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moonyreadsbystarlight's reviews
576 reviews
Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This was a really cute kid's book that normalizes being different! It could be really great for any kid, but I think it could benefit adopted, neurodivergent, and disabled kids a lot.
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder
informative
fast-paced
3.5
<i>On Tyranny</i> outlines 20 ways that we can be vigilant or act in order to be aware of or stop tyranny by using examples from history – prominently, European history in the early 1900’s while also relating parts to the current presidential administration of the United States (as of its publication, 2017). Over all, I think this can be a good introduction especially if you aren’t very familiar with history or politics – or if you have some ideas but have not totally contextualized it. However, I did see some places that the text fell short.
I do love the idea that it is simplified and actionable, but even so, I was looking for more nuance than it provided in some situations. Some of these points were really essential for understanding the issue, so I don’t want to minimize those. I think some of this could have been solved with some re-organization, which would have required some points to be synthesized. I think that the point about language would have been stronger if synthesized (he had a point about not repeating empty phrases online, another about being vigilant of specific words used by the government, and parts of a couple of other points that would have been made stronger if discussed together). That could have also been a pert of the conversation about thinking for yourself, which was also brought up in several points. There were other points like this that were repeated but the fact that they were repeated wasn’t discussed (the theme of acting for yourself and being self-aware was there a lot, but could have been stronger if the examples and points were at least synthesized at the end). So, overall I like the idea he was going for but it either needed to be reorganized or additional discussion should have happened at the end to bring the ideas together.
There were also some specific points that I took issue with overall. Several points missed some big-picture ideas in terms of systems. There were some points (like “Stand out”) that were very individualistic. I do think that we as individuals need to take action, but without context, the advice is pretty flat (especially when the primary example of an individual was a world leader). I think the point about following professional ethics shows the lack of incorporating the systemic into the analysis the best. It’s calling on individuals to not make the bad decision (which is arguably silly advice, as people who would breach ethics like that probably would not be going to this book for advice), but more than that, it is assuming that these professional organizations are going to have a balanced ethical code if you only take it at face value. Of course, I think that professional ethical codes should be in place, but they should not be followed without analysis because they are not infallible. Perhaps this is overthinking what the advice in this was intended to be, but not discussing the issues inherent in these systems seems like a huge oversite.
I had a really huge issue with how he talked about the internet. There was this idea of “screens bad, books good”. While he had points about how social media moves (outrage moving stories, misinformation), that’s not the whole picture of social media – nor is it the full picture of outrage and misinformation. You can find outrage and misinformation in magazines and books. You can also find more up-to-date information online in some instances. Increasingly so, it is becoming essential for so many types of activism and community (both of which he discusses). This is particularly true for marginalized communities – the LGBT community disabled community come to mind first, especially in more rural or isolated areas. This idea comes up in more than one of his points and it really rubbed me the wrong way (particularly as someone who has studied certain online communities at length).
There were also details that were short-sighted in regards to certain areas of privilege. The most obvious instance of this, being in “Learn from peers in other countries”. Of course this advice at face-value is great. We need to be talking to people in other countries, especially since our issues are connected. However, he chastises a lot of people for not having passports and seems to imply that we should be traveling to have these international connections. It’s $145 for an adult passport in the US – I don’t think tons of people just don’t have passports because they refuse to leave. Travel is expensive (but you know a great way to find international friends? The internet that he was criticizing!).
Overall, this book could be good for some folks, but I was expecting more. If you’re looking for a short digestible introduction about how we can use the history of tyranny, this could be a really great place to start. But, I think I was looking for something more in-depth.
GenderQueer: Voices From Beyond the Sexual Binary by Gina Reiss, Susan Wright, Joan Nestle, Clare Howell, Riki Anne Wilchins, Silvia Rivera
challenging
4.75
This is a republication of a groundbreaking anthology, originally published in 2002. I cannot understate just how valuable this collection is. This book shows so many experiences of people transgress or transcend gender, whether it is because they are trans, genderqueer, intersex, preforming gender in a variety of ways, or queering gender through sexuality. And I think it is all tied together most excellently by Riki Wilchin's final essay which is strikingly relevant, even as some of the vocabulary has changed. That essay was among my favorites, as well as Sylvia Rivera's near the beginning.
Definitely check out the CWs. This is not all fun and comfortable - this is reality. While some fun was definitely had with some of these essay, the bulk of this is unpacking trauma (trauma dealt clearly and directly to people and the trauma of being forced to live in a framework that erases you). These authors were incredibly vulnerable and strong in sharing what was in these pages. An knowing these perspectives adds, not just to our understanding of gender, but how gender liberation has to address what true justice and freedom can look like (and how different it can be for each person).
Over all, I think that if you go into this collection, you should be aware of its age and the intensity of some of its contents. If you are very new to LGBTQ issues, I don't think this is the best starting point. However, if you aren't brand new, this is goes into some really essential concepts concerning queer liberation and absolutely needs to be read.
I was given an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Definitely check out the CWs. This is not all fun and comfortable - this is reality. While some fun was definitely had with some of these essay, the bulk of this is unpacking trauma (trauma dealt clearly and directly to people and the trauma of being forced to live in a framework that erases you). These authors were incredibly vulnerable and strong in sharing what was in these pages. An knowing these perspectives adds, not just to our understanding of gender, but how gender liberation has to address what true justice and freedom can look like (and how different it can be for each person).
Over all, I think that if you go into this collection, you should be aware of its age and the intensity of some of its contents. If you are very new to LGBTQ issues, I don't think this is the best starting point. However, if you aren't brand new, this is goes into some really essential concepts concerning queer liberation and absolutely needs to be read.
I was given an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
One specific story had the child abuse and incest TW "My Life"
Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker
informative
5.0
This is not just an LGBT+ history -- rather, it is a history of queerness. It is centered around queer theory, but also talks about queer culture and queer activism. It is very accessible and it makes me want to get back into reading more queer theory! A lot of conversations happening about the LGBT community would be a lot more easy to get through if people at least had this base knowledge (regardless of their perspective on it). It certainly does not cover everything in detail (how could you in a short, quick history?) but it is a great start and accessible for those who aren't super familiar with academic jargon. I'd like to look at it more closely once I look more into the theory it discusses to see what parts it decided to hilight vs what is glossed over (I do have some background but not nearly as much as I would like). I borrowed this from the library but I will definitely be purchasing my own copy.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In roughly the first half of this, I thought the look into social media and fame through April was interesting but the story was very secondary. However, the second half of the book pulled me in and both the story and the discussion happening through April were just as engaging. There is also so much about relationships and the impact one person's choices can really make on someone (not just in terms of the big picture, but how it can impact individuals). I feel like there is still a lot to unpack in regards to what this says about fame and about parts of social media at the time this was written, so I will definitely be doing a reread to really look at this (eventually). I am really interested to see what Hank adds in the sequel, especially since social media has evolved even between 2016-18 (when this was likely being written and edited) to now. I went in preparing to like this, but it still surprised me and I can't wait to get into the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Gun violence and Homophobia
Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by Maureen Johnson, John Green, Lauren Myracle
1.5
If I had read this in 2008 (when it was published and when I was 15), I'd probably have liked it. But there were some jokes -- and considerable portions of some of the set-ups and plot details -- that aged really poorly. Unfortunately accurate for some teenage friend groups at the time, but it's those details in conversations that just make this painful to read. Moreover, none of the relationship dynamics in this really spoke to me. There's a fair amount to unpack from the dynamics to be honest. Perhaps the short format made it worse than a full book would be, but I really couldn't read the whole thing. I took my time with the first story, but the last two stories, I read the first half of each and then skimmed.
I liked the idea of different perspectives in one story, giving us several stories tied together with romance and Christmas and social circles. But in practice, I found a lot of the book pretty insufferable.
I liked the idea of different perspectives in one story, giving us several stories tied together with romance and Christmas and social circles. But in practice, I found a lot of the book pretty insufferable.
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
I've not had the best luck with older YA in the past, but this ended up being a wonderful read. The style is a bit different than more recent YA, but it's still enjoyable. And while certain things have changed, I think their love can be felt and understood regardless of the time. There's a lot that we can unpack in the story and I'm not sure how to do a lot of it without spoilers (or ending up with an essay that no one asked for). This was such an important book in it's time and I think it's one that can continue to impact people in really important ways.
Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Ana on the Edge by AJ Sass is a novel about an ice skater who is figuring out their gender, all while dealing with friendship, family, and general life changes. I really loved this story. I was not familiar with ice skating going in, but understood aspects of performance and practice, being a former band kid. It was interesting to see their process and how gender manifests itself on those details. There was quite a lot in this story without being too intense. Ana has to deal with her own feelings while also learning important lessons about communication. There was some important conflict resolution with friends and family alike.