Like a Love Story
Ratings32
Average rating4.2
I really liked most of this book.
First of all, I have never read a YA novel dealing with the AIDS crisis in the 80s/90s. These stories are so important to hear, and need the opportunity to get to be told more often.
The characters in this book are nuanced and even the ones we don't want to like are at least multi-faceted. There are some beautiful, frank, and open conversations between teens and adults about sex in this book that need to happen more often in YA and the world in general- but what is missing from these conversations is consent. There were a few scenes in this book where consent is not asked for appropriately, but it is not clear what intention of this choice is. I think it was a missed opportunity to talk about consent and how important it is to sexual well-being as well.
But overall, this is a moving novel that talks about an important time not so long ago that we cannot allow to be forgotten.
Like a Love Story follows the life of thee high school kids - Art, Judy and Reza.
Set against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic, this book deals with a lot of tragedy, homophobia and its impact on gay young adults.
The author does a fantastic job of treading the line between serious issues like coming out and dealing with homophobia while simultaneously preserving the fun, youthful aspects of teenage life.
Although, I felt like the love triangle was a little too messy but apart from that it is a solid read.
4.5 - “Reza. Isn't this magnificent? Listen to all these people. It's the sound of centuries of repression being beaten into the ground. It's the sound of change”
This is an extremely difficult book to rate for me. I thought the overall story was beautiful, a celebration of love and anger and fighting for a better life, but the three main characters annoyed me so much that parts of the book were a slog.
Reza spends the first half of the book constantly spinning his wheels through internalized homophobia, which while realistic means the reader is subjected to the same story beats multiple times. Judy's reaction to finding out that Reza is gay and dated her out of fear is awful and left largely unexamined by the narrative. Art spends the second half of the book trying to pressure his boyfriend into sex he isn't ready for. Also the weirdly detailed scenes of teens having sex might be off-putting for some.
I did love most of the side characters though (at least, the ones intended to be likable) and most of the writing about ACT UP was great.
A solid neutral rating from me.
Absolutely amazing. No cons. It made me cry and only one other book has been able to do that. It teaches so many important lessons.
‘Because there's no future without a past.'
* 105 sticky tabs were used in the reading of this book.
Well written but waaaay too long and set in a period in time I'm not sure kids will be moved to put in the work for the 300+ pages, though it is about important queer history, so maybe that'll move a few. Not much happens here other than slow builds to relationships/sex (graphic but in a loving and consensual way, which YA needs way more of!) and it's through the lens of a friend/love triangle of three teens, yet this feels more like something adults will appreciate. So far one of my readers has quit on it, but I'll push it to more and see if I can find the right kids for this.