Reviews with content warning for Terminal illness - Like a Love Story

ETA (Aug 2023): We chose this book for Reading the Rainbow to support the display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt that they currently have up. While on one level, this is the story of a teen love triangle and an Iranian kid coming out, it also introduces a lot of history about the AIDS crisis and activism in response. I think this is a great book for young queer readers to keep that history alive. And it reads so differently after having gone through another pandemic. That fear and the spread of misinformation and the anxiety about whether the recommended risk reduction will actually protect you... I am too young to really remember AIDS happening, but I can definitely identify with those feelings during the early days of COVID.

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.

Content Warnings

punchofwishes's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

I simply adored this book. As an enthusiast for queer history and especially 1980s queer history, this was a wonderful, heart-wrenching experience. I loved the characters, especially Uncle Stephen, and the plentiful references to real protests and events. The pop culture I was not as familiar with but the characters’ love made me not mind as much. While some parts were a little didactic I found it rather endearing. Also considering how many people are unfamiliar with queer history having (semi-)educational material that’s appealing is important. Great read and made me want to dive right back into some nonfiction books concerning the era.

Content Warnings

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

empathetic, youthful yet wise, like a love story celebrates love, queerness, and the life-saving and life-changing power of art, all while being grimly realistic w/ the context of the AIDS epidemic as well.

i could feel nazemian's passion and love for art - esp music - and its power thru this novel. there's music in many pivotal scenes, either as a new spark, comfort or celebration for the characters. an aspect of the book that i also rly like despite its grimness is the depiction of AIDS and queer life + activism: there's no romanticization of the former here, no mincing words w/ the ugliness and destruction of the disease, while the courage, rage, and sense of community of the latter are inspiring and serve as a reminder of what it took to get here. it's a revelation to see that, amid the staggering losses, many queer folks still soldier on thru sheer love and desire for a better future.

as for the characters, i like them all individually but have some issues when its comes to their relationships w/ one another. each makes sense in their own way despite - or bc of - their complexity, but tgt they make me frown in confusion sometimes. i actually rly like uncle stephen and the parents - the former and his wisdom make me tear up a few times - basically most of the side characters. however, imo the main trio is too far up their own asses a lot of the time, making their supposed friendship and dedication to one another a lil questionable.

and i dont get why art and reza start to like each other in the first place, aside from the fact that each is the first eligible gay dude of the same age that the other ever comes across. also whats up w/ that ending..art's decision seems to come outta nowhere and it's confusing bc he lets reza go way too easily despite being so in love w/ him; the whiplash is sth else. ig i wouldve liked there to be more explanation on important character decisions, instead of them just showing up in a new chapter when it's already been decided, for example w/ reza's decision to finally have sex w/ art after being afraid for months, and art's decision to go san francisco. i wanted to read their thought process on these things bc theyre such major decisions, and there just wasnt any or enough of that in the book esp towards the end.

despite the shortcomings of some of its narrative decisions, the novel's still an important one that not only sheds light on important topics like AIDS and queer activism, but also one that celebrates art and the queer community. in short, a book that embraces both the challenges and joy of being queer.

Content Warnings

nicholasl_'s review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

Content Warnings

m_hates_reading's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

4/5 Absolutely heartbreaking.

A queer, first-love romance, but set in 1989 New York and based in the AIDS crisis - it’s one of the most moving books I’ve read. It’s been sat on my bookshelf since I originally came out in 2020, and I never bothered to read it until now. Im actually glad I didn’t read it when I first got it, bc I don’t think I would have been able to appreciate the imagery and symbolism as well.

The tri-perspective approach really works well- nobody’s the main character, it’s about how what happens effects all of them, the entire community.

The reason it’s not a five star read, for me, was because I felt the writing lacked balance. The first half of the book was very cute and bubbly (or as cute and bubbly as it gets when your book is a queer romance set in 1989 New York) and all the very deeply emotional and moving scenes kind of happened together. It’s hard to explain, and I don’t want to criticise it too harshly because it is an incredibly beautiful story that the author has very obviously put their entire heart and soul into, but it felt like some passages were missing the spark that made the rest of it so great.

Not my usual thing, but I’m glad I read it, and I’m glad it exists because I know just how meaningful it is and will be to so many people.

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