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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
adventurous
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:
Yes
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book has a lot of heart but was a bit clunky in some places, especially in the first third. Most of the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, which would have made this lovely story even better. Also a small glossary of the Welsh slang being used would have been helpful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, Police brutality, Lesbophobia
Minor: Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
5/5 ⭐️: warm, witty, and joyfully queer. From the Welsh Valleys to Cardiff to Manchester, this book follows Eluned as she navigates her sexuality and identity. The story is set in the 80s against a backdrop of unrest: the miner’s strikes, the rise of AIDs, Thatcher’s brutal polities and renewed homophobia from all corners of society. It’s a difficult time, yet Eluned’s story is a hopeful one. Much of the plot is character driven, and I loved reading about Eluned becoming more and more herself as the years went by. This was a really heartwarming story. It’s also got a great soundtrack (music plays a huge part) and there are some hilarious and downright filthy moments too! I just loved this.
funny
hopeful
informative
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:
Yes
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-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
This book is less than 300 pages and yet I honestly think it has the most story-per-page of any book I’ve read. It reads cosily and easily and yet covers some enormous and difficult topics. There’s the miners strikes and 80s politics, police brutality and the HIV/AIDS crisis, LGBT issues and homophobia, domestic abuse, family dynamics, sisterhood and found family, infidelity, coming out and more. There’s so much light among the darkness, and such lovely moments scattered across what was both a vibrant and exciting and also bleak and scary time in history.