Who am I? That is the question Lily is trying to answer amongst the the political craze that is the Red Scare and an intolerance towards the LGBTQ community. When Kathleen offers her a chance at more will she take it, even with so much turmoil happening around them? Read to see Lily and Kathleen budding relationship take root.
The beginning of the book contains a timeline of historical events, helping ground the reader in what vis going on in the world of the characters as well as helping to connect to the knowledge they may have of the actual events and feelings of the time. Taking place during the Red Scare and at a time when people who identified as homosexual could not gather without discrimination this powerful coming of age story finds the pockets of hope through Lily, who is as charming as she is curious. Each chapter is punctuated by the set of years where the action of the chapter takes place helping the reader to firmly place the time in history to the ties in the story. The inclusion of Chinese characters within the text lends a strong sense of culture for the characters and he setting and a great exposure for the reader (this is a time when the audiobook would be a wonderful resource so that the reader could hear the pronunciation of the characters). The reader can feel Lily's guilt and curiosity collide as she observes women and the relationship they share both socially and emotionally. Kathleen is a symbol of freedom and acceptance that Lily is looking for and through her introduction to the Telegraph Club, Lily begins to piece together who she wants to be.
In this meticulously researched title, Lo skillfully layers rich details, such as how Lily has to deal with microaggressions from gay and straight women alike and how all of Chinatown has to be careful of the insidious threat of McCarthyism. Actual events, such as Madame Chiang Kai-shek’s 1943 visit to San Francisco, form a backdrop to this story of a journey toward finding one’s authentic self. Beautifully written historical fiction about giddy, queer first love. - Kirkus Review
Book Information:
Lo, M. (2021). LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB. New York: Dutton Books. ISBN 9781529366587
What next?!
Read A Scatter of Light also by Malinda Lo!
Comments
Post a Comment