Scan barcode
purplevibes123's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
This book is so incredible. There’s no words to describe how it makes you feel. It’s been a while since I have read a book where I have felt so connected to the characters, where I have imagined what happens next just to get myself to fall asleep. When anything happens in the book, I feel it like I’m the one in the situation. I can’t recommend this enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, War, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Homophobia
Moderate: Sexism and Deportation
Minor: Child abuse, Violence, and Miscarriage
jayrosew's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, and Homophobia
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Violence
0lli_e's review
emotional
hopeful
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
Beautifully queer, and hopeful in a way that some media on the same subject isn't.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Racism and Deportation
Minor: War
sarahellenx's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-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
3.5
I really enjoyed this book, I just wish it had been a bit faster paced. It took me a long time to get through! I love a queer coming of age story and it was really interesting to read one set in the 1950s. After the book I find myself wanting to know the rest of Lily and Kath's story. For example, do her parents ever come to terms with Lily's sexuality? I found the piece about the communism interesting and also would have liked more context as to how that was all resolved as far as Shirley and Calvin.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
vael's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia
Minor: Toxic friendship, Deportation, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Sexual content, Outing, Classism, Police brutality, Misogyny, War, Racism, and Racial slurs
froon's review against another edition
3.5
i’ll say, the parts that were great were really great. i was crying for lily, angry for her, swooning with her throughout this whole book. my slightly unpopular opinion was that i thought the flashbacks were actually good (lol) and informed the actions of the characters later on in the novel, especially the end. oh and lily and kath, probably one of my favorite romantic pair i’ve read in a looooong time.
while all that is good, i will say that i echo a lot of the disappointment that other people have with the pacing and resolution. so many storylines left unfinished, so many scenes that went nowhere. if i were to diagnose this problem it would be that this story is too big for this book. the author pulling in too many historical sources (as evidence by the author’s note) but too afraid to commit to true, life-altering conflict until the end. which, really, is what i’m most disappointed in. lily’s story feels incomplete in a way. the biggest indicator of thisis the hint at the “Forbidden City” having it’s own Asian male impersonator. after the flashback of her parents there, i was sure that somehow this would be relevant to lily’s story. that there would be a reveal or an encounter that would comfort lily. instead, it was just the author integrating her historical fan facts…
overall, the ending should’ve been moved to the middle and have the characters (and the reader) sit with the consequence. loved the romance tho! #kathily4ever
while all that is good, i will say that i echo a lot of the disappointment that other people have with the pacing and resolution. so many storylines left unfinished, so many scenes that went nowhere. if i were to diagnose this problem it would be that this story is too big for this book. the author pulling in too many historical sources (as evidence by the author’s note) but too afraid to commit to true, life-altering conflict until the end. which, really, is what i’m most disappointed in. lily’s story feels incomplete in a way. the biggest indicator of this
overall, the ending should’ve been moved to the middle and have the characters (and the reader) sit with the consequence. loved the romance tho! #kathily4ever
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
blahlicia's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.5
Excellent lgbtqia historical fiction. I learned a lot about Chinese American history and lgbtqia history while reading this book.
Lily is a lovely sympathetic character, a teenager who is unsure of herself but doing her best. She’s also the daughter of an immigrant and an American born Chinese person living in a time where anti-Asian sentiments and fears of communism are coloring everything. And oh yeah - she doesn’t quite get it yet…but she knows she doesn’t feel the same way about boys that her friends do.
Throughout the story we watch Lily figure herself out in more than one way. She falls in love. She disobeys her parents. She learns to stay true to herself.
The only thing I would’ve liked is if the ending was a little more fleshed out. It felt like as soon as Lily figured out her feelings, it all went to hell. Then we skipped a year we got a little blip about Kath and then it was done. I would’ve liked to know what happened to Kath when they lost touch (trying to avoid spoilers), I would’ve liked to see a little glimpse of her life with Aunt Judy. Or like just the dinner she and Kath had?!
But I will read the accompanying story and check on them there.
Lily is a lovely sympathetic character, a teenager who is unsure of herself but doing her best. She’s also the daughter of an immigrant and an American born Chinese person living in a time where anti-Asian sentiments and fears of communism are coloring everything. And oh yeah - she doesn’t quite get it yet…but she knows she doesn’t feel the same way about boys that her friends do.
Throughout the story we watch Lily figure herself out in more than one way. She falls in love. She disobeys her parents. She learns to stay true to herself.
The only thing I would’ve liked is if the ending was a little more fleshed out. It felt like as soon as Lily figured out her feelings, it all went to hell. Then we skipped a year we got a little blip about Kath and then it was done. I would’ve liked to know what happened to Kath when they lost touch (trying to avoid spoilers), I would’ve liked to see a little glimpse of her life with Aunt Judy. Or like just the dinner she and Kath had?!
But I will read the accompanying story and check on them there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Racism
ash_36's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, and Violence
upgirlcd's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Loved this story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Outing and Homophobia
andrearahman's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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
4.0
A newanced historical romance about queer girls and Chinese Americans in the 1950s, lovely and tragic and bittersweet and interesting. Loved learning more about queer existence and institutions in history that people have tried to ignore or erase
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Minor: Racism and Xenophobia