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katesolar 's review for:
Our Own Private Universe
by Robin Talley
3.5 stars.
I really wanted to love this book, and for the most part I did, but...
Let's start with the positives. The book had a lot of diversity, and I loved how the main character was both explicitly black and explicitly bisexual. Saying those actual words seems to be something a lot of YA dances around but doesn't actually do. The book had a lot of good representation for different sexualities -- for instance, I liked how it touched on the fact that you don't have to be 50/50 to be bisexual. As well, I really liked how it explained safe sex-ed stuff for queer girls, which was great because that stuff isn't taught at all in schools; most of the information was new to me. Some other things that I enjoyed were the other social-justice themes being discussed among the characters, like foreign aid and healthcare in other countries, and how it showed that faith and being LGBTQ+ don't have to exist separately.
However, I just wasn't that keen on the plot most of the time. Christa and Aki's relationship was insta-love and I wish it had been built up even slightly more so it would feel more realistic, or had been introduced just /slightly/ further in the book so we weren't tossed right into it in the first chapter. As well, a lot of the plot just seemed to consist of drama; the main characters were constantly keeping secrets from each other and getting mad at each other and making up and honestly it was a bit exhausting (much in the way that type of friendship/relationship drama is if you're in it irl). Like literally all of the characters were telling some sort of giant lie. Plus, I found that I wasn't that invested in the characters when they were acting this way; I just wanted them to resolve it and for it to be over because it was boring and annoying.
I also thought that some of the plotlines were kind of abandoned.
I'm still glad this book exists out in the world, though. There aren't nearly enough f/f YA books out there and especially not enough with explicit LGBTQ+ and POC representation like this book has.
I really wanted to love this book, and for the most part I did, but...
Let's start with the positives. The book had a lot of diversity, and I loved how the main character was both explicitly black and explicitly bisexual. Saying those actual words seems to be something a lot of YA dances around but doesn't actually do. The book had a lot of good representation for different sexualities -- for instance, I liked how it touched on the fact that you don't have to be 50/50 to be bisexual. As well, I really liked how it explained safe sex-ed stuff for queer girls, which was great because that stuff isn't taught at all in schools; most of the information was new to me. Some other things that I enjoyed were the other social-justice themes being discussed among the characters, like foreign aid and healthcare in other countries, and how it showed that faith and being LGBTQ+ don't have to exist separately.
However, I just wasn't that keen on the plot most of the time. Christa and Aki's relationship was insta-love and I wish it had been built up even slightly more so it would feel more realistic, or had been introduced just /slightly/ further in the book so we weren't tossed right into it in the first chapter. As well, a lot of the plot just seemed to consist of drama; the main characters were constantly keeping secrets from each other and getting mad at each other and making up and honestly it was a bit exhausting (much in the way that type of friendship/relationship drama is if you're in it irl). Like literally all of the characters were telling some sort of giant lie. Plus, I found that I wasn't that invested in the characters when they were acting this way; I just wanted them to resolve it and for it to be over because it was boring and annoying.
I also thought that some of the plotlines were kind of abandoned.
Spoiler
Like Aki's music-school backstory was just... left there? I would have liked a hint or something to suggest that Aki was going to move on from her rejection instead of just ignoring it and focusing on Christa.I'm still glad this book exists out in the world, though. There aren't nearly enough f/f YA books out there and especially not enough with explicit LGBTQ+ and POC representation like this book has.