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lucypoppleton6's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
I want to start off by saying that this book is not close to Last Night at the Telegraph Club. It is marketed as a companion, but it only briefly touches on Kath and Lily’s story.
The book tells the story of 18 year-old Aria Tang West in the summer between high school and college. It is definitely a coming of age story as she explores her sexuality (it’s not clear if she’s bi or lesbian). But what holds this book back is the fact that she is involved in an affair. Both Aria and Steph (her grandmother’s gardener) know that Steph is dating someone else, yet they choose to cheat even without Steph breaking up with her girlfriend first. It’s messy, and not in a good way.
The better relationships in the story are between Aria and her family and high school friends. I loved her relationship with her grandmother through art and with her friend Tasha as they come out to each other.
Also, the historical aspect of the book could be explored better. The book barely mentions the legalization of gay marriage or homophobia at all. It seems like it is just thrown in the description as a premise without being addressed in the book.
The book tells the story of 18 year-old Aria Tang West in the summer between high school and college. It is definitely a coming of age story as she explores her sexuality (it’s not clear if she’s bi or lesbian). But what holds this book back is the fact that she is involved in an affair. Both Aria and Steph (her grandmother’s gardener) know that Steph is dating someone else, yet they choose to cheat even without Steph breaking up with her girlfriend first. It’s messy, and not in a good way.
The better relationships in the story are between Aria and her family and high school friends. I loved her relationship with her grandmother through art and with her friend Tasha as they come out to each other.
Also, the historical aspect of the book could be explored better. The book barely mentions the legalization of gay marriage or homophobia at all. It seems like it is just thrown in the description as a premise without being addressed in the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Rape, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
There are a couple of sex scenes between Aria and Steph, along with memories of times Aria had sex with boys.bookishsapphicshay's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Cancer
katebrownreads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Sexual content
madelonpaige's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Homophobia
verysillygoose's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an arc of this book!
A Scatter of Light follows Aria as she unwillingly spends the summer near San Francisco with her grandmother after an ex-hookup leaked nonconsensual pictures of her to her graduating class. Aria meets her grandmother's gardener, Steph, and becomes curious about the queer culture and friends Steph is a part of. Aria discovers herself through her art and her past-grandfather's astronomy notes throughout the summer.
I loved every inch of this book. It is such a raw story and I felt like I got to know Aria so well throughout it. It is so odd to me to classify this as historical fiction when it was set in 2008! That does not feel like that long ago. And yet...I was in 8th grade then! Wow.
I loved learning about some queer artists and the lesbian scene in San Francisco at the time, as well as all the beautiful character development throughout. I don't love infidelity as a plot point in books but the way this was written was really great and didn't bother me the way that trope usually does.
This book is beautifully written and the cover is gorgeous!
A Scatter of Light follows Aria as she unwillingly spends the summer near San Francisco with her grandmother after an ex-hookup leaked nonconsensual pictures of her to her graduating class. Aria meets her grandmother's gardener, Steph, and becomes curious about the queer culture and friends Steph is a part of. Aria discovers herself through her art and her past-grandfather's astronomy notes throughout the summer.
I loved every inch of this book. It is such a raw story and I felt like I got to know Aria so well throughout it. It is so odd to me to classify this as historical fiction when it was set in 2008! That does not feel like that long ago. And yet...I was in 8th grade then! Wow.
I loved learning about some queer artists and the lesbian scene in San Francisco at the time, as well as all the beautiful character development throughout. I don't love infidelity as a plot point in books but the way this was written was really great and didn't bother me the way that trope usually does.
This book is beautifully written and the cover is gorgeous!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Abandonment
thehmkane's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, and Dementia
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.5
It's the summer after high school graduation, and Aria is sent to her grandmother's house for the summer after a boy publishes photos of her with her shirt off. It's there Aria meets Steph, her grandmother's gardener. Steph, who introduces Aria to the queer world of art and music. Who might make Aria realize she's not straight.
This book is set in 2013, after the legalization of gay marriage in the United States. Lo brilliantly adds little details about this throughout the book, showing the reader how the news affected the LGBTQ+ community in different ways.
Aria's journey in this book is messy. It's emotional. It's relatable. However, while this book is billed as YA, I think it might have a slightly older target audience. Twenty-somethings might see themselves more in this book, because of the time period its set in.
Like all of Malinda Lo's book, there's an emotional tenderness in this book as Aria is trying to discover herself. It's not a fast moving book, but a book focused on the ways that she is changing, the ways that she is coming into herself. It is honestly so beautifully written.
My only complaint, really, is that this is being promoted as a companion to [book:Last Night at the Telegraph Club|35224992], and while there is a connection, it's very small. I almost wished that aspect could have been explored a little more, because I think it would have just pushed this book over the edge, up to five stars for me.
Nevertheless, this is still an emotional, coming into your identity story and I'd highly recommend it!
This book is set in 2013, after the legalization of gay marriage in the United States. Lo brilliantly adds little details about this throughout the book, showing the reader how the news affected the LGBTQ+ community in different ways.
Aria's journey in this book is messy. It's emotional. It's relatable. However, while this book is billed as YA, I think it might have a slightly older target audience. Twenty-somethings might see themselves more in this book, because of the time period its set in.
Like all of Malinda Lo's book, there's an emotional tenderness in this book as Aria is trying to discover herself. It's not a fast moving book, but a book focused on the ways that she is changing, the ways that she is coming into herself. It is honestly so beautifully written.
My only complaint, really, is that this is being promoted as a companion to [book:Last Night at the Telegraph Club|35224992], and while there is a connection, it's very small. I almost wished that aspect could have been explored a little more, because I think it would have just pushed this book over the edge, up to five stars for me.
Nevertheless, this is still an emotional, coming into your identity story and I'd highly recommend it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Homophobia, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
dbogen47's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Well Malinda Lo has done it again! I think I needed to read this book at this moment. This was really beautiful and something that will stick with me. She really captures desire in a beautiful way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual harassment
displacedcactus's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
A Scatter of Light is a coming of age story which feels simultaneously like a historical and contemporary story. Aside from bookending chapters in 2008 and 2023, the book is set in 2013 in the Bay Area. While this is within the lifetime of pretty much anyone who is going to read the book today, thus feeling contemporary, the story takes place during a historically important period when California's Prop 8 was ruled unconstitutional, allowing gay Californians to finally wed.
Against this backdrop, main character Aria is coming to terms with her own sexuality, crushing hard on her grandmother's gardener, navigating a falling out between her two best friends, and trying not to think too much about the nude photos that a boy posted of her before high school graduation.
When reading this book, it will be important to keep in mind that while a summer crush is at the heart of the story, it is not a Romance Novel, and thus may not necessarily follow the conventions of the romance genre. Set your expectations accordingly.
Readers of Last Night at the Telegraph Club will be happy to know that while this is not a direct sequel, you will eventually get an update on Lily and Kathy.
Against this backdrop, main character Aria is coming to terms with her own sexuality, crushing hard on her grandmother's gardener, navigating a falling out between her two best friends, and trying not to think too much about the nude photos that a boy posted of her before high school graduation.
When reading this book, it will be important to keep in mind that while a summer crush is at the heart of the story, it is not a Romance Novel, and thus may not necessarily follow the conventions of the romance genre. Set your expectations accordingly.
Readers of Last Night at the Telegraph Club will be happy to know that while this is not a direct sequel, you will eventually get an update on Lily and Kathy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Death, Homophobia, and Racism