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1.04k reviews for:
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages
Saundra Mitchell
3.92 AVERAGE
1.04k reviews for:
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages
Saundra Mitchell
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
OMG I don’t even have enough words to say how amazing this book was! So awesome!
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
After having had this on my reading list for many years, I finally read this last month. The stories were all quite sweet, and it was a breath of fresh air to read stories about queer people existing on their own terms regardless of their society's expectations. Most of the stories were quite fluffy, which was nice in its way.
However, I kept wishing for more.
I felt a little disappointed that, in the two instances of trans representation, it's from an "outside" perspective: the only things we know about these trans characters are how they are seen by cis characters around them, and are thus described on the cis characters' terms. It felt quite declawed and I wished for messy.
I'm sure that if I had read this at 15 years old, barely out of the closet and all, reading these stories about *historical* queer people not just existing but being happy, and demanding the right to exist on their own terms propriety-be-damned would have felt super vindicating to read. But now I'm almost 24 and maybe I'm just not the target audience anymore, and that's okay.
However, I kept wishing for more.
I felt a little disappointed that, in the two instances of trans representation, it's from an "outside" perspective: the only things we know about these trans characters are how they are seen by cis characters around them, and are thus described on the cis characters' terms. It felt quite declawed and I wished for messy.
I'm sure that if I had read this at 15 years old, barely out of the closet and all, reading these stories about *historical* queer people not just existing but being happy, and demanding the right to exist on their own terms propriety-be-damned would have felt super vindicating to read. But now I'm almost 24 and maybe I'm just not the target audience anymore, and that's okay.
technically a dnf but i quickly lost my patience with this anthology based on the stories i did read. boring, formulaic, and for the most part not terribly interested in engaging with either their historical settings or their queerness outside of some insta-love where the characters happen to be of the same gender. a skim of the other two-star reviews echo thoughts i was already having. "roja" was quite good and "burnt umber" was at least fun but none of these actually grabbed my attention or will stay with me in any meaningful way.
another thing that stands out to me is just how poorly edited this collection really is? i don't blame the authors for this part, but inconsistent or missing commas and way too many instances of tense inconsistency. i don't think i plan to read any other collections compiled by saundra mitchell.
another thing that stands out to me is just how poorly edited this collection really is? i don't blame the authors for this part, but inconsistent or missing commas and way too many instances of tense inconsistency. i don't think i plan to read any other collections compiled by saundra mitchell.
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book is sweet with mostly stories about new, young love. Overall, the stories are fairly straightforward and don't leave me wanting more or needing to dig deeper.
It would have been nice to see more racial diversity, and the inclusion of intersex and ace (only one story had a bi character, and it wasn't the POV).
It would have been nice to see more racial diversity, and the inclusion of intersex and ace (only one story had a bi character, and it wasn't the POV).
This series of short story collections is absolutely fantastic. Many of the short stories in this addition were incredibly unique and creative while others were deeply emotional. I really hope there's going to be a fourth book in this series!
Cute collection of short, queer love stories and fairytales that aren't necessarily super special, but are a nice step in the direction of representation. They are mostly gay and lesbian tales, but there is a trans and two asexual tales as well, which is cool.
I found this collection to be very uneven, and think it could have benefited from more editorial oversight to make it more cohesive. I found it jarring to go back and forth between historical fiction and historical-based fantasy, and thought that many of the fantasy stories were trying to do more worldbuilding than they had space for in a short story, at the expense of developing characters and plot. In addition, the vast majority of stories in this collection are set in America or western Europe in the last 300 years, which was disappointing in an anthology subtitled "throughout the ages".
Out of the fantasy stories my favorites were by Anna-Marie McLemore and Tehlor Kay Mejia; both did a good job of limiting the scope of plot to something appropriate for a short story, and both drew their fantasy elements from the culture and time period they were set in. Out of the historical fiction stories my favorite was Malinda Lo's, which created a very strong sense of place and time, and ended on a satisfyingly open note.
Out of the fantasy stories my favorites were by Anna-Marie McLemore and Tehlor Kay Mejia; both did a good job of limiting the scope of plot to something appropriate for a short story, and both drew their fantasy elements from the culture and time period they were set in. Out of the historical fiction stories my favorite was Malinda Lo's, which created a very strong sense of place and time, and ended on a satisfyingly open note.
For those of you who don't know, I have been anticipating this book since the very first Publisher's Weekly announcement almost two years ago. Since that time, I have read more books by more of these authors, worked shortly for the agency that represents many of them, and generally fallen into a rabbit hole of anticipation that I can't believe I've finally pulled myself out of. It has been a long journey. And now I'm thrilled to talk more about each of these stories and my overall thoughts on this collection.
♡Story Reviews♡
♡ Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore: 4/5
This was a brilliant start to the collection, and only solidified the love I have for Anna-Marie McLemore's writing. There is something so fierce and unyielding about her characters, and even in a few pages she was able to craft a deeply moving story full of characters and a world I instantly understood. I really appreciated her writer's note giving more context to the story, but overall I felt fully absorbed in the collection from page one.
♡The Sweet Trade by Natalie C. Parker: 2.5/5
In concept, this is brilliant. Two women run away from their husbands on the day of their weddings, steal boats, and happen to run into and fall for each other. However, in execution, I wasn't as big a fan. The story felt rushed, the romance uncompelling, and I was already forgetting it by the time it was over.
♡And They Don't Kiss at The End by Nilah McGruder: 3.5/5
I love stories set in the 70s, and this definitely delivered on that aesthetic element. The main character was sweet and I really liked the inclusion of a story with a character on the ace spectrum. It was a really nice story with a great setting, and I will 100% be on the lookout for more of Nilah's work.
♡Burnt Umber by Mackenzi Lee: 4/5
McKenzi Lee sure does know how to make me fall for an m/m pairing. This was hysterical and adorable, and without a doubt delivered on what I was expecting from this author. While I didn't love Gentleman's Guide, this renewed my confidence in Lee's writing and hyped me up for her book coming out in 2019. Seriously, blushing art boys falling in love softly with little bits of embarrassment thrown in? Exactly my cup of tea.
♡The Dresser and the Chambermaid by Robin Talley: 4/5
I will be the first to admit I have a huge weakness for palace drama, and I'm so glad at least one story in this collection gave it to me. While I have had my bouts in the past with queer characters in period palace shows and movies, this was finally what I've been looking for. The romance wasn't rushed, and the setting was excellent. I'm thinking I may have a particular fondness for Robin Talley when she writes shorter fiction, and I can't wait to read her story in after enjoying this as much as I did.
♡New Year by Malinda Lo: 3.5/5
So it turns out this is only part of what will be a full book by Malinda, which I suspected based on the summary of her next release, and I think that showed in the story itself. While it was nice, and I loved the setting of 1950s San Francisco, it felt incomplete and I'm excited to eventually read a deeper, more fleshed out version.
♡Molly's Lips by Dahlia Adler: 4.5/5
This was (I think?) the shortest story in the collection, but it absolutely blew me away. I mean.... Kurt Cobain? Best friends harboring secret crushes? Drama? I live for it all, and I can't believe this is the only thing I have ever read by Dahlia. My new goal is to read more of her work as soon as possible.
♡The Coven by Kate Scelsa: 3/5
I kind of expected more out of this story considering it was set in the 1920s, one of my favorite time periods to read about. I did love the witch element, and the setting, but it fell flat considering how many of my favorite things it was trying to deliver simultaneously. I will say I liked the very end of the story the best, though, and I think it made the whole thing feel like it had a solid landing.
♡Every Shade of Red by Elliot Wake: 3/5
Oh, how I have tried to love Elliot Wake. His writing is very, very flowery and metaphorical, which was something I knew back when I read Black Iris. But while I know a lot of people love his writing style, it ends up being sort of a slog for me to get through. The story underneath heavy-handed writing was fantastic, though. I love a good retelling, and a m/m retelling of Robin Hood with a trans Robin as the love interest was just a fantastic concept.
♡Willows by Scott Tracey: 2/5
I'll be honest, I don't have a very full idea of what happened in this book or what the particular queer rep even was. I think it was possibly going for a gender fluid or non-binary main character, but the entire thing was unnecessarily confusing.
♡The Girl With the Blue Lantern by Tess Sharpe: 4/5
Can I get a "hell yeah!" for prairie vibes, bringing it back to the historical fiction I consumed constantly as a kid? Honestly, this was fantastic. Clearly I was a fan of the setting, and the fantastical element was really well done. I'm usually not a fan of anthologies that aren't fantasy having stories with fantasy elements, but I loved this. The f/f romance was great, the writing was solid, and this is a story I would love to return to in the future.
♡The Secret Life of a Teenage Boy by Alex Sanchez: 4.5/5
I can't even fully describe why I love this story as much as I do, but even after just a few pages with the main character I got a little teary at the end? I do love the setting of a scorching porch in the summer and a stranger just wandering through who happens to catch the eye of a main character. I mean, I know that's a specific trope, but I love it. This wasn't a romance so much as a romance-to-aid-coming-of-age-narrative situation, but it was soft and quick and it just made me smile.
♡Walking After Midnight by Kody Keplinger: 2.5/5
I'll be honest, I had to flip back to this story later because I completely forgot what it was about, and that is the biggest problem. The romance doesn't feel earned, and the entire thing is just sort of a there-and-gone situation that I at no point felt particularly invested in.
♡The End of the World As We Know It by Sara Farizan: 3/5
First and foremost, I'm not that old so it was weird to read about a date I remember experiencing in a historical fiction collection? I mean, I was at a New Year's Eve party in December 1999. I know what that was like. But beyond that, I thought this story was nice. It didn't blow me away, but it was sweet and I did really like the New Year's Eve element.
♡Three Witches by Tessa Gratton: 3.5/5
I've upped my rating by half a star since I read this! There are multiple f/f witch stories in this collection, but I think this one is a bit stronger. The romance was wonderful, and I thought the magic was really off-kilter in a way that charmed me. I think the final POV kind of unsettled the rhythm of the story, but overall it was super enjoyable.
♡The Inferno & The Butterfly by Shaun David Hutchinson: 5/5
My absolute favorite story in this collection. As someone who loves The Prestige more than I would care to admit, the fact that SDH made it gay is??? Overwhelming??? I can't believe it?? I mean, battling magicians is great, but put a m/m romance at the center of it and my heart is completely yours. I want this to be a full novel. I would cry.
♡Healing Rosa by Tehlor Kay Mejia: 4.5/5
An incredibly solid conclusion to this collection, and it blows me away that Tehlor doesn't have a novel out yet. I know one is coming soon (and!! she's writing one with Anna-Marie McLemore!! I'm not even kind of ready wow!), but I'm anticipating it even more highly after this story. There was so much work done here that it felt like I got the content of a full book in only a few pages. It was profoundly emotional, and there is a deep connection to family and tradition, with this through-line of respect and romance that pulls the whole thing together. Overall, fantastic.
♡Overall Thoughts♡
Like any anthology, I would say this had its ups and downs, but it was a really solid collection that allowed me to read some incredible stories by authors I already love, and some by authors I can't wait to read more from. I do wish, like many other reviewers, that more stories would have been set outside the United States and Europe? I think it would have offered a greater variety in storytelling and really opened up the potential to see so many more stories of queer teens. But beyond that, I really had no complaints, and I feel like my months and months of anticipation were met with a beautiful collection of queer characters living their lives throughout time.
Average rating: 3.6/5
Final rating: 4/5
♡Story Reviews♡
♡ Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore: 4/5
This was a brilliant start to the collection, and only solidified the love I have for Anna-Marie McLemore's writing. There is something so fierce and unyielding about her characters, and even in a few pages she was able to craft a deeply moving story full of characters and a world I instantly understood. I really appreciated her writer's note giving more context to the story, but overall I felt fully absorbed in the collection from page one.
♡The Sweet Trade by Natalie C. Parker: 2.5/5
In concept, this is brilliant. Two women run away from their husbands on the day of their weddings, steal boats, and happen to run into and fall for each other. However, in execution, I wasn't as big a fan. The story felt rushed, the romance uncompelling, and I was already forgetting it by the time it was over.
♡And They Don't Kiss at The End by Nilah McGruder: 3.5/5
I love stories set in the 70s, and this definitely delivered on that aesthetic element. The main character was sweet and I really liked the inclusion of a story with a character on the ace spectrum. It was a really nice story with a great setting, and I will 100% be on the lookout for more of Nilah's work.
♡Burnt Umber by Mackenzi Lee: 4/5
McKenzi Lee sure does know how to make me fall for an m/m pairing. This was hysterical and adorable, and without a doubt delivered on what I was expecting from this author. While I didn't love Gentleman's Guide, this renewed my confidence in Lee's writing and hyped me up for her book coming out in 2019. Seriously, blushing art boys falling in love softly with little bits of embarrassment thrown in? Exactly my cup of tea.
♡The Dresser and the Chambermaid by Robin Talley: 4/5
I will be the first to admit I have a huge weakness for palace drama, and I'm so glad at least one story in this collection gave it to me. While I have had my bouts in the past with queer characters in period palace shows and movies, this was finally what I've been looking for. The romance wasn't rushed, and the setting was excellent. I'm thinking I may have a particular fondness for Robin Talley when she writes shorter fiction, and I can't wait to read her story in
♡New Year by Malinda Lo: 3.5/5
So it turns out this is only part of what will be a full book by Malinda, which I suspected based on the summary of her next release, and I think that showed in the story itself. While it was nice, and I loved the setting of 1950s San Francisco, it felt incomplete and I'm excited to eventually read a deeper, more fleshed out version.
♡Molly's Lips by Dahlia Adler: 4.5/5
This was (I think?) the shortest story in the collection, but it absolutely blew me away. I mean.... Kurt Cobain? Best friends harboring secret crushes? Drama? I live for it all, and I can't believe this is the only thing I have ever read by Dahlia. My new goal is to read more of her work as soon as possible.
♡The Coven by Kate Scelsa: 3/5
I kind of expected more out of this story considering it was set in the 1920s, one of my favorite time periods to read about. I did love the witch element, and the setting, but it fell flat considering how many of my favorite things it was trying to deliver simultaneously. I will say I liked the very end of the story the best, though, and I think it made the whole thing feel like it had a solid landing.
♡Every Shade of Red by Elliot Wake: 3/5
Oh, how I have tried to love Elliot Wake. His writing is very, very flowery and metaphorical, which was something I knew back when I read Black Iris. But while I know a lot of people love his writing style, it ends up being sort of a slog for me to get through. The story underneath heavy-handed writing was fantastic, though. I love a good retelling, and a m/m retelling of Robin Hood with a trans Robin as the love interest was just a fantastic concept.
♡Willows by Scott Tracey: 2/5
I'll be honest, I don't have a very full idea of what happened in this book or what the particular queer rep even was. I think it was possibly going for a gender fluid or non-binary main character, but the entire thing was unnecessarily confusing.
♡The Girl With the Blue Lantern by Tess Sharpe: 4/5
Can I get a "hell yeah!" for prairie vibes, bringing it back to the historical fiction I consumed constantly as a kid? Honestly, this was fantastic. Clearly I was a fan of the setting, and the fantastical element was really well done. I'm usually not a fan of anthologies that aren't fantasy having stories with fantasy elements, but I loved this. The f/f romance was great, the writing was solid, and this is a story I would love to return to in the future.
♡The Secret Life of a Teenage Boy by Alex Sanchez: 4.5/5
I can't even fully describe why I love this story as much as I do, but even after just a few pages with the main character I got a little teary at the end? I do love the setting of a scorching porch in the summer and a stranger just wandering through who happens to catch the eye of a main character. I mean, I know that's a specific trope, but I love it. This wasn't a romance so much as a romance-to-aid-coming-of-age-narrative situation, but it was soft and quick and it just made me smile.
♡Walking After Midnight by Kody Keplinger: 2.5/5
I'll be honest, I had to flip back to this story later because I completely forgot what it was about, and that is the biggest problem. The romance doesn't feel earned, and the entire thing is just sort of a there-and-gone situation that I at no point felt particularly invested in.
♡The End of the World As We Know It by Sara Farizan: 3/5
First and foremost, I'm not that old so it was weird to read about a date I remember experiencing in a historical fiction collection? I mean, I was at a New Year's Eve party in December 1999. I know what that was like. But beyond that, I thought this story was nice. It didn't blow me away, but it was sweet and I did really like the New Year's Eve element.
♡Three Witches by Tessa Gratton: 3.5/5
I've upped my rating by half a star since I read this! There are multiple f/f witch stories in this collection, but I think this one is a bit stronger. The romance was wonderful, and I thought the magic was really off-kilter in a way that charmed me. I think the final POV kind of unsettled the rhythm of the story, but overall it was super enjoyable.
♡The Inferno & The Butterfly by Shaun David Hutchinson: 5/5
My absolute favorite story in this collection. As someone who loves The Prestige more than I would care to admit, the fact that SDH made it gay is??? Overwhelming??? I can't believe it?? I mean, battling magicians is great, but put a m/m romance at the center of it and my heart is completely yours. I want this to be a full novel. I would cry.
♡Healing Rosa by Tehlor Kay Mejia: 4.5/5
An incredibly solid conclusion to this collection, and it blows me away that Tehlor doesn't have a novel out yet. I know one is coming soon (and!! she's writing one with Anna-Marie McLemore!! I'm not even kind of ready wow!), but I'm anticipating it even more highly after this story. There was so much work done here that it felt like I got the content of a full book in only a few pages. It was profoundly emotional, and there is a deep connection to family and tradition, with this through-line of respect and romance that pulls the whole thing together. Overall, fantastic.
♡Overall Thoughts♡
Like any anthology, I would say this had its ups and downs, but it was a really solid collection that allowed me to read some incredible stories by authors I already love, and some by authors I can't wait to read more from. I do wish, like many other reviewers, that more stories would have been set outside the United States and Europe? I think it would have offered a greater variety in storytelling and really opened up the potential to see so many more stories of queer teens. But beyond that, I really had no complaints, and I feel like my months and months of anticipation were met with a beautiful collection of queer characters living their lives throughout time.
Average rating: 3.6/5
Final rating: 4/5