Scan barcode
easyvisionary's review against another edition
5.0
Eeeek! This was absolutely gorgeous!!! I’ve been wanting to read this for so long! When I saw it on the shelf at the library today I just knew it was gonna be a good day!
I love the characters! I love the story! I love my boys! Thank you!
I love the characters! I love the story! I love my boys! Thank you!
dcgirlie2's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
murderpigeonsgobump's review against another edition
3.0
The writing was solid and all of the coming to terms with sexuality stuff was realistic with a cute romance. My only issue was pretty much everything they did in this book was go to parties and get drunk, which is personally my worst nightmare and I just didn’t really connect with it at all. But very much a me being weird problem.
dliterate's review against another edition
5.0
I'm so glad that I finally got to this book, which I listened to as an audiobook narrated by Meyne Wyatt.
I feel like there's always a bit of a danger going into a YA romance that I'm either going to be overwhelmed by the sickly sweetness of it, or uncomfortable with the spiciness of it. Thankfully, I can say in this case that I didn't have to feel either of these things, because while the book definitely did address the topic of aex, it did so in a way that was very thoughtful.
Really, 'thoughtful' is a word I could apply to the whole book. While fictional, it was clearly coming from a place of personal experience, and that came through in how it reflected on experiences of the discovery and exploration of sexuality shaped by the fear of being rejected by family and community if what you're doing is discovered. Particularly when, as young Indigenous people, those connections are so strongly tied to one's sense of cultural and individual identity.
While the relationship between the main characters, Jackson and Tomas, is obviously a key component of the story, I also appreciate that we get a decent sense of who they both are as individuals. They both have their own personalities, experiences and sense of connection to community that shape them as people; and we also learn about some of Jackson's experiences with racism as he interacts with his non-Indigenous peers as well. Again, a lot of thought was put into creating real characters who exist in and have to navigate the complexities of the real world.
Anyway, that's enough gushing.
I feel like there's always a bit of a danger going into a YA romance that I'm either going to be overwhelmed by the sickly sweetness of it, or uncomfortable with the spiciness of it. Thankfully, I can say in this case that I didn't have to feel either of these things, because while the book definitely did address the topic of aex, it did so in a way that was very thoughtful.
Really, 'thoughtful' is a word I could apply to the whole book. While fictional, it was clearly coming from a place of personal experience, and that came through in how it reflected on experiences of the discovery and exploration of sexuality shaped by the fear of being rejected by family and community if what you're doing is discovered. Particularly when, as young Indigenous people, those connections are so strongly tied to one's sense of cultural and individual identity.
While the relationship between the main characters, Jackson and Tomas, is obviously a key component of the story, I also appreciate that we get a decent sense of who they both are as individuals. They both have their own personalities, experiences and sense of connection to community that shape them as people; and we also learn about some of Jackson's experiences with racism as he interacts with his non-Indigenous peers as well. Again, a lot of thought was put into creating real characters who exist in and have to navigate the complexities of the real world.
Anyway, that's enough gushing.
barbarab's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
dragon_s_hoard's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Homophobia, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Racism, and Violence
_rhea_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
leahj20's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
theeuphoriczat's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful emotional unveiling of the effects of racism and homophobia on self discovery and identity.
We follow Jackson who lives with his family on the Mish and things have been going a bit downhill for him with the constant racism and lately his inability to sleep with his girlfriend. Then comes his Aunt Pam who is visiting for the summer with Tomas. Tomas is newly out of juvie and his withdrawn with no family and friends. Jackson finds himself attracted to Tomas and at first he rejects it, he basically goes out of his way to 'make' sure he is not gay.
But obviously you cannot truly change who you are because of fear. Fear of rejection from the Koor culture, his Mish community and his so called homophobic friends. One of the things I really liked about this book was how connected Jackson was to his culture and how open he was to bringing Tomas into it. They had such great communication around consent, wants and youth incarceration. This book was just so open, raw and undisguised in its drive to impact upon you a culture through a young queer boy. It was simply beautiful.
"...you should go to your elders. You should ask them about your country and your totem. Because that is your identity. A blackfella with no identity is a lost blackfella. He doesn't know where he belongs"
I have to admit that I knew very little about Aboriginal people and this book was what prompted me to search up more information about them. So yes, it was not just a great self-love story but a lesson for me.
We follow Jackson who lives with his family on the Mish and things have been going a bit downhill for him with the constant racism and lately his inability to sleep with his girlfriend. Then comes his Aunt Pam who is visiting for the summer with Tomas. Tomas is newly out of juvie and his withdrawn with no family and friends. Jackson finds himself attracted to Tomas and at first he rejects it, he basically goes out of his way to 'make' sure he is not gay.
But obviously you cannot truly change who you are because of fear. Fear of rejection from the Koor culture, his Mish community and his so called homophobic friends. One of the things I really liked about this book was how connected Jackson was to his culture and how open he was to bringing Tomas into it. They had such great communication around consent, wants and youth incarceration. This book was just so open, raw and undisguised in its drive to impact upon you a culture through a young queer boy. It was simply beautiful.
"...you should go to your elders. You should ask them about your country and your totem. Because that is your identity. A blackfella with no identity is a lost blackfella. He doesn't know where he belongs"
I have to admit that I knew very little about Aboriginal people and this book was what prompted me to search up more information about them. So yes, it was not just a great self-love story but a lesson for me.
zordrac's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75