17.2k reviews for:

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Malinda Lo

4.27 AVERAGE

jnishimura's review

4.0

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I’m racking my brain for a comparable read and I’m coming up with nothing that touches on post-WWII Red Scare America through a Chinese American lens + queer identity in the 1950s + a story of an Asian American testing racial boundaries on account of young love. Which is exactly why I picked up Last Night at the Telegraph Club. And you should too.

What I liked: as a fan of multilingual authors and stories from non-English speaking nations, so I appreciated the break from traditional writing/publishing with the footnote translations instead of in-text translations that often feel clunky. Seeing Chinese characters surprised me at first but it felt authentic in a way that emphasized that Lily, our protagonist, straddles cultures and languages. Also, the timeline chapter breaks were a fun and educational addition!

What I loved: at the risk of being redundant, I admire this novel for seizing multiple topics that lack representation and executing a wholehearted investigation into each.

dinozzore's review

5.0

emotional

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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Je pleure 

lastavailableusername's review

5.0

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10/10 can recommend

kiryomi's review

3.75

emotional hopeful 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: Complicated

jjpeach23's review against another edition

4.5

emotional

hannaste's review

4.0

adventurous emotional 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

nmmarquez02's review

5.0

emotional hopeful reflective 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

lisaindenwolken's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

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Really enjoyed this book a lot. I want to re-read it ( not on audiobook !) I loved this book and  appreciated rhe notes at the end. Much more my taste in books than a scatter of light 

abbyv115's review

4.5

emotional hopeful 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

readingrooibos's review against another edition

4.5

emotional informative 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: Complicated