Reviews tagging 'Mass/school shootings'

Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

4 reviews

nicholasl_'s review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, Terminal illness, and Death

Minor: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings

m_hates_reading's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Outing, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Xenophobia

Minor: Alcoholism

hannahmayhere's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.25

This is such an important book. A perspective of teens growing up during the height of the AIDS crisis and the impact that had on them is something I haven’t had the opportunity to read before and I’m so grateful I now have. 

*explanation content warning on aphobia* one character does say a few times some aphobic lines ( sex is needed for a relationship, sex is ultimate goal of all relationships,  everyone wants it, etc.) and it goes unchallenged because they are the character’s thoughts. Part of this could be explained as he is a high schooler grappling with fear due to the AIDS epidemic but it still read as invalidating. So just a warning to fellow aces!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical content, and Bullying

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, and Islamophobia

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Ableism

hmatt's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-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

4.5

What a great read. The writing strikes that perfect balance where it's both appropriate for YA but not too simplified. There's just the right amount of focus each on family/friendships/romance for a coming-of-age novel. I also felt like it did a great job at being didactic without being preachy re: sex ed, queer history & culture, intersectional privilege, etc.

Where I had a small issue was with the main point of conflict - it just felt very contrived to me.

I guess I just didn't buy in that it would be such a big deal to Judy that Art had a crush on Reza, acted on before she and Reza started dating, was rejected, and then kept his distance for the duration of their relationship. It's believable that she would be upset to some degree, but the extent it went to didn't make a lot of sense to me.

I was able to look past this because the author didn't make it the only plot point. Yay, multi-dimensional storytelling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Medical content, Police brutality, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Homophobia, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Vomit, and Xenophobia