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lfordham9's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
cafe_con_cass's review against another edition
5.0
Um, wow. This was astounding. The era. The language. The writing. The characters. All of it.
Now I’m off to listen to some David Bowie.
Now I’m off to listen to some David Bowie.
nonamesorgender's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
emily_kriebs's review against another edition
5.0
So, so, so good. I wish the ending was a little slower paced but other than that a fabulous book that destroyed me from beginning to end.
lilyheron's review against another edition
1.0
It's 1973, and seventeen-year-old Jonathan has been in electro-convulsive therapy for the mental illness of homosexuality for four years. When he meets Web, Jonathan can't help but begin to think there might not be anything wrong with him after all, despite the fact that just thinking about Web physically hurts.
An incredibly upsetting book, like... I can't bear to think of thirteen-year-olds being subjected to ECT for having been kissed by a boy. On the one hand, this is obviously an important part of recent history that I personally hadn't read anything about before. But the way it's explored in this novel really feels too brutally dark for the genre and target audience. To me, Jonathan's character arc felt drawn out for a long time, then the ending feels rushed and out of the blue. In general I found the 'whambamthankyouma'am' 70s inner dialogue so off-putting in style, and while reading I was uncomfortable with an author who isn't Native American employing racist language and explaining all about what it means to be Two-Spirit.
Content warnings: conversion therapy; racism; slurs; homophobia; homophobic and racist violence; sexual assault
An incredibly upsetting book, like... I can't bear to think of thirteen-year-olds being subjected to ECT for having been kissed by a boy. On the one hand, this is obviously an important part of recent history that I personally hadn't read anything about before. But the way it's explored in this novel really feels too brutally dark for the genre and target audience. To me, Jonathan's character arc felt drawn out for a long time, then the ending feels rushed and out of the blue. In general I found the 'whambamthankyouma'am' 70s inner dialogue so off-putting in style, and while reading I was uncomfortable with an author who isn't Native American employing racist language and explaining all about what it means to be Two-Spirit.
Content warnings: conversion therapy; racism; slurs; homophobia; homophobic and racist violence; sexual assault
devannm's review against another edition
4.0
This is definitely not something I would normally read, but I'm glad that I did. I generally try to stay away from sad LGBT books and books featuring conversion therapy in particular, with the idea that the real world is awful enough and I'd rather read something happy or at least set in a happier world in my free time. This book wasn't anywhere near as sad I was expecting consider the setting and subject material, but I do think I was more 'on edge' than usual while reading because I was always just waiting for horrible things to happen and that might have made it a bit harder for me to immerse myself sometimes. Still, I love both the main characters and the intersectionality of the whole thing and at the end it was actually a really cute and sweet book, even though there were definitely sad bits too. Also 'Ziggy on the cross' is probably one of my new favorite phrases so there's that.
siobhano's review against another edition
4.0
Just finished this one. Pretty sad, overly dramatic, very gay, funny.
It's 1973, Jonathan is a gay, asthmatic, shy 16yo undergoing conversion therapy to cure him from his homosexuality. He's got no one but his alcohol abusing dad and his neighbour Starla who's away for the summer. Jonathan is a very imaginative kid, so he talks to Ziggy Stardust (you know David Bowie "ground control to Major Tom" Ziggy Stardust) and his dead mom in his head. But everything changes when he befriends Web, an Indian American (two spirited) boy.
I had a hard time getting into it, because Jonathan is a super weird kid, but I LOVED all the references to music in this one. (You might not know, but I'm super hard core into 60s / 70s music). Also very political. The book is also overly dramatic, which annoyed me a bit. Jonathan is...exhausting as protagonist...
The entire business with curing queer folks just made me incredibly sad, especially as we see how Jonathan struggles with everybody telling him that he is sick.
Trigger warnings for: electro shock / conversion therapy, attempted rape, violence.
But if you want to learn more about queer identities in the 70s, Native American issues, Vietnam, music and politics of the 70s, check it out. Beautiful passages in there.
4 Stars
It's 1973, Jonathan is a gay, asthmatic, shy 16yo undergoing conversion therapy to cure him from his homosexuality. He's got no one but his alcohol abusing dad and his neighbour Starla who's away for the summer. Jonathan is a very imaginative kid, so he talks to Ziggy Stardust (you know David Bowie "ground control to Major Tom" Ziggy Stardust) and his dead mom in his head. But everything changes when he befriends Web, an Indian American (two spirited) boy.
I had a hard time getting into it, because Jonathan is a super weird kid, but I LOVED all the references to music in this one. (You might not know, but I'm super hard core into 60s / 70s music). Also very political. The book is also overly dramatic, which annoyed me a bit. Jonathan is...exhausting as protagonist...
The entire business with curing queer folks just made me incredibly sad, especially as we see how Jonathan struggles with everybody telling him that he is sick.
Trigger warnings for: electro shock / conversion therapy, attempted rape, violence.
But if you want to learn more about queer identities in the 70s, Native American issues, Vietnam, music and politics of the 70s, check it out. Beautiful passages in there.
4 Stars
georgelathwell's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
A beautiful book.
instense_screamn's review against another edition
5.0
im going to explode racism with my mind.. everything about this book blew my mind. people are so messed up in the head. i can’t even fathom what could be going on in their head to even have the thought to their action. the way it ended was so circling. and honestly, i can’t believe what i even read
bethmxxn's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
3.25