Reviews

This book wasn’t *bad* by any means - it was just written for the younger side of YA than I was expecting, so if I was ten years younger i’d probably of connected to this a lot more, which is why I can’t rate it higher. For me now in my mid-twenties it was too cringey, but I know i’m not the target audience.

However it’s always wild to read about Tumblr and fandoms in books now!

monicareadsbooks's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

emk5's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful

Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

I almost didn't read this at all because the beginning was a little too cheesy for me, but I'm glad that I did!! Some parts were a bit silly but overall sweet and did make me cry at a few points.

citrus_seasalt's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved this a lot more than I thought I would!! Maybe it’s just that Cynthia So seems to be a fairly young author, but they remember being a teen very well. The spoiler-y tagline for the USA edition made me worry that the romance would be convoluted, and the story’s reliance on characters rather than a strong plot made me wonder if this would meander. Some of my enjoyment may be influenced by me being a sucker for road trip stories, but Elsie was a compelling protagonist, and so were all of her relationships throughout the book (familial, platonic, or romantic). I, surprisingly, didn’t find the shift in love interests clunky, and thought both of them being based on meaningful friendships not only made them believable, but also highlighted the different kinds of friendship dynamics they represented.

(There was also a bit of gender exploration! I don’t know if Elsie is just gender nonconforming or if she might not be cis, but it was cool to show her branching out a bit with the indirect help of Joan. The discussions around the cultural expectations her family had and how they influenced her queerness/self-expression were handled really well, imo. It felt like the author was expecting the readerbase to pick up on that instead of simplifying their words too much.)

I also loved the importance of queer fandom spaces, along with the critique of the kinds of LGBTQ characters/subtext that gets prioritized within them, as Elsie is a nonwhite queer person and latches onto the sapphic characters of color more (like her friend Ada does). And Cynthia So really nailed the excitement of being in a fandom, too!! From the Zaria and Mayumi shrine in Elsie’s room, to the texts in all caps exchanged between her and Ada.

Elsie’s quest to find Theresa was initially convoluted, but I ended up appreciating how it began to tie into the title and

some of the themes of Elsie’s relationship with Joan.

I also enjoyed Ritika and Joan’s varying opinions of this journey, and how it brought the three of them closer together(or, in the case of the beginning, brought up some warranted questions about Elsie’s friendships). There was also a lot of elder queer rep, mostly part of the road trip plot but a bit outside of that as well, and I loved to see that. Not only were those characters interesting, but they also helped Elsie feel a little less like an outsider in her communities.

Man, I don’t know what else to say without rambling. I think it depends on the kind of reader you are whether you’ll enjoy this or not, but this is definitely one of my favorites now. Peak intersectional sapphic lit, if you will.

***********
pre-review:
I cannot think of a more authentic, heart-wrenching and wonderful depiction of queer fandom spaces, the complicated overlap between friendship and romance(…well, specifically through an alloromantic lens), and, for those who feel like outcasts in their own communities, the importance of having role models to help you think of a future. I don’t care how many romantic subplots there were, the pining for both was written expertly and I loved the different kinds of friendships they highlighted.

maybe I’ll write a full-length review later but GWAUGH!! This was an exceptional debut novel! Super, super down-to-earth(so: realistic) though, so for those who don’t like “slice of life” contemporaries driven more by characters than plot, it won’t be up your alley.

rebeccawantstoreadmore's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

3.5

bibireads's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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? Yes

4.0

quinniantheduck's review against another edition

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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

3.75

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