I don't know about y'all, but last night at the telegraph club I sobbed like a little baby. This is a heartbreaking, quintessentially teen coming-of-age story about a girl finding and learning to accept her identity in the context of a world that constantly tries to put her in one box or another. Lo skillfully writes from Lily's perspective, showing us the world through her eyes, which makes the confusion and hurt visceral not just for Lily but also for the reader. The world is layered with rich texture as Lo involves all of the reader's five senses, such that I felt like I could taste and smell and feel everything that Lily did.

Lily is such a lovable girl, and watching her find her identity as a queer woman and as a person overall was such a sweet, if heartbreaking, journey. Her character arc and the part Kath played in it felt so special. She is, of course, a teen, so the world she inhabits doesn't yet come without the rose colored glasses, as is made clear in the chapters from the perspective of adults in her life. For Lily, in typical teen fashion, the Red Scare and the rampant racism, homophobia, and misogyny are the backdrop upon which the drama of her life takes place. She is her own main character in the best way.

I wished that we had gotten a little more of a wrap-up in terms of her relationship with Shirley, as her prominence in the story felt like it deserved a louder finish. The development of their relationship was certainly realistic, but in terms of story development, I wanted one more scene for Lily to really say her piece, out loud or just in her head. This is more personal preference and not the book's fault, though, so it didn't factor into my enjoyment overall.

If you want a visceral experience watching a young queer woman find her way, this is the book for you.