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A review by m_scrimshaw
Stray City by Chelsey Johnson
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.75
Read for 50 State Challenge - Oregon
A vivid exploration of a particular time, place, and culture. Those of us in the current wave of LGBTQ+ activism might cringe a bit at the essentialist philosophies of the '90s activism and scene, but I always find it's enlightening to explore the past and see all that's changed (I can't see the "Lesbian Mafia" rules flying in most modern queer spaces) and all that's stayed the same (the DISCOURSE).
The deep interiority of our main narrator Andy does hinder connection with the rest of the cast (the city feels like a character with more depth then some of her friends) and some of my interest was lost when the POV switched to Ryan and Lucia later in the book. I liked the framing of Ryan's perspective with postcards, phonecalls, and unsent letters—the story would have been stronger for me if the author restricted him to those formats rather than switching into his POV entirely. And it's always a challenge to write from a 10-year-old's perspective in an adult novel—there's a reason author's spend their entire careers in children's lit—a child's perspective is hard to capture authentically and this doesn't quite clear that bar. As mentioned above, the descriptions of Portland from the grungy late-90s to the rapidly gentrifying mid-00s are deftly and believably drawn—definitely the highlight of the book for me.
A vivid exploration of a particular time, place, and culture. Those of us in the current wave of LGBTQ+ activism might cringe a bit at the essentialist philosophies of the '90s activism and scene, but I always find it's enlightening to explore the past and see all that's changed (I can't see the "Lesbian Mafia" rules flying in most modern queer spaces) and all that's stayed the same (the DISCOURSE).
The deep interiority of our main narrator Andy does hinder connection with the rest of the cast (the city feels like a character with more depth then some of her friends) and some of my interest was lost when the POV switched to Ryan and Lucia later in the book. I liked the framing of Ryan's perspective with postcards, phonecalls, and unsent letters—the story would have been stronger for me if the author restricted him to those formats rather than switching into his POV entirely. And it's always a challenge to write from a 10-year-old's perspective in an adult novel—there's a reason author's spend their entire careers in children's lit—a child's perspective is hard to capture authentically and this doesn't quite clear that bar. As mentioned above, the descriptions of Portland from the grungy late-90s to the rapidly gentrifying mid-00s are deftly and believably drawn—definitely the highlight of the book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Biphobia
Moderate: Pregnancy