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A review by citrus_seasalt
A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow
5.0
was thinking of giving this a 4.5 or 4 stars at first, but then I got to Aaron’s POV and they went all in with the poetry!! I was hesitant about how I’d feel about this, considering as it’s focused around U.S. colonial-era history, but both Aaron and Oliver’s complicated thoughts about connecting with history and trying to find themselves in it, definitely will resonate with a lot of people in several different ways. Genuinely, it’s so awesome to see in literature the mindset of a person getting into queer history to better know themself. Oliver having a Tumblr is just the cherry on top of the accuracy LMAOOOO
It also helps that the romance feels natural and is so, so sweet. (Yes, there’s some conflict, but none of it feels contrived, and it’s pretty on-brand for their different home environments.) The phone call scene before they go to the reenactment had me gigglinggg, they’re so sweet in an awkward way, and besides that, Aaron and Oliver have distinctive voices I love to see banter. (Not sure when else to say this, but I thought the text-speak was actually fantastic LOL. Genuinely got flashbacks to my first and only relationship I had in freshman year)
This is the second book I’ve read by Robin Gow, and not only do I appreciate him keeping creativity and vulnerability intact in his contemporary narratives, but also the ways he writes about the complexity (and confusion) of gender. God, so many of Aaron’s thoughts especially were things I remember writing about in my journals (or just thinking) when I first came out!! I also loved how while both him and Oliver were trans boys, they had different thoughts around their expression and their gender. I always gobble up whenever t4t romances do that!! (something something Lakelore mention.)
I think the only criticism I have is that Oliver’s chapters often felt choppy, but this’ll definitely cement Robin Gow as an auto-buy author for me. For this being a YA debut, he nailed the feelings of being a teen, and showed that through vulnerable and often beautiful passages. (But. Why have I been reading so many small town trans-centered stories recently, is that my niche now💀🙏) (that’s a joke. I grew up in the suburbs)
It also helps that the romance feels natural and is so, so sweet. (Yes, there’s some conflict, but none of it feels contrived, and it’s pretty on-brand for their different home environments.) The phone call scene before they go to the reenactment had me gigglinggg, they’re so sweet in an awkward way, and besides that, Aaron and Oliver have distinctive voices I love to see banter. (Not sure when else to say this, but I thought the text-speak was actually fantastic LOL. Genuinely got flashbacks to my first and only relationship I had in freshman year)
This is the second book I’ve read by Robin Gow, and not only do I appreciate him keeping creativity and vulnerability intact in his contemporary narratives, but also the ways he writes about the complexity (and confusion) of gender. God, so many of Aaron’s thoughts especially were things I remember writing about in my journals (or just thinking) when I first came out!! I also loved how while both him and Oliver were trans boys, they had different thoughts around their expression and their gender. I always gobble up whenever t4t romances do that!! (something something Lakelore mention.)
I think the only criticism I have is that Oliver’s chapters often felt choppy, but this’ll definitely cement Robin Gow as an auto-buy author for me. For this being a YA debut, he nailed the feelings of being a teen, and showed that through vulnerable and often beautiful passages. (But. Why have I been reading so many small town trans-centered stories recently, is that my niche now💀🙏) (that’s a joke. I grew up in the suburbs)