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A review by justinlife
My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was a slam dunk.
We follow Trey, an 18 year old who leaves his wealthy family in Indiana behind for reasons and moves to NYC in the mid 80s. He learns that he doesn't know enough and has to figure it out. As he's getting life lessons, queer NYC is struggling with the AIDS epidemic. Trey eventually finds his place in the community but it comes with some hard battles and major losses.
This book doesn't shy away from gay sex or queer lifestyles which was both refreshing and unnerving. I'm used to the "fade to black" but there was not fading here. We get the deets but not in an erotic way, maybe more a "matter of fact" way.
Newson does an excellent job introducing us to characters that are fictional and real. He shows how this disease tore through the community and how that effected various members in that community. We get a look at how activism and the things we do to save people have consequences and that we have to live with the consequences. Choices, actions, helping, saving are not easy tasks and when you get involved, it's not easy to keep it separate from your life.
Newson does an excellent job showing the youthful naivete of beginning activists and holding the past to the standards of the day. It felt real and fresh. Some of the conversations Trey has have been thoughts I've had.
I both love and hated how it ended. I wanted more. I wanted two more chapters. It ends in a way that's heartbreaking and left me thinking about it for days.
Highly recommend this one. Don't do Audio on this one (it's good, though). The hard copy has footnotes that are fun and add depth to the text.
We follow Trey, an 18 year old who leaves his wealthy family in Indiana behind for reasons and moves to NYC in the mid 80s. He learns that he doesn't know enough and has to figure it out. As he's getting life lessons, queer NYC is struggling with the AIDS epidemic. Trey eventually finds his place in the community but it comes with some hard battles and major losses.
This book doesn't shy away from gay sex or queer lifestyles which was both refreshing and unnerving. I'm used to the "fade to black" but there was not fading here. We get the deets but not in an erotic way, maybe more a "matter of fact" way.
Newson does an excellent job introducing us to characters that are fictional and real. He shows how this disease tore through the community and how that effected various members in that community. We get a look at how activism and the things we do to save people have consequences and that we have to live with the consequences. Choices, actions, helping, saving are not easy tasks and when you get involved, it's not easy to keep it separate from your life.
Newson does an excellent job showing the youthful naivete of beginning activists and holding the past to the standards of the day. It felt real and fresh. Some of the conversations Trey has have been thoughts I've had.
I both love and hated how it ended. I wanted more. I wanted two more chapters. It ends in a way that's heartbreaking and left me thinking about it for days.
Highly recommend this one. Don't do Audio on this one (it's good, though). The hard copy has footnotes that are fun and add depth to the text.