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woolfinbooks's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Representation:
bisexual
genderqueer
lesbian
stone butch
trans man
Format: I hybrid read the uncorrected ARC and the corrected audiobook
Other reviews on this did not pass the vibe check. Imagine still being a biphobic lesbian in 2024 -_-
For a lot of people, sexuality is fluid. It's not something you always get right the first try. It's something you examine and question for a long time. The mc questioning her sexuality is not 'touring' or 'invading' anything. Bi-curious, bisexual, and other identities are valid, as is questioning your identity. It's not like this was yet another book where someone had sex with a woman once and then went back to being straight. We see her progression from identifying as straight, questioning her sexuality, wondering if she's a lesbian, and later identifying as bi after doing extensive searching into her self via read-world books on sexuality.
Lesbian/Sapphic/Queer representation does not need to be perfect. We deserve messy relationships too! We deserve stories that reflect real world drama. We deserve to be annoyed at every decision the MC makes! We deserve stories that aren't perfect fairytale happily ever after's. Queer story telling is allowed to be as complex as cishet storytelling is. Demanding an unrealistic level of queer perfection is boring.
Messy queer women is my favorite trope. I love seeing things written for us. I love how aggravating it is to see the MC ignore all common sense and make dumb ass decisions for a love that we know is going to fail. One of my favorite parts was her name dropping some of the best lesbian/sapphic books in history. If you take anything from this let it be the expansion of your TBR.
The only thing I disliked was the stylistic choice of having no quotation marks. As mentioned earlier, I read the uncorrected ARC copy, so that might have changed in its publication. But, if it didn't, it was annoying. I don't like it when any author does it.
bisexual
genderqueer
lesbian
stone butch
trans man
Format: I hybrid read the uncorrected ARC and the corrected audiobook
Other reviews on this did not pass the vibe check. Imagine still being a biphobic lesbian in 2024 -_-
For a lot of people, sexuality is fluid. It's not something you always get right the first try. It's something you examine and question for a long time. The mc questioning her sexuality is not 'touring' or 'invading' anything. Bi-curious, bisexual, and other identities are valid, as is questioning your identity. It's not like this was yet another book where someone had sex with a woman once and then went back to being straight. We see her progression from identifying as straight, questioning her sexuality, wondering if she's a lesbian, and later identifying as bi after doing extensive searching into her self via read-world books on sexuality.
Lesbian/Sapphic/Queer representation does not need to be perfect. We deserve messy relationships too! We deserve stories that reflect real world drama. We deserve to be annoyed at every decision the MC makes! We deserve stories that aren't perfect fairytale happily ever after's. Queer story telling is allowed to be as complex as cishet storytelling is. Demanding an unrealistic level of queer perfection is boring.
Messy queer women is my favorite trope. I love seeing things written for us. I love how aggravating it is to see the MC ignore all common sense and make dumb ass decisions for a love that we know is going to fail. One of my favorite parts was her name dropping some of the best lesbian/sapphic books in history. If you take anything from this let it be the expansion of your TBR.
The only thing I disliked was the stylistic choice of having no quotation marks. As mentioned earlier, I read the uncorrected ARC copy, so that might have changed in its publication. But, if it didn't, it was annoying. I don't like it when any author does it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: Death of parent and Animal death
There is a mention of AIDS, euthanasia, and sex scenes that aren't very graphicjazzyjbox's review against another edition
dark
sad
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? Yes
3.25
Reading this is certainly an experience. I can't say I necessarily enjoyed it, but it fascinated me from the start. It's written as a pseudo memoir of an author who experiences a Sapphic affair with a woman. The relationship is toxic, and the ending is abrupt. I didn't hate it.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
tapertuva's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
thecaffeinatedlibrary's review
dark
reflective
4.0
This was one of those books that are deeply impactful but not necessarily likeable.
It is thoughtful, messy, provocative, and raw. It touches on queer awakenings and the joys and triumphs of this period, but it doesn't linger here. We focus on the darker parts of it, the mistakes we make as we live, and learn in the queer community we have stepped into
It is thoughtful, messy, provocative, and raw. It touches on queer awakenings and the joys and triumphs of this period, but it doesn't linger here. We focus on the darker parts of it, the mistakes we make as we live, and learn in the queer community we have stepped into
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Addiction, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body shaming and Homophobia
lottie1803's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
laura_arnold_palmer's review against another edition
3.0
A very mixed bag. Certainly emblematic of a specific type of lesbian, certainly one with a lot of hang ups about trans people. Funny occasionally, relatable occasionally, but ultimately not adding up to much. I feel like the dykes obsessed with this could stand to read some more lesbian lit, no?
beths__bookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
shroff_sanjana's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use
lizawall's review against another edition
would have liked this like 1000x more if it had actually been called dyke aching (will someone plz write that one?)
anna_04's review
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0