"The second dream is more difficult to convey. Nothing happened. He scarcely saw a face, scarcely heard a voice say, “That is your friend,” and then it was over, having filled him with beauty and taught him tenderness. He could die for such a friend, he would allow such a friend to die for him; they would make any sacrifice for each other, and count the world nothing, neither death nor distance nor crossness could part them, because "this is my friend.”"

a meditative, evisceratingly tender and deeply moving queer novel. it's a slow burn, but it really etched its way into me. i adored the intimacy and the emotional earnestness of it. forster's critique of british society, class, patriarchy, the church, and the way that these mechanisms work to suppress queerness is so intricately woven and clear. he shows how these forces not only suppress queerness, but dull everyone's experience of the world. how seeking protection in these structures also means one will be protected from deep joy and love - because what really is the point of wearing a fucking dinner jacket?

i adored alec and the way he stands up for himself and refuses to be looked down upon. i loved the symbolism of the woods, the forest, the groundskeeper himself - all of this being an escape from the rigidity and shallowness of their society. forster's hope for a better world for the queer community is beautifully articulated, and i'm glad this book exists as a time capsule of how queer people felt at that time - because so much of it is still resonant now. reading forster's words as a lesbian in a loving relationship in the 21st century makes me very grateful to say i have a friend.

is it particularly serious? no. does it add much depth to the original 'wuthering heights' story? no. did i absolutely tear through this juicy ice skating drama in a day and stay up til 2am reading it? yes of course.

fargo is very skilled at writing propulsive drama. even though the twists weren't that shocking knowing the original 'wuthering heights' story, they still felt exciting. she has a great sense for visuals as well - some of the imagery from kat and heath's routines are still etched in my brain (shoutout dracula routine). i also do think she had some interesting things to say about media representation of women in sport. but overall this is just fun and gossipy and such an enjoyable read.

absolutely beautiful. a profound exploration of the way the british class system not only fuels homophobia but necessitates it. so tender and intimate, there was a line on almost every page that spoke to a feeling ive never been able to articulate. rip e m forster you would have loved dark academia