Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

33 reviews

gabsoulutely's review

challenging hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

If I could give this book a 6 out of 5, I would. This was such a special read, like the world in the 50's was plucked from the timeline and given to me firsthand. I really liked seeing how Lily became her own person and fell in love with Kath. I loved Kath throughout this book

and I really hope this story had a happy ending.

I'd like to think that these characters stayed together and remained in love despite all the cultural challenges of their time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Homophobia, Racism, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse

aysha_blake's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Racial slurs, Deportation, Drug use, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Outing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Grief, War, and Xenophobia

Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Miscarriage

the_true_monroe's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• 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 love reading books that focus on the impact of intersectionality (how multiple parts of someone’s identity relate to each other) on people’s life experiences, and while there are an increasing number of those, this one stood out to me as also being historical fiction. Most I have read are featured in present day or are memoirs.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a coming of age novel surrounding a Chinese American child of an immigrant, living in 1950s San Francisco, who realizes she is attracted to women and that there are many others like her. With McCarthyism brings both The Red Scare and the Lavender Scare to a time where racist and homophobic sentiments were already through the roof. Lily and her family and friend’s experiences portray very multifaceted and underrepresented stories in a way that readers can easily follow and become connected to the characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Outing, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Cultural appropriation, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Deportation, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, War, Body shaming, Drug use, Miscarriage, and Police brutality

jkull_10's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Alcohol, Classism, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Racial slurs

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Outing, Hate crime, Grief, Abandonment, Classism, Death, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Deportation, Sexism, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Mental illness, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, War, Medical content, Violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, and Infertility

admunro20's review

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• 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

This book is absolutely amazing! The dynamic between Lily and Kath is amazing and I love them so much!!! I want their life to be happy and filled with joy. I loved this book so much! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Bullying

Minor: Deportation and Domestic abuse

calicat42's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

5.0

A beautifully challenging story for anyone who has journeyed to love themselves and love another; to find who they are when the world says there must be something wrong. A validating story that truly details how scary and overwhelming it it can be to live an unapologetically authentic life. Although the time period falls in the 1950s, it sadly reads like a relatable story for far too many people today. That said, each moment of love, community, and unrelenting truth continued to create the hope we all need in this world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, Body shaming, Classism, Alcohol, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Abandonment

parasolcrafter's review

emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-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

5.0

this book was SO GOOD but made me quite sad, even if it was almost hopeful at the same time??? definitely a cocktail of emotions! the characters were all so well-written and developed (even though i hate shirley; understanding her motives doesnt make what she does okay) and they felt so real. this is one ill think about for a long time. wishing the best for lily and kath :')

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Outing, Classism, Bullying, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: War, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

linnea1801's review

challenging emotional 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

4.75

This book was painful. It was gay though… The flashbacks were a bit boring but overall it was really good!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Homophobia, Racism, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Miscarriage, Deportation, Racial slurs, and Sexual harassment

Minor: War and Forced institutionalization

spookily's review

emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racism, Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Classism, Deportation, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Miscarriage

Minor: Gore, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Death, War, and Pregnancy