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bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, and Outing
Minor: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Alcohol, and War
sinaprst'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? It's complicated
5.0
honestly, i´ve rarely been moved by a story that much. the characters really resonated with me and all i ever want for them is to be happy. this did not feel like "just a book" but a real story with real people and real problems.
I would also highly recommend reading the author`s note in the end as it shows just how much research has gone into this. it also helps to understand the circumstances around the story even better, especially if you´re someone like me, a 21 y/o european, who thus barely knows anything about the experience of chinese-americans and/or queer people in the US, especially San Francisco, in the 1950s.
all in all a 5/5 star read for me for sure and defintely a new favourite
recommende reading ambience: https://youtu.be/9WamZPMt_ic?si=HK1aL0SnzQsFA7KH
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Miscarriage
emfass'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
5.0
I also ended up loving the interludes where Lo added chapters from the point of view of Lily's parents and aunt, to give voice to the many ways immigration, racism, and living a life spanning multiple cultures affects people.
I deeply appreciate the way Malinda Lo incorporated so much research as well as inspiration from her own family to create such a realistic, respectful view into San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1950s. I also loved reading her Author's Note at the end, which gave historical context to so much of the story.
I listened to this on audio and narrator Emily Woo Zeller was wonderful.
This is going to be one of my favorite reads of 2023.
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Police brutality, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Deportation
Minor: Body horror, Miscarriage, and Forced institutionalization
bashsbooks'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
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Classism, and Deportation
Moderate: Racial slurs and War
Minor: Cursing and Drug use
Note on the racial slurs: since the text takes place in the 50s, the author decided to use some terms that are now outdated or even offensive. She explains her decision to so in her author's note.arlaubscher'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
4.25
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Colonisation and Classism
violet123'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? It's complicated
5.0
Note: Please check TWs before reading this! It contains a lot of heavy topics.
Graphic: Homophobia and Racism
Moderate: Misogyny, Xenophobia, and Deportation
Minor: Toxic friendship and Sexual harassment
tangleroot_eli's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
This isn't just "realizing you're gay and falling in love"; it's "realizing you're gay and falling in love while living in a world where everything else keeps happening."
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment
Moderate: Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Drug use, Gore, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Red Scare/Lavender Scareclemrain's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The ambition of talking about Chinese immigrants as well as the butch/queer scene of America as well as communism and America all in one novel was high. These three big ideas can coexist but in this novel they were not fully realized. There was too much going on and majority of it had no time to truly be resolved.
The ending was too rushed. The first half of the book took a while to ramp up. But I enjoyed it. It was so deeply researched and written. The intimate and realistic depiction of Lily learning about her queerness accompanied by the harsh reality of being Asian was gorgeous and relatable. But what was set up so carefully in the first part of the book did not pay off with such detail and satisfaction in the last part of the book.
Graphic: Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Outing, and Classism
Minor: Racial slurs, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and War
tinygoldfox'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
4.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Deportation
moliviar01'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and War