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jamietherebelliousreader's review
3.0
3 stars. This was okay. I liked that it’s set in 1994 that was really cool. The characters were nice enough but I didn’t care about them either way but the romance was decent. The writing was good and it’s a quick read and I will be continuing on with the rest of the series.
gillesbianreads's review
3.0
This is a romantic novella about a white butch lesbian feminist activist-- Erika-- and an Indian-Swedish beauty pageant contestant-- Padma-- that takes place before Christmastime in Sweden.
When Erika is arrested while spray-painting a misogynistic billboard in protest and she must choose between community service and serving time in jail, she chooses the former. Assigned to be Padma's assistant for their town's "Mälma Lucia contest" that goes against everything Erika believes in, she ends up falling in love.
I wish could have been a full novel: I wanted to know more about the characters and the buildup to their relationship. It definitely felt like much was missing, but I've never read a novella before so that might be why I was expecting more. I was also surprised at how fast the two moved, declaring each other girlfriends even before their first kiss... again, where are the lesbians like this at? All lesbians I know take forever to make a move!
I loved how the two main characters contrast in so many ways: butch and femme, bright red mohawk and long luscious hair, anti-beauty pageant and aspiring pageant queen. Erika's white ignorance definitely shows through at times, which I believe was intentional. Padma's reasoning for wanting to be in this pageant was compelling, and I admired how the novella explored racism and beauty standards in this way. Overall, a short and sweet read!
CW: mentions of jail, sex, racism, stereotypes
When Erika is arrested while spray-painting a misogynistic billboard in protest and she must choose between community service and serving time in jail, she chooses the former. Assigned to be Padma's assistant for their town's "Mälma Lucia contest" that goes against everything Erika believes in, she ends up falling in love.
I wish could have been a full novel: I wanted to know more about the characters and the buildup to their relationship. It definitely felt like much was missing, but I've never read a novella before so that might be why I was expecting more. I was also surprised at how fast the two moved, declaring each other girlfriends even before their first kiss... again, where are the lesbians like this at? All lesbians I know take forever to make a move!
I loved how the two main characters contrast in so many ways: butch and femme, bright red mohawk and long luscious hair, anti-beauty pageant and aspiring pageant queen. Erika's white ignorance definitely shows through at times, which I believe was intentional. Padma's reasoning for wanting to be in this pageant was compelling, and I admired how the novella explored racism and beauty standards in this way. Overall, a short and sweet read!
CW: mentions of jail, sex, racism, stereotypes
wcs53's review
4.0
This was a great story to read at this time of year. I usually like to read a few Christmas romance books at this time of year and this was the first lesbian one that I have read. Set in Sweden in the mid-90s, it told the story of Erika and how the choice she had to make between going to jail or doing community service found her coming face to face with one of her teenage crushes. As the story unfolds, Erika has to make smoother difficult choices and things almost go awry for her. This is an enjoyable novella, with well-written and strong characters. If you're looking for a different seasonl-type read, then give this one a try.
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