Reviews

The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara

honeycake69's review against another edition

1.0

Oh boy another book about suffering queers how original

natasha_reads0420's review against another edition

5.0

Absolutely loved it! All the characters were unique and I fell in love with them all. It was slow moving but you got to know all the characters. Beautifully written!

lukemusto's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

janaebeaver's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

5.0

iannome's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

3.0

nmw2412's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny relaxing 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? Yes

4.0

ilaurin's review against another edition

4.0

3.5 stars.
This was a sad story. I found it hard to get all the people straight as there was quite a few. Which meant that I was not as invested in them as I would normally be. It depicts the life of some gay people in New York when the AIDS epidemic started.

makealongstorycourt's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

This book was good but not spectacular. Maybe the slow pace contributed, and I was hoping for a bit more in the writing style. The characterization was good, again not spectacular. This book was an enjoyable read but I feel as though I will forget most of this book in a few months. 

ddrosche's review against another edition

4.0

All the feels! This book is so devastatingly beautiful. A bittersweet story from beginning to end that alternately makes you smile and wrenches your heart from your chest. Despite the nearly constant sadness on every page, I couldn't put it down. Cassara does a fantastic job immersing you into this culture that you feel a part of it. Nothing is off limits and there are times when the story is so raw and true that I was in awe. He also brings to life these characters that you end up invested in, loving, and genuinely caring for. Early on I found some of the time and character jumps confusing as I tried to remember who was who and who was narrating. However, as the book progressed this became less of an issue for me as I fell into the pattern of it all. Overall I loved this book and was sad when it was over. Not only because of how it ended, but because it ended. Well done on a first novel and I am eager to see what else Joseph Cassara brings in the future!

jonapelson's review against another edition

4.0

QBC 10/19 - Look at me actually finishing a Queer Bookclub Book after bookclub! I enjoyed this, but god damn the ending is brutal.