Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

50 reviews

jordynkw's review

challenging hopeful inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Outing

Minor: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, and Police brutality

raneyak's review

emotional 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? No

5.0

I don’t usually cry over books, but I cried over this one. This is a book I wish I had read earlier, before my first love and first heartbreak. If you are a young queer woman, I strongly encourage you to read this book because even though it is set almost 70 years ago, so much of it resonated with the experiences we still have today.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Racism, and Alcohol

Minor: War and Forced institutionalization

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, War, Xenophobia, Racism, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Child abuse, Misogyny, Outing, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Deportation, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Confinement

Minor: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Pregnancy

Pedophilia warning is just in case, for an adult woman behaving flirtatiously towards the teenage protagonist.

solaria's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

MY HEART HAS BEEN RIPPED TO SHREDS

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Alcohol, Bullying, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Racism, and Gaslighting

Minor: Forced institutionalization

funkylitchick's review

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Xenophobia

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Cultural appropriation, and Deportation

sknappy1's review against another edition

hopeful informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Sexism, Deportation, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Physical abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Drug use, and Forced institutionalization

plumpaperbacks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

4.0

I have nothing bad to say about this book. I’d heard amazing things for some time prior to reading it, which had me quite eager to finally get to it. It didn’t disappoint. Lo’s writing is lovely while also being easy to read, and I quite liked both Lily and Kath. I think queer historical fiction is fascinating—it’s sad, seeing the way LGBTQ+ people were treated back then, but it’s also comforting, proof that we’ve always existed and always will, no matter what society thinks of or throws at us. I definitely want to read more of it in the future, and buy a copy of this book—which, by the way, I definitely recommend.

(It’s midnight and I have a headache and no spoons so idk if this fully makes sense, but I’m going with it.)

Representation

• Chinese-American lesbian protagonist
• lesbian love interest
• sapphic relationship
• Chinese side characters

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Xenophobia

Minor: Alcohol, Police brutality, War, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, and Deportation

Racial slurs: I’m not sure if this counts; but the term “Oriental” is used several times. I’m including it just in case. Alcohol: includes a few scenes with underage drinking. Police brutality: a queer night club is raided. Minor scene. Forced institutionalization, deportation and war are only discussed in passing.

rieviolet's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

I really really loved this book, it was such a compelling read. I flew through it and read the final 90 or so pages in a single day because I was so invested and wanted to see what would happen to the characters. 

I loved the mixing of the personal coming of age story with the wider historical and social context of the time. It was also so interesting to see how the author explored the different aspects of Lily's identity, how being both Asian-American and lesbian affected her. 

Above all, I was stunned by how the words on the page provoked so many emotions within me. There were so many passages that really struck a chord with me and left me on the floor, knocked out, completely destroyed. 
Lily and Kath's relationship was so beautifully developed, it felt raw and tender and hopeful, in spite of all adversities. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, War, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Suicide, Drug use, Sexual harassment, and Forced institutionalization

toffishay's review

emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad 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? No

4.25

What a sweet and emotional read! I absolutely loved following Lily's journey and I learned so much about a time in American life that I am not very familiar with. I never thought that I was one for historical fiction, but this book may have changed my mind. I also loved the insight into Lily's family too. Really, her whole world feels so real and honest. It can make it difficult to read about Lily's tough times because they feel so real. I want to return to this story again and again though. It's hard, but it's real.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Xenophobia, and Homophobia

Moderate: Racism, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Miscarriage

Minor: War, Sexism, Racial slurs, Outing, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, and Drug use

smalika's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Racism, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Miscarriage and Forced institutionalization