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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
Rosa was a summer girl, and I was a winter girl, but that fall we made magic.
You know, back when I was in my early teens, I once heard this old guy say “there weren’t all these queers around when I was younger”. Oh, but there were, sir. And long long before that, too.
[b:All Out|35140599|All Out The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages|Saundra Mitchell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1514494195s/35140599.jpg|53278915] is a great fictional companion to last year's [b:Queer, There and Everywhere|35046241|Queer, There and Everywhere 23 People Who Changed the World|Sarah Prager|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493677118s/35046241.jpg|50463455]. While the latter works to uncover the real queer - gay, bi, trans, genderqueer, nonconforming, intersex, asexual - people who have been erased throughout history, [b:All Out|35140599|All Out The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages|Saundra Mitchell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1514494195s/35140599.jpg|53278915] is a collection of fictional stories that puts queer people into the Middle Ages, Victorian era, Gold Rush-era and more, where of course they were all along.
Most of these are adventure stories with positive representation. Adversity does rear its head, and some of the stories are a little bloody and unfair, but they nearly all leave us with a sense of hope. Though romance is a common theme throughout, not all the stories are love stories. The authors explore young adults coming to understand and accept themselves, or others, and some who still haven't quite worked it out.
"All I'm saying," said Vince, "is we don't need to have ourselves figured out in one night. You know?"
The anthology begins and ends with two of my favourites, each with especially lush, evocative writing. [a:Anna-Marie McLemore|6434877|Anna-Marie McLemore|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1516319453p2/6434877.jpg] retells Red Riding Hood with a transgender spin and a 19th-century Mexican setting. As expected from the author of [b:When the Moon Was Ours: A Novel|34964957|When the Moon Was Ours|Anna-Marie McLemore|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516375193s/34964957.jpg|48249481], the writing is gorgeous and the story beautifully-imagined. The last story is by an author I was previously unfamiliar with - [a:Tehlor Kay Mejia|16305520|Tehlor Kay Mejia|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1517803467p2/16305520.jpg] - and she writes a dreamy gay romance between two women in 1930s New Mexico.
I also particularly enjoyed [a:Elliot Wake|15254487|Elliot Wake|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1480863996p2/15254487.jpg]'s "Every Shade of Red" about a transgender Robin Hood, and "The Inferno & the Butterfly" by [a:Shaun David Hutchinson|3130410|Shaun David Hutchinson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1387295428p2/3130410.jpg] in which two gay magicians' assistants fall in love, though all of the stories had something important to offer. [a:Nilah Magruder|8349969|Nilah Magruder|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1448441766p2/8349969.jpg]'s "And They Don’t Kiss at the End", about a black teenager coming to terms with her asexuality, was another highlight.
If anything, I wish the stories could have been a bit more geographically diverse. The vast majority take place in the United States, and there are no stories set outside of North America and Europe. This is not a criticism of any individual story, but rather what I would have liked to see from the anthology as a whole. Still, with so much great writing and imagination in one collection, it is difficult to complain too much.
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I loved some stories, disliked others.
I think more than half of the stories had fantasy on it, which is alright but I wasn't expecting that, if not more historical fiction.
My favourite stories were And They Don't Kiss at the End and Walking After Midnight.
I think more than half of the stories had fantasy on it, which is alright but I wasn't expecting that, if not more historical fiction.
My favourite stories were And They Don't Kiss at the End and Walking After Midnight.
I just didn't enjoy this. All of the stories felt half-hearted and the time periods didn't feel antithetic or interesting.
I just didn't enjoy this. All of the stories felt half-hearted and the time periods didn't feel antithetic or interesting.
I rarely read anthologies, and therefore, I never know how to review them. For this one, I actually rated each short story, and it averaged to an overall of 4 stars for the entire book! I feel like it may deserve a 4.5, but we'll keep it at 4 for now. Below, I've listed the titles, my ratings, the representation, and a few quick thoughts. These will be SLIGHTLY spoilery, and I don't recommend reading below unless you don't mind mild spoilers. Also note that the representation in each story is just what I got out of it; the authors may have had different ideas so please don't yell at me, but correct me if I'm entirely wrong so I can change these!
Roja 3.5* - Transgender boy. This story had a lot of potential, and the author note was very moving, but the writing itself was pretty confusing at times and sometimes I wasn't sure exactly what was going on.
The Sweet Trade 3*- F/F. This story was cute and written well. It just had no plot really at all. I was expecting more in a short story about lesbian pirates!
And They Don't Kiss At The End 5* - Asexual main character. Unsurprisingly, this captivated me. Not only the time period, but the main character's thoughts on sex and sexuality hit home. It was super well written and I wish I had been exposed to stories like these when I was younger!
Burnt Umber 5* - Gay boys. This had me laughing out loud at least twice per page. It was funny, perfectly balanced with history without bogging it down, and it was a fun narrative.
The Dresser & The Chambermaid 4.5* - F/F (with a dash of bisexual nature and M/M with side characters). This time period is one of my favorites, but it took me a little while to get invested in the story. But I ended up really enjoying it!
New Year 5* - Genderfluid/early transgender rights + F/F. Super intrigued from the beginning of this to the end! The fact that the author did so much research on the time period really made this jump off the page.
Molly's Lips 4* - F/F. Interesting take, emotionally heavy without being toooo heavy. I could really relate to the characters.
The Coven 3.5* - F/F. Everything I know about Gertrude Stein I learned from "Midnight in Paris" and this story didn't disappoint my growing knowledge of such a powerful woman.
Every Shade of Red 4* - Transgender boy, gay boys. A Robin Hood retelling. It was another of those stories that was....very confusing. But I pressed on. I still am not entirely sure about a lot of things that happened and were "explained" in this story, but it was written sooooo well.
Willows 2.5* - I couldn't tell. Transgender, perhaps, maybe mentally ill (multiple personalities), potentially gay boys. Super confusing. An interesting concept right on the cusp of greatness but honestly I had no idea what was happening the entire time.
The Girl With the Blue Lantern 5* - F/F. This is my kind of magical storytelling. It was compelling, but not confusing.
The Secret Life of a Teenage Boy 4.5* - M/M (?). Romance that's short and quick. It was good, if I was a little confused at the narrator's chosen gender identity.
Walking After Midnight 5* - F/F. Hollywood glamour era without the glamour. A perfect snippet of a single night to change one's life. Every part of it was fantastic.
The End of the World AS We Know It 4* - F/F (the only direct bisexual reference except side characters from The Dressmaker & The Chambermaid). An era I remember. The tense sort of friendship that I'm familiar with. Thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgia.
Three Witches 3.5* - F/F. Understood everything that happened, but the jolting shifts into 3 different PoVs kind of ruined it for me.
The Inferno & The Butterfly 5* - M/M. What more can I say but enticing setting, magical illusion shows, and interesting magical realism with two soft boys.
Healing Rosa 4* - F/F. I sort of understood what was happening....enough to bump it up to 4 stars. I feel like there was too much imagery and not enough concrete information being divulged.
Note: I was a little surprised at the diversity. There is a lot (way more than we usually see in YA in general), but I was hoping for even *more*. A bit more bisexual rep would have been great, and I would have loved to see a transgender girl (noted that Willows may have had something like this but again, I couldn't tell). All in all though, this is an AMAZING anthology, and I'm so glad for all the teens and questioning young adults who can read stories like this.
Roja 3.5* - Transgender boy. This story had a lot of potential, and the author note was very moving, but the writing itself was pretty confusing at times and sometimes I wasn't sure exactly what was going on.
The Sweet Trade 3*- F/F. This story was cute and written well. It just had no plot really at all. I was expecting more in a short story about lesbian pirates!
And They Don't Kiss At The End 5* - Asexual main character. Unsurprisingly, this captivated me. Not only the time period, but the main character's thoughts on sex and sexuality hit home. It was super well written and I wish I had been exposed to stories like these when I was younger!
Burnt Umber 5* - Gay boys. This had me laughing out loud at least twice per page. It was funny, perfectly balanced with history without bogging it down, and it was a fun narrative.
The Dresser & The Chambermaid 4.5* - F/F (with a dash of bisexual nature and M/M with side characters). This time period is one of my favorites, but it took me a little while to get invested in the story. But I ended up really enjoying it!
New Year 5* - Genderfluid/early transgender rights + F/F. Super intrigued from the beginning of this to the end! The fact that the author did so much research on the time period really made this jump off the page.
Molly's Lips 4* - F/F. Interesting take, emotionally heavy without being toooo heavy. I could really relate to the characters.
The Coven 3.5* - F/F. Everything I know about Gertrude Stein I learned from "Midnight in Paris" and this story didn't disappoint my growing knowledge of such a powerful woman.
Every Shade of Red 4* - Transgender boy, gay boys. A Robin Hood retelling. It was another of those stories that was....very confusing. But I pressed on. I still am not entirely sure about a lot of things that happened and were "explained" in this story, but it was written sooooo well.
Willows 2.5* - I couldn't tell. Transgender, perhaps, maybe mentally ill (multiple personalities), potentially gay boys. Super confusing. An interesting concept right on the cusp of greatness but honestly I had no idea what was happening the entire time.
The Girl With the Blue Lantern 5* - F/F. This is my kind of magical storytelling. It was compelling, but not confusing.
The Secret Life of a Teenage Boy 4.5* - M/M (?). Romance that's short and quick. It was good, if I was a little confused at the narrator's chosen gender identity.
Walking After Midnight 5* - F/F. Hollywood glamour era without the glamour. A perfect snippet of a single night to change one's life. Every part of it was fantastic.
The End of the World AS We Know It 4* - F/F (the only direct bisexual reference except side characters from The Dressmaker & The Chambermaid). An era I remember. The tense sort of friendship that I'm familiar with. Thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgia.
Three Witches 3.5* - F/F. Understood everything that happened, but the jolting shifts into 3 different PoVs kind of ruined it for me.
The Inferno & The Butterfly 5* - M/M. What more can I say but enticing setting, magical illusion shows, and interesting magical realism with two soft boys.
Healing Rosa 4* - F/F. I sort of understood what was happening....enough to bump it up to 4 stars. I feel like there was too much imagery and not enough concrete information being divulged.
Note: I was a little surprised at the diversity. There is a lot (way more than we usually see in YA in general), but I was hoping for even *more*. A bit more bisexual rep would have been great, and I would have loved to see a transgender girl (noted that Willows may have had something like this but again, I couldn't tell). All in all though, this is an AMAZING anthology, and I'm so glad for all the teens and questioning young adults who can read stories like this.
not very impactful but a fun read and really sweet! I also feel like all the stories where well written even if they all seemed to follow the same general plotline (despite them all being similar, you did find yourself rooting for and supporting each character, even if the stories themselves felt repetative!)
I had an average rating of 3.6 for all the stories combined!
It's no secret that the LGBTQ+ community is vast and diverse, and has been a part of history since history started to be a thing—and All Out reflects that beautifully. The stories star a variety of teens and young adults, hailing from around the world and from periods of time as far back as those of princesses and chambermaids to as recent the death of Kurt Cobain. Every reader can relate to a story or a character, all brought to life by a collection of talented, thoughtful writers, making this a great read for Pride Month or any time of the year.
JKASHFDGDSAJDH SO MANY SAPPHIC GIRLS THIS MADE ME SO HAPPY
the finest of the bundle:
● the dresser & the chambermaid by robin talley (aka the CUTEST short story on this planet)
● MARY AND SUSANNA AAAAAH
● BARNABY HALFORD!!!
● the fucking king walking in on mary & susanna kissing AND SAYING HE'S SORRY HE DISTURBED THEM
● ngl I laughed so hard at this part
● every shade of red by elliot wake
● it's sort of sad but SO PURE AND QUEER and i was just so invested in it
● the girl with the blue lantern by tess sharpe
● ...all i have to say is that I love ella with all my life
● the end of the world as we know it by sara farizan
● BEST FRIENDS (TO ENEMIES) TO LOVERS IS THE FUCKING HILL I WILL DIE ON
● this is my favorite trope ever jahfsag and it was so cute
● the inferno & the butterfly by shaun David hutchinson
● THE WRITING WAS SO GOOD!!!! THE BEGINNING AND END HOLY SHIT
● i didn't realize it was shaun when i read it but OFC IT WAS of course i love his writing and his stories
there was one story i kinda skipped and some of the stories were a little EH but honestly this anthology is a blessing so five stars here we go
the finest of the bundle:
● the dresser & the chambermaid by robin talley (aka the CUTEST short story on this planet)
● MARY AND SUSANNA AAAAAH
● BARNABY HALFORD!!!
● the fucking king walking in on mary & susanna kissing AND SAYING HE'S SORRY HE DISTURBED THEM
● ngl I laughed so hard at this part
“He said—” Susanna choked “—he said, ‘Right then, girls. Carry on.’”
Mary lost her composure all over again, collapsing against Susanna in a heap. They laughed and laughed as quietly as they could, holding each other through their tears.
“Well, then,” Mary said. “We ought to follow the royal command, should we not?”
And that was precisely what they did.
● every shade of red by elliot wake
The last thing I saw was the green roof of the forest dulling into gray and falling down around me, and then darkness. But in the darkness all I saw was my beautiful boy. My golden boy, my Robin. No other name fit him, and never would. Sometimes sight is a more powerful way of hearing than sound.
● it's sort of sad but SO PURE AND QUEER and i was just so invested in it
● the girl with the blue lantern by tess sharpe
Oriana shook her head. “It’s not your fault. They think you’re all the same. I thought so, too. Until...”
She reached over and took Ella’s hand in hers, stroking her fingers down the inside of her palm. Ella gasped, every feeling in her body focused on that spot, and when Oriana pulled away, Ella’s skin glistened with gold.
● ...all i have to say is that I love ella with all my life
● the end of the world as we know it by sara farizan
● BEST FRIENDS (TO ENEMIES) TO LOVERS IS THE FUCKING HILL I WILL DIE ON
“Happy New Year, Ez. The world has not ended. We’re going to be okay. Tell your mom I couldn’t stay for breakfast. I have to go break up with John. Talk soon.”
I read the note another twenty times on the first day of the New Year. I felt warm and thrilled, but a little uneasy as to why. Katie Brewer. Huh. Who knew? Maybe we both did. Maybe it was a long time coming or maybe it wasn’t. But I knew I wouldn’t be able to find a better New Year’s kiss for many New Years to come.
I had a whole slew of questions about what the future would hold now.
● this is my favorite trope ever jahfsag and it was so cute
● the inferno & the butterfly by shaun David hutchinson
“I’m cursed,” Wilhelm said.
“Then we’ll be cursed together.”
Wilhelm’s hands trembled. “I’ll only bring you misery.”
“I’ll take a lifetime of misery with you over a day of love from Mr. Dubois.”
“Without their greatest acts, both our masters will be ruined.”
“Then let’s ruin them,” I said. “Will you come with me, Wilhelm? I’m asking.”
Wilhelm crossed the space between us and kissed me. He kissed me as easily as breathing. I wrapped my arms around his waist and we vanished, leaving only his chains behind.
● THE WRITING WAS SO GOOD!!!! THE BEGINNING AND END HOLY SHIT
● i didn't realize it was shaun when i read it but OFC IT WAS of course i love his writing and his stories
there was one story i kinda skipped and some of the stories were a little EH but honestly this anthology is a blessing so five stars here we go
Adding this to my read shelf now because apparently I didn't do that when I originally read it? I remember really liking most of the stories so it gets 4 stars.