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simonlorden's reviews
1289 reviews
The Rainbow Parade by Emily Neilson
4.5
LOUD and PROUD and COLORFUL story of a little girl with two moms who goes to a pride parade for the first time.
Kapaemahu by Joe Wilson, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer
5.0
An indigenous legend told in both English and in Olelo Niihau, one of the Hawaiian languages. I love reading about indigenous nonbinary genders, because it shows that this isn't a new "trend" over the world - even if, as this story also shows, this history was erased and suppressed by colonization.
The Harm We Do Ourselves by Jean Akouri
1.0
This book was made available on NetGalley for an honest review.
It was less than a hundred pages but it was a struggle to read. It is less of a fictional novel and more of an extended debate about gay (and later trans) rights in Lebanon and in the US.
The main character, Sami, is an out gay man, who is incredibly judgmental towards other gay men who are more promiscuous than him, and also gay men who are closeted. Actually, his view was contradictory to me, because he talks about how gay people are discriminated against and learn to hate themselves from the beginning, and even their legal rights to existence is debated, but then still judges people who don't come out? Still, at this point I was still going to give this book 3 stars, because I was trying to come at this with an open mind for a man whose cultural experience is very different from my own.
But then it just goes into shitting on trans people, honestly. The two main characters claim they aren't transphobic because they support "genuinely trans people", they are only against "trans ideology in the West", like "men deciding to be women" or trans women wanting to be in women's sports - so really, I don't really understand which part of trans people they support? The characters also insist that gay people must separate themselves from the harmful trans ideology because being gay is not the same as "constantly changing pronouns".
So, yeah. I tried to take this with an open mind, but as a fictional book it's unenjoyable and badly written, and as an essay/debate/whatever it is very judgmental and transphobic.
It was less than a hundred pages but it was a struggle to read. It is less of a fictional novel and more of an extended debate about gay (and later trans) rights in Lebanon and in the US.
The main character, Sami, is an out gay man, who is incredibly judgmental towards other gay men who are more promiscuous than him, and also gay men who are closeted. Actually, his view was contradictory to me, because he talks about how gay people are discriminated against and learn to hate themselves from the beginning, and even their legal rights to existence is debated, but then still judges people who don't come out? Still, at this point I was still going to give this book 3 stars, because I was trying to come at this with an open mind for a man whose cultural experience is very different from my own.
But then it just goes into shitting on trans people, honestly. The two main characters claim they aren't transphobic because they support "genuinely trans people", they are only against "trans ideology in the West", like "men deciding to be women" or trans women wanting to be in women's sports - so really, I don't really understand which part of trans people they support? The characters also insist that gay people must separate themselves from the harmful trans ideology because being gay is not the same as "constantly changing pronouns".
So, yeah. I tried to take this with an open mind, but as a fictional book it's unenjoyable and badly written, and as an essay/debate/whatever it is very judgmental and transphobic.
This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska
4.0
Big thanks to the publisher for making this available on NetGalley.
Gisela is a drowned girl who wants to be alive. Kazik is an exorcist who wants to get rid of her once and for all. And they both have a crush on the same guy.
I was drawn in by the cover and the polyamory, but I stayed also for the Slavic mythology and the gender feels. While Gisela doesn't identify as such, she definitely has some nonbinary vibes going on, and there is a similar side character as well. And of course, all three of the main characters are bisexual.
I can't say much about the third character in the ship without getting spoiler-y, but let's just say I love him and his struggles with identity and who he's supposed to be.
I enjoyed the plot, the characters and the twists. I think Gisela kind of gets on everyone's nerves, but for me she managed to be loveable about it instead of really annoying. I admit I was disappointed (and thus why I'm rating it 4 stars) because I assumed this was a standalone story and there would be a resolution in this book, but that isn't so. The ending is definitely set up for a sequel, and there isn't a proper resolution - which makes sense if this is first in a series, but it's not what I was prepared for.
The polyamory isn't quite established in this book, but there's admitted attraction from all sides, and I liked how they danced around each other, thinking the other two liked each other instead. (Turns out I do like love triangles when they end in polyamory.)
Gisela is a drowned girl who wants to be alive. Kazik is an exorcist who wants to get rid of her once and for all. And they both have a crush on the same guy.
I was drawn in by the cover and the polyamory, but I stayed also for the Slavic mythology and the gender feels. While Gisela doesn't identify as such, she definitely has some nonbinary vibes going on, and there is a similar side character as well. And of course, all three of the main characters are bisexual.
I can't say much about the third character in the ship without getting spoiler-y, but let's just say I love him and his struggles with identity and who he's supposed to be.
I enjoyed the plot, the characters and the twists. I think Gisela kind of gets on everyone's nerves, but for me she managed to be loveable about it instead of really annoying. I admit I was disappointed (and thus why I'm rating it 4 stars) because I assumed this was a standalone story and there would be a resolution in this book, but that isn't so. The ending is definitely set up for a sequel, and there isn't a proper resolution - which makes sense if this is first in a series, but it's not what I was prepared for.
The polyamory isn't quite established in this book, but there's admitted attraction from all sides, and I liked how they danced around each other, thinking the other two liked each other instead. (Turns out I do like love triangles when they end in polyamory.)
I Cross-Dressed for the IRL Meetup 1 by Kurano
4.5
Big thanks to the publisher for making this available on NetGalley.
I had a lot of fun with this comedic gender feels manga. "Cocoa" has been making friends in an all-girls sweets group, but she has a secret - he's actually a guy who just likes crossdressing, and he visits the meetings mostly to stare at her crush. However... her crush is ALSO a guy who likes crossdressing. Now what?
I think the way identities are talked about in this manga can be seen as "problematic" by Western modern standards, but like, you have to look past that to the intent. There's no intentional malice or transphobia here, just a bunch of characters exploring their gender expression and getting into comedic (but sometimes embarrassing) double identity shenanigans about it.
Also, although she is a side character, there is an actual trans woman (who is also a lesbian), which I thought was a nice contrast with the guys who like crossdressing.
Overall, I think identity is complicated and fluid, and cultural norms differ, so I don't want to use any labels to describe these characters that weren't used in the work itself - but I enjoyed their shenanigans a lot.
I had a lot of fun with this comedic gender feels manga. "Cocoa" has been making friends in an all-girls sweets group, but she has a secret - he's actually a guy who just likes crossdressing, and he visits the meetings mostly to stare at her crush. However... her crush is ALSO a guy who likes crossdressing. Now what?
I think the way identities are talked about in this manga can be seen as "problematic" by Western modern standards, but like, you have to look past that to the intent. There's no intentional malice or transphobia here, just a bunch of characters exploring their gender expression and getting into comedic (but sometimes embarrassing) double identity shenanigans about it.
Also, although she is a side character, there is an actual trans woman (who is also a lesbian), which I thought was a nice contrast with the guys who like crossdressing.
Overall, I think identity is complicated and fluid, and cultural norms differ, so I don't want to use any labels to describe these characters that weren't used in the work itself - but I enjoyed their shenanigans a lot.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
5.0
The horrors of war, devoted siblings, and a desperate gay love-story all in one book. Beautifully written and often horrifying (that one injured soldier with the brain still haunts me). I also liked the bittersweet ending for Laura and Freddie, and how it lined up with the old woman's prediction.
Mermaid Prince by 尾崎かおり, Kaori Ozaki
5.0
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this.
This is a collection of three beautifully drawn stories that are just really really good and full of feeling. I love the writing of the stories, but I especially love the little, quiet visual moments and scenery. All three of them are sort of dream-like, and I think about finding yourself and your place in the world.
Ametsukigahara is about a teenage girl navigating life and identity, struggling with questions such as what she wants to be, what to do when you grow apart from your friends, when you're not sure who you are at the core, and also when creeps on the train want to keep grabbing you.
One Snowy Day is about a librarian, as well as a father and a son who take refuge in the library on a snowy day. It is adorable and very heartfelt and also kind of sad. I would have loved for it to be longer.
And finally, Mermaid Prince is about a teenage boy looking for his place in the world after being moved away to an island, being bullied, and living with his only sister and his new brother-in-law. Does he still have a place in his sister's new family? And if not, then where does that leave him? There's also mermaids, but they're more of a background for the emotions and way-searching.
This is a collection of three beautifully drawn stories that are just really really good and full of feeling. I love the writing of the stories, but I especially love the little, quiet visual moments and scenery. All three of them are sort of dream-like, and I think about finding yourself and your place in the world.
Ametsukigahara is about a teenage girl navigating life and identity, struggling with questions such as what she wants to be, what to do when you grow apart from your friends, when you're not sure who you are at the core, and also when creeps on the train want to keep grabbing you.
One Snowy Day is about a librarian, as well as a father and a son who take refuge in the library on a snowy day. It is adorable and very heartfelt and also kind of sad. I would have loved for it to be longer.
And finally, Mermaid Prince is about a teenage boy looking for his place in the world after being moved away to an island, being bullied, and living with his only sister and his new brother-in-law. Does he still have a place in his sister's new family? And if not, then where does that leave him? There's also mermaids, but they're more of a background for the emotions and way-searching.
Upscaled by Joseph John Lee
3.0
A cute, cozy fantasy story about a little girl and her dragon. Unfortunately, it didn't really work for me. The jokes were kind of weak, and often repetitive - there were 4-5 jokes that just kept being repeated throughout the entire book and it wasn't funny by the end. Yeah, okay, the Inquisition lies and they're idiots, but also we're still somehow afraid of them, I get it.
The epilogue also just made me feel frustrated, because seriously kid.
The epilogue also just made me feel frustrated, because seriously kid.
The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni
4.5
A pretty dark fantasy in a death prison where sentences never end, and the guards are free to abuse the prisoners without much repercussion. The main character is a seventeen year old healer who has been at the prison for the last ten years, when they dragged her in as an innocent along with her father. When the Rebel Queen who is trying to claim her allegedly stolen throne is brought into the prison for punishment, Kiva volunteers to undergo the magical trials instead of her.
The plot thickens gradually, then there's several twists at the end, and one of them just puts the whole book in a different light. I had to stop and process it and read it a few times because wow. I wasn't going to continue the series until then, but now I think I'll have to see where this is going.
The plot thickens gradually, then there's several twists at the end, and one of them just puts the whole book in a different light. I had to stop and process it and read it a few times because wow. I wasn't going to continue the series until then, but now I think I'll have to see where this is going.