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A review by other_worlds_than_these
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
4.0
On the surface, this is a great book to introduce anti-racist themes and ideas and lgbtq identities and should definitely be included in school libraries!
Minor spoilers ahead
Now for my personal opinion; I found some of the characters to be a bit preachey about their ideas and not leave room for disagreement. I rolled my eyes a lot because I couldn’t stand the characterization of Harlow; she started off fun and cool but then turned into the personification of white feminism and I didn’t like that some of the characters refuse to educate her on her racism. If someone you cared about says something racist, like what Harlow does, I think it’s in both parties interests to educate them and not just walk away.
I felt like the book’s intentions was all over the place so I don’t know what the author is trying say; on one hand, Juliet forgives Harlow and educates her on what she said was harmful, which I think will be good for both characters. But on the other hand, Maxine doesn’t seem to ever want to educate Harlow or help her understand how she’s racist so they break up. And I think that makes it seem that white allies who fail in some way, they shouldn’t be re-educated and/or redeemed by people who initially cared for them. And I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing.
Some of Harlow’s ideas are actually good; we still live in a world that treats womxns’ bodies has property and sexualized as well as deemed ugly so i thought some of her “Raging Flower” stuff was good; to teach other women that their bodies are magical. And I also think that that particular idea could perpetuate transphobia and exclude trans women and that’s a valid worry but I feel like that’s also assuming Harlow or someone with a similar worldview would be transphobic. I feel like both Harlow’s worldview and Juliet’s and all the other women in the book could exist and be believed in at the same time.
Okay that’s it for my rambling thoughts. If you’re into anti-racist fiction that’s coming-of-age, then read this! It’s definitely thought provoking!
Minor spoilers ahead
Now for my personal opinion; I found some of the characters to be a bit preachey about their ideas and not leave room for disagreement. I rolled my eyes a lot because I couldn’t stand the characterization of Harlow; she started off fun and cool but then turned into the personification of white feminism and I didn’t like that some of the characters refuse to educate her on her racism. If someone you cared about says something racist, like what Harlow does, I think it’s in both parties interests to educate them and not just walk away.
I felt like the book’s intentions was all over the place so I don’t know what the author is trying say; on one hand, Juliet forgives Harlow and educates her on what she said was harmful, which I think will be good for both characters. But on the other hand, Maxine doesn’t seem to ever want to educate Harlow or help her understand how she’s racist so they break up. And I think that makes it seem that white allies who fail in some way, they shouldn’t be re-educated and/or redeemed by people who initially cared for them. And I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing.
Some of Harlow’s ideas are actually good; we still live in a world that treats womxns’ bodies has property and sexualized as well as deemed ugly so i thought some of her “Raging Flower” stuff was good; to teach other women that their bodies are magical. And I also think that that particular idea could perpetuate transphobia and exclude trans women and that’s a valid worry but I feel like that’s also assuming Harlow or someone with a similar worldview would be transphobic. I feel like both Harlow’s worldview and Juliet’s and all the other women in the book could exist and be believed in at the same time.
Okay that’s it for my rambling thoughts. If you’re into anti-racist fiction that’s coming-of-age, then read this! It’s definitely thought provoking!