When You Call My Name
Reviews
I liked this book but it was way different then I have thought prior to reading it, I appreciate the 1990s new york and found the story pretty interesting as it touches on the HIV/AIDS epidemic ( what made me pick it up in the first place ) insane amount of 1990s pop culture references were distracting at times. It wasn’t a bad book and I appreciate the perspective of the history but I probably wouldn’t recommend however it has inspired me to find more books that cover that deal with the topics it covers.
This book is set during the height of the AIDS epidemic and it’s about two gay teenagers (17 and 18, I think), coming of age. It’s technically a romance between these two gay teenagers, but their coming of age is more at the forefront, I think? You kind of know that they’re eventually going to get together, and I didn’t really feel one way or another about it. The pop culture references in this book are also kind of rough, especially because for a lot of them, I Simply Didn’t Get Them, I Am Too Young. And it’s really sad, and really slow in some places, and I think maybe I’d like to read it slowly, over the course of a summer instead of fairly rapidly for a review. (Honestly I was approved for this in December so that one’s on me.) Four and a half stars, rounded down for NetGalley.
This was so surprisingly amazing. Let’s give it up for the gays everyone.
Highlights
They say that memories fade with time but I don't believe that's true. You carry them with you like stones in your pocket. Sometimes when it's quiet you take them out to roll between your fingers. Then you put them back in your pocket, safe again. You don't leave them behind.
"I hope we never lose that outlaw feeling," Dennis says. "I know we all want progress, we all want gay rights, but I still want to hold on to that outsider vibe. It's so energizing, you know? "Double edges," Jack says. "It’s complicated."