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tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
A fun, fast read that needed more of everything to really make it stick. Feels like a book that, when I'm reviewing my 2024 reading list in December, I'll think, Oh yeah, I read that, but I won't be able to tell you much about it.
For anyone else thinking, "This was a good but underdeveloped idea," I highly recommend Charlotte Nicole Davis' Good Luck Girls duology. It treads many similar themes and gives them much more room to breathe. https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/2450
For anyone else thinking, "This was a good but underdeveloped idea," I highly recommend Charlotte Nicole Davis' Good Luck Girls duology. It treads many similar themes and gives them much more room to breathe. https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/2450
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Death
Moderate: Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Sexism, War, and Gun violence
Minor: Emotional abuse, Vomit, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Animal cruelty
Graphic: Fascism Minor: Child labor, Betrayalclynns's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Lesbophobia, War, Transphobia, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Deadnaming, and Emotional abuse
saltycoffee's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Police brutality, Murder, Blood, Deadnaming, Grief, Gun violence, Death, and Vomit
Minor: War
schnaucl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The time period is a little hard to place. There's a reference to the Why We Fight shorts which played before films which suggests WWII era, but the towns they visit seem smaller than that. Cars exist but aren't used because all the fuel is used for the far off war. It definitely has an old west or even westward expansion feel to it.
The rest is sadly a prescient view of how some people want America to be. The State controls all entertainment/media, books, music and film. Those State approved materials rigidly reinforce cisgender heterosexual norms to the point where anyone who isn't cisgender or anyone who is anything other than straight can't conceive of a world where there are more people like them, or that they might deserve and be able to attain as much happiness as anyone else.
The librarians (always women, I believe) go from town to town, distributing the Approved Material and collecting worn Approved Material in need of repair. Of course, sometimes the librarians secretly distribute Unapproved Material and help people escape to the free areas of the country (ironically, in this story that includes Florida).
I would definitely read more about these characters and this world, but I think this is a stand alone.
The rest is sadly a prescient view of how some people want America to be. The State controls all entertainment/media, books, music and film. Those State approved materials rigidly reinforce cisgender heterosexual norms to the point where anyone who isn't cisgender or anyone who is anything other than straight can't conceive of a world where there are more people like them, or that they might deserve and be able to attain as much happiness as anyone else.
The librarians (always women, I believe) go from town to town, distributing the Approved Material and collecting worn Approved Material in need of repair. Of course, sometimes the librarians secretly distribute Unapproved Material and help people escape to the free areas of the country (ironically, in this story that includes Florida).
I would definitely read more about these characters and this world, but I think this is a stand alone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Sexism, Violence, Death, Gore, and Gun violence
Minor: War
elliottjunkyard's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Gun violence, Death, Police brutality, Violence, Homophobia, and War
toffishay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Really interesting short read with a powerful message about community and identity. It could have been longer, I wanted to know more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Misogyny, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Violence, Physical abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Grief and Death
Minor: War
noroomforghosts's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I think the idea behind this novella is great. Queers fighting fascists I'm a post-apocolyptic west is cool, but it really needed to be a novel to make me believe the arcs of the characters. It's revealed in the first chapter that the lover of our main character Esther is dead. Despite the very clear death consequences, she kinda spills this story to whoever throughout the boom. There's also an insta-love/attraction plot with Cye that just didn't feel believable given how recently Beatriz was killed. It's kinda handwaved away by Esther saying Beatriz wouldn't be jealous, but it just felt too fast.
On the whole, I loved the fast pace of the novel but the character growth also moved way too fast to be believable. I think if it was just longer and I was able to have more time with the characters I really could've gotten into it, but as of now, it's just missing too much.
On the whole, I loved the fast pace of the novel but the character growth also moved way too fast to be believable. I think if it was just longer and I was able to have more time with the characters I really could've gotten into it, but as of now, it's just missing too much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Sexism, and War
britreads's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This didn't leave me with any strong feelings one way or another. As someone who enjoys Western films, I really liked the old school, True Grit, dusty, dirty feel of the story. We didn't spend too much time with Bet or Leda, but what we did get of them was also enjoyable. And I loved Amity.
I wasn't a fan of the instantaneous attraction between Esther and Cye. The timeline in the story was a bit confusing to me. But it seemed like Beatriz, Esther's best friend and lover, was killed just days before Esther decided to run away with the Librarians. It was strange to me that Esther seemed to get over her grief and consider her possibilities with Cye. So their dynamic was off-putting.
I also thought the world wasn't as fleshed out as I'd like. We're never given an explanation why society seems to have reverted back to an old west setting. The book blurb says it's a 'future American Southwest' and there's some war occurring in the background that's never explained. Is that what caused society to regress the way it did? There were also little details that made me pause and go 'huh??" For example, there was mention of latex gloves and Esther expressed amazement at the doctor who used them. It clashed with the western feel that the author spent so much time building up.
I also was unsure about the Librarians' position in this world. It seemed like they were sanctioned by the State to hand out 'approved materials.' But unapproved material is also being given out...so why aren't the Librarians immediately suspected by the State?
I'm glad I finally read this. It has been sitting on my shelves for a while. This certainly is an okay read for me, but I would be interested in reading more from the author in the future.
I wasn't a fan of the instantaneous attraction between Esther and Cye. The timeline in the story was a bit confusing to me. But it seemed like Beatriz, Esther's best friend and lover, was killed just days before Esther decided to run away with the Librarians. It was strange to me that Esther seemed to get over her grief and consider her possibilities with Cye. So their dynamic was off-putting.
I also thought the world wasn't as fleshed out as I'd like. We're never given an explanation why society seems to have reverted back to an old west setting. The book blurb says it's a 'future American Southwest' and there's some war occurring in the background that's never explained. Is that what caused society to regress the way it did? There were also little details that made me pause and go 'huh??" For example, there was mention of latex gloves and Esther expressed amazement at the doctor who used them. It clashed with the western feel that the author spent so much time building up.
I also was unsure about the Librarians' position in this world. It seemed like they were sanctioned by the State to hand out 'approved materials.' But unapproved material is also being given out...so why aren't the Librarians immediately suspected by the State?
I'm glad I finally read this. It has been sitting on my shelves for a while. This certainly is an okay read for me, but I would be interested in reading more from the author in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
Minor: War
angievansprang's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I’m in love with this little novella and all the characters who live inside of it. Everyone needs to read this book PLEASE! The sapphic wild western trope is a new favorite for me. Such a fantastic read, can’t wait to pick up more from Sarah Gailey.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Blood, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Death and War
fujo_cat's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Oh boy, what a ride! I'm used to a slow start, but this one just started full speed, no excuses taken! I don't have much to comment, just that it was a page-turner that never slowed down, even in the times that there wasn't something super chaotic happening. I really enjoyed how diverse the cast was, from wlw couples to ppl outside the binary (Cye my beloved) and even non-monogamous folks! As someone who is both the three (tho I am also aroace, so platonic love for me), I loved seeing it haha It never felt a tiny bit forced, maybe because of the way it works with the plot and the way characters are much more than their labels!
The only negative bit (and the reason I gave it a 4.5/5 and not a full note) is that it ended in a way that works way too well for a sequel when there isn't one... and I wanna read it!! >:'( Hmph!
The only negative bit (and the reason I gave it a 4.5/5 and not a full note) is that it ended in a way that works way too well for a sequel when there isn't one... and I wanna read it!! >:'( Hmph!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Murder
Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Blood
Minor: Vomit and War