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addyruth17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Racism
Moderate: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual content, War, and Deportation
burnt_milk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.25
I'm always uncomfortable when stories depict teenagers drinking and especially adults giving them alcohol but it made sense to do in a story literally about a club. I felt the epilogue ran over everything too fast but that might just be me, I'd be happy with a 500+ page book delving more into the politics and what happened w McCarthyism and
They're sweet and I choose to believe they are 90+ and still have ginger ice-cream dates to this day. Emily Woo Zeller was also fantastic narrating the audiobook.
Graphic: Homophobia and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Deportation, and Racial slurs
Minor: Outing, Miscarriage, and War
kyleighwhitsell's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia
Minor: Miscarriage
rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Outing, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Deportation, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Police brutality
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Transphobia
bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Alcohol, and War
swaggyfrog's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexism, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Deportation, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Outing, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Classism
sinaprst's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
honestly, i´ve rarely been moved by a story that much. the characters really resonated with me and all i ever want for them is to be happy. this did not feel like "just a book" but a real story with real people and real problems.
I would also highly recommend reading the author`s note in the end as it shows just how much research has gone into this. it also helps to understand the circumstances around the story even better, especially if you´re someone like me, a 21 y/o european, who thus barely knows anything about the experience of chinese-americans and/or queer people in the US, especially San Francisco, in the 1950s.
all in all a 5/5 star read for me for sure and defintely a new favourite
recommende reading ambience: https://youtu.be/9WamZPMt_ic?si=HK1aL0SnzQsFA7KH
Graphic: Racial slurs, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Outing, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: War, Sexual harassment, and Alcohol
Minor: Miscarriage
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, Sexism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Child abuse, Outing, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage, Classism, Deportation, and Drug use
emfass's review against another edition
- 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
I also ended up loving the interludes where Lo added chapters from the point of view of Lily's parents and aunt, to give voice to the many ways immigration, racism, and living a life spanning multiple cultures affects people.
I deeply appreciate the way Malinda Lo incorporated so much research as well as inspiration from her own family to create such a realistic, respectful view into San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1950s. I also loved reading her Author's Note at the end, which gave historical context to so much of the story.
I listened to this on audio and narrator Emily Woo Zeller was wonderful.
This is going to be one of my favorite reads of 2023.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Alcohol, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Outing, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Police brutality, Sexual content, Deportation, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, and Body horror
lecari's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Homophobia, and Racial slurs