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thesawyerbean's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.25
All flowers do is die, Adam thinks. You buy them because they are beautiful, but as soon as you bring them home, you realise that they have already begun to die. Swiftly, or slowly, it doesn’t matter. They only die, and all you can do is watch.
When You Call My Name is a story of two teenage boys, coming of age in New York City in 1990. It’s a story of angst, tragedy, sickness, violence, loss; but also one of hope, community, adventure, love. The two protagonists, Ben & Adam, fates elegantly intertwined, navigate coming to terms with their sexualities, relationships and futures in a disapproving society plagued by the shadow of HIV/AIDS. It is an ugly portrait of the withering reality of the disease and the grief it wrought, while displaying the strength and bravery of the queer communities that came together in solidarity and love in spite of it.
Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, this novel is a delight to read and carries an important piece of history within it. The author’s note at the end really wrapped it up in such a beautiful way, providing personal experiences from Shaw himself that allow you to see his point of view.
If you wait, if you stand still, if you watch and maybe listen, too, then you start to see all the layers and textures and movements and messages. You see all these colours start to emerge from the grayness. Vibrant, alive, just waiting to be seen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Blood, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Excrement, Grief, Medical trauma, Outing, and Physical abuse
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