Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Sunburn

“If only I had never spotted the torturous loveliness of her. If only I wasn’t afraid to look inside myself, that way I might know better who I am. As it stands, I don’t know whether I might want a boy or another girl, or whether my heart has been spoiled beyond any other love by Susannah. How can I defend myself to Mother when I don’t understand what I’m defending? How is it that when you grow up and get stuck in love, that love is forgotten about? My love now seems to be an aggressive, political thing. It is the ceaseless search for an identity and then committing to that identity. It is a fight to exist in my own home. Is that not exhausting? Is it worth it?”

Content Warnings

e11en's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective 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

4.5

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milliemarilyn's review

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I listened to this as an audiobook through Libby. The sentence by sentence craft of this is incredible, if I had the physical copy I know it would be covered in highlights and notes.

However it was too much of a slow burn for me and the last third was a bit of a slog to finish. I completely understand the positive reviews though and wish I enjoyed it more

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bookishpip's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I received this book as a gift and I’m so glad that I did.

This is an absolutely gorgeous, heartwarming and heartbreaking account of growing up in a small Irish village. Very insular and religious, Lucy feels discomfort at the expectations of the people around her. She can’t understand why - until one summer when she begins to grow closer to her school friend, Susannah.

It’s an incredibly insightful account of coming to terms with a queer identity in the face of prejudice and discrimination. The fight between being true to herself and her love for Susannah or being accepted by everyone she knows and loves, is an internal turmoil so intimate and true to so many in the LGBTQ+ community, even today.

Although I’m so glad that this book exists and was so thankful to read this (and easy 5*!), go easy with this if LGBTQ+ discrimination (especially linked to religion) might be triggering for you.

🧡

Content Warnings

shroff_sanjana's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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emisbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

i cannot put my thoughts on this book into words. it was truly incredible.

the writing is so beautiful. the descriptions of love and yearning are so raw. the main themes of queerness, growing up female, homesickness, places, platonic and romantic love are explored so deeply. this book is equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting. the characters feel like real people.

i feel really bad for martin. i have never seen a character be so dedicated to another only for that dedication to not be reciprocated in the way they want. ouch.

easiest 5 stars i've ever given. this is a new favourite book of all time for me. highly, HIGHLY recommend. i truly have no criticisms of this story.

Content Warnings

joensign's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

queershark's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

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