Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

275 reviews

jashanac's review against another edition

4.25

I quite enjoyed this! It was a very quick read for me -- every time I sat down to read I had read 50 pages before I knew it, and always wanted to continue even if I couldn't at the moment. 

This was a lovely, real, and honest coming-of-age story combined with a coming out story. With the added layer of what it was like to be Chinese American at a particularly tense time in American history for that community. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing in this story; I found myself getting lost in the story time and time again, despite it not being some high-action, full-of-high-drama kind of story. 

My only real qualm here is the backstory chapters we got for Lily's parents and her aunt. There were only a few of them, and I personally don't think they actually added anything to Lily's story that was being told. Her parents were very much background characters, and I don't think they needed to be more than that -- I don't feel that I needed to learn more about who they really were, or who they were when they were younger, etc. 

This story ends on a hopeful note, and doesn't tie everything up with a neat bow, which I didn't mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Xenophobia

Moderate: Racism, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Miscarriage

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Outing, Hate crime, Grief, Abandonment, Classism, Death, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Deportation, Sexism, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Mental illness, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, War, Medical content, Violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, and Infertility

frankiebee's review against another edition

hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Lesbophobia, and Deportation

dragon_lord's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Death, Outing, Toxic friendship, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Excrement, Drug use, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

xjr's review against another edition

emotional funny informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

If you're buying this I'd read some of the author's notes about language before starting since it may come off offensively. 

Anyway, this historical sapphic love story that takes place in the 1950s is both sweet, emotional and in a way empowering. Lily truly undergoes a transformation, and the lesbian yearning is strong. 

I simply wish some of the other subplots were elaborated on to make it feel a bit more satisfactory. The romance itself was well done and I enjoyed both characters, their interactions and their adorkable dream sharing. 

The author's notes at the end are also all super interesting and I recommend all to read it for some history lessons and interesting anecdotes from sapphic Asian Americans that experienced the 1950s-1970s USA.

Removed details of my issues since I can't get the spoiler button to work and they're very minor issues so can't explain without spoiling lol rip.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Xenophobia, Racism, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual harassment and War

Minor: Miscarriage

megelizabeth's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

I completely adored this book. Lily and Kath are characters who I know will stay with me forever, and there's so much to love about their story: the beautiful, tender depictions of queer awakenings; the vividness with which 1950s San Francisco is captured; the complex family relationships and friendships that are explored; the seamless interweaving of discussions of race, gender, sexuality, and Cold War politics. This wasn't quite a 5* for me only because I found the ending to be ever so slightly unsatisfying and because there's a very brief mention of student-teacher 'relationships' which didn't sit right with me, but on the whole I just loved this book, its quiet, haunting, timeless depiction of queer love and community in an unsafe world, and everything else it comprises.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Child abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Racism and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent

avisreadsandreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Racism, and Misogyny

Minor: Drug use, Deportation, Miscarriage, and War

_justjess's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Outing, Lesbophobia, Racism, Homophobia, and Xenophobia

Minor: Alcohol, Toxic friendship, and Miscarriage

theemeraldgirl23's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.75

"This book is for anyone who has ever loved—in any sense of the word."- Emily X.R. Pan

I couldn't have said it any better myself. This a story of the past and how important it is to live your truth even if your loved ones might not agree with it. It was an incredibly woven story with immersive descriptions that make you feel like you're really in 1950s San Francisco. I loved the book and its representation and it was just so beautiful! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol and Homophobia

Minor: Miscarriage

gracewiley's review against another edition

emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Alcohol, Outing, Deportation, and War

Minor: Miscarriage and Forced institutionalization