Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Anyway, I read this first as an alc with libro and I was immediately invested. The story felt grounded and comfortable in the way Cemetery Boys felt (minus the supernatural elements of course) but with a completely new environment and a very compelling pair of mcs. I immediately got my hands on the book and I must confirm that the cover is as gorgeous in person as it was on my phone. I devoured this book in a few sittings. Queer YA books by nonbinary and trans authors have begun to heal me in my mid 20s in a way that I guess I should have predicted (given the fact that I had NOTHING like this growing up) and yet books like this come along and rock me to my core whether I'm prepared for not.
I have no idea how young me would have actually felt if I had a book like this growing up, but I'd like to think it would have helped me understand quite a bit more about myself and the people around me. Onto the book itself.
This story follows Ander (they/them) a nonbinary gay artist, muralist, and all around incredibly entertaining main character with sooo much heart who meets Santiago, a boy they instantly fall for. Their relationship, their heartbreaks, and the breaking apart they are forced to endure, all of it was so beautiful and completely nerve-wracking to watch. I loved seeing them grow into each other, I loved that there was wayy more spanish in this book than I expected (literally took me back to high school when my honors spanish 3 teacher spoke to us exclusively in spanish for the whole year even when we didn't know what she was saying but she just expected us to know so we just had to catch on or get lost). I personally love that in these newer YA books. Like yeah, include the words these characters would actually say, thank you I will look it up on my own time. Also Santi is such a cute nickname for Santiago.
I could see a mile away what was coming for them but damn was I not ready for that ending (it's a good one I promise!!). I loved the nods to the art community throughout the book, I can tell that this author clearly knows someone or is someone that is deeply in the art scene, and while the bay area scene is quite different from San Antonio, muralists and street artists everywhere become mirrors, reflecting their people and communities through a visual language that you can read in basically every major city with various minority communities sprawled throughout this country (can you tell I know a muralist?). Also the cover art takes on a whole new meaning by the end of this book and I love shit like that.
I have read a handful of books that mention ICE or DACA but this was the first where the real world seeped into and attempted to destroy the beauty that was growing in this book. It was surreal to read. So much of what I read in fantasy books is an author trying to make you believe their stakes are high and their character's actions are grounded to their imagined reality. This story, this author, these characters didn't need that extra step. This is a present reality made fictional and this is the power storytelling can have. Especially for people who don't know anyone in these situations, or with these present fears weighing on them. So many people have been effected by these exclusionary racist immigration laws and the very real fear and tragedy Santi faced in this book was difficult but handled with the upmost care. I can literally gush about this book for hours and I may have to on a tiktok or something. But yeah, I hope a lot of people read this.
It was beautiful and I did cry 11/10 experience.

Content warning: Ice, forced detainment, mention of death

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imstephtacular's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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careinthelibrary's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I loved this one. The characters leapt off the page and the romance is really cute. It didn't just do the cute and warm well, it also discussed dark topics and themes in a realistic and empathetic way. I love the callouts to very real and important movements, I hope this inspires research in those who haven't encountered them before. It's very readable; I finished very quickly and can't wait for a new release from this author. For fans of <i>Cafe Con Lychee, Felix Ever After, and The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School</i>. Contemporary YA romance with a good sense of humour and its heart in the right place. I won't soon forget these characters and their intense sense of loyalty, love, and friendship.

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