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trintrin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
THIS. IS. THE. SADDEST. BOOK. I'VE. EVER. READ!! A cruel, raw, story in which three people's lives are utterly ruined, no happily ever after at all.
Not a fan of the writing style. There were wayyy too many Marion scenes for my liking. I don't think I've ever hated a main character this much. Wanted more of Patrick, and Tom was completely absent. But aside form that, it's a pretty good book. Apt to that era of time. Throughout the entire book, I kept imaging the characters as their actors, even thought I've literally never watched the movie (and the movie hadn't even been out when I read this too)
Patrick's jail time was just way too cruel man. Really glad Marion's "plan" backfired so spectacularly. Julia was the best, my fave. This book portrays the kind of prejudice the LGBTQ+ community had to put up with in the past, and still have to in some countries. So this was an eye-opener, in a way. But also, at times, it felt really obvious it was written by a straight white woman.
Anyways, I read this only for Harry Styles :D
Not a fan of the writing style. There were wayyy too many Marion scenes for my liking. I don't think I've ever hated a main character this much. Wanted more of Patrick, and Tom was completely absent. But aside form that, it's a pretty good book. Apt to that era of time. Throughout the entire book, I kept imaging the characters as their actors, even thought I've literally never watched the movie (and the movie hadn't even been out when I read this too)
Patrick's jail time was just way too cruel man. Really glad Marion's "plan" backfired so spectacularly. Julia was the best, my fave. This book portrays the kind of prejudice the LGBTQ+ community had to put up with in the past, and still have to in some countries. So this was an eye-opener, in a way. But also, at times, it felt really obvious it was written by a straight white woman.
Anyways, I read this only for Harry Styles :D
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Outing
Moderate: Suicide and Terminal illness
sparrymcgraw's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Hate crime and Homophobia
spacecowgirl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.25
damn, harry, are you okay? 'cause honey, this book is Depressing with a capital d.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Hate crime and Sexual content
tagbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
Favorite book read in 2021 so far. Romance but not the kind to make you shudder. Very sweet but sad.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Hate crime, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
rosage's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
i loved patrick and tom but fucking hate marion and that goddamned letter.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Outing
Minor: Lesbophobia
ameliagrace's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Hate crime and Toxic relationship
Minor: Suicide
marite_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book made me feel so many emotions.
I love how flawed and real every caracter was. I love how angry this book made me. I loved how the writer managed to tie all the ends together in the end of the book.
I think that at some point I managed to love and hate (with my whole heart) each of the main caracters.
But really, this has been such an informative book towards queer history and made me think about our current time and what we consider to be taboo right now, might just be the most normal thing in just a couple of years.
*SPOILERS*
My most favourite caracter has to be Julia. What a wonderful person.
I loved that the book didn't only concentrate on the gay aspect of the 50s, even if briefly, it also touched the subject of what it was like to be a lesbian/bisexual back then. Honestly I'd love to be friends with a person like Julia. She was such a cheerful, polite and uplifting caracter. I think it's great that in the end Marion actually decided to apologise to her and hear out her part of the story.
Patrick, oh they don't deserve you. Why would you ever fall for a guy like Tom, I don't get.
What a wonderful caracter. I especially loved his relationship he had with his mother. The sassiness was just so good.
I love how flawed and real every caracter was. I love how angry this book made me. I loved how the writer managed to tie all the ends together in the end of the book.
I think that at some point I managed to love and hate (with my whole heart) each of the main caracters.
But really, this has been such an informative book towards queer history and made me think about our current time and what we consider to be taboo right now, might just be the most normal thing in just a couple of years.
*SPOILERS*
My most favourite caracter has to be Julia. What a wonderful person.
I loved that the book didn't only concentrate on the gay aspect of the 50s, even if briefly, it also touched the subject of what it was like to be a lesbian/bisexual back then. Honestly I'd love to be friends with a person like Julia. She was such a cheerful, polite and uplifting caracter. I think it's great that in the end Marion actually decided to apologise to her and hear out her part of the story.
Patrick, oh they don't deserve you. Why would you ever fall for a guy like Tom, I don't get.
What a wonderful caracter. I especially loved his relationship he had with his mother. The sassiness was just so good.
"Good. Now what's going on in filthy old Brighton? Are you behaving yourself?"
"Certainly not."
She uncurled her best devilish smile. "Marvellous. Let's have a drink and you can tell me all about it."
I'd love to try one of his dishes. Some parts of the book where his food was being described, I got so hungry!
Me and him would have a lot to talk about since we're both interested in books, art, music and italian cooking. I hate seeing my favourite caracters being s**t all over but I guess it's harder to get the reader's sympathy when terrible things happend to terrible caracters.
I absolutely despised Tom's and Marion's caracters. So much problematic bulls**t going on there, so I'll keep it brief. Tom was a bitter, misogynistic ass bi**h and Marion was just straight up dumb smh.... Actually you know, Marion was also quite bitter most of the time, so they make a great match I guess.
I guess times were different back then so I'll forgive some of the dumbness even though I'm sure they would still be considered assholes back then.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Medical trauma