Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

241 reviews

kaylokay_'s review

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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skye_era_books's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I learned a lot about Chinese-American culture (specifically in the 1940s and 50s). I also learned a lot about lesbians and the queer community during that time. I love that
Lily and Kath end up back together after being separated for a year.
Please read the author’s note at the end of the book, as it helps explain the author’s research for this book. 
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zackarinareads's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring medium-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

Here are some thoughts I wrote down for the Heartstopper Discord Book Club (April2024):
 
  1. What did you think about the book? How did it make you feel? I’ve been meaning to read this book for so long and finally got around to it in late February. I am always interested in lesbian history and I liked that this was a big part of the book. The characters all felt like a real part of their surrounding world and time. The timelines that were included in the book helped with my understanding. I also liked that other people from Lily’s family had little chapters to detail their personal journeys.
  2. Was there any moment that stood out as your favorite or felt most impactful? I’m always a fan of the first kiss but in this book I also liked the slow build-up to the characters’ relationship. The first time Lily saw the newspaper ad for Tommy’s show was also iconic with all the mixed and unexplainable emotions and feeling of recognition she experienced.
  3. Share your favorite quote! Why do you like it? ” “What’s what supposed to be like?” Lily slumped back against the sofa, feeling boneless and muddled. “Falling in love, I guess.” “You’ll know,” Claire said. “It’s unmistakable.” (How she could recognize Kath at the other end of a crowded Galileo hallway by the way she walked.) “It’s like . . . well, it’s like falling,” Lana said. “Falling, or floating, or sinking.” (Every time they kissed.) “You won’t know which way is up.” “It’s like having a fever.” (The way the world seemed to narrow down to the tips of Kath’s fingers.) “It’s like being drunk—drunk for days.”” I love the interjections to show what the conversation is making her think about.
  4. Is there anything specific you’d like to discuss during the meeting? I’d love to discuss the butch representation in the book. Overall, I don’t know if remember everything quite well enough to have a good discussion, though.

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amoonymess's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring tense medium-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

4.25

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livreittoashley's review

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emotional reflective tense medium-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

4.0

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dangselena's review

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emotional hopeful sad tense slow-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

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hex_agon's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-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

5.0

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ineffablecrows's review

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emotional informative sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

so amazing oh my lord
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paula357's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I enjoyed the second half of the book so much more than the first, when the story finally picked up its speed. personally, I would have liked the book to be a little bit more hopeful, which is a common experience with queer books for me. still, I grew to love the characters throughout the book and would have loved to read more about their happiness (even though the tragedy is a central part of the story)
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ko_rax's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring medium-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

4.0

Last Night at the Telegraph Club tells the story of Lily Hu, a seventeen-year old American-born with Chinese family and heritage, who discovers the truth surrounding her sexuality in a rather beautiful and emotional way amidst period-typical homophobia, racism and a tinge of misogyny. Through multiple lenses, the reader embarks on a journey throughout San Fransisco not only in the 50s and learns of the history of the gay and lesbian culture and of Chinese realities in America.

I must say, out of personal preference, that I liked the second half much more than the first. 

The first half of the novel allows for the reader to explore family backgrounds and to accustom not only to the underlying racism, but also to the harsh homophobic tone of the 50s. Since my personal reality strays away from Lily's just far enough to forget the amount of privilege I enjoy (queer-friendly surroundings devoid of youthful peer pressure), I had a hard time staying focused whenever Lily described her day-to-day among peers at and outside of high school. However, the insights on Chinese culture in an immigrant family were pleasant. I really liked how well (racial) belonging was depicted.

Rather fond of fast-paced stories, it is no wonder then, that I enjoyed the quicker developments in the second half following Lily's
self-recognition as a sapphic
and especially loved the scene where
she seeked advice from Lana
. It warmed my heart at the sight of queer kinship.

Careful to those who have rather traumatic experiences with
coming out, lesbophobia and racial slurs
as these themes/triggers are quite graphic in this novel. Please look after yourselves.
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