's review
Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, Death of parent, Hate crime, Misogyny, Cursing, Medical content, Grief, Police brutality, and Death
mattyb's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Grief, Death, Hate crime, and Homophobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Medical trauma, Bullying, Islamophobia, Medical content, Outing, Police brutality, and Sexual content
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Vomit, and Violence
abigailbat'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
Original review:
This story of young love in the shadow of the AIDS crisis just grabbed me and wouldn't let go. Reza has just moved to New York when his mom got remarried. He's gay, but completely in the closet because his culture forbids it. But when Reza meets Art, a guy in his class who's out and proud, he starts to have feelings he's never felt, feelings that terrify him because he's convinced that if he ever acted on his feelings for a guy he'll get AIDS and die. Judy, Art's best friend, meets Reza on his first day in school and falls hard. When terrified Reza starts dating her, he does care about her, but he also cares about keeping his secret - what better way to do that than to have a girlfriend?
This book is both heartfelt and heartbreaking. It examines what it's like to try to live your life and fall in love and be in a relationship with this enormous fear, not just fear about coming out and living openly but actual fear for your life. A major theme in the book is the activism that Art participates in, along with Judy's gay uncle Stephen. They're active in protests throughout the city calling on corporations, churches, and the government to help end the assault on gay lives that is the AIDS crisis.
Hand this to your readers of THE LOVE AND LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI by Sabina Khan for stories of how homosexuality is perceived in cultures outside the US or TWO BOYS KISSING by David Levithan, another gay love story that acknowledges the AIDS crisis. I also think teens who love DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY by Adib Khorram for its examination of an Iranian response to mental health may also appreciate the story of an Iranian-American boy coming to terms with his sexuality.
Graphic: Homophobia, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
punchofwishes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Medical content, Vomit, and Fatphobia