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Rachel reviews If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

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IfYouCouldBeMine

Young Adult author Sara Farizan adds a fresh and necessary story with her debut novel If You Could Be Mine. In Iran, female teenager Sahar has known from a young age that she wants to marry her best friend, Nasrin. But although her feelings are reciprocated, the two cannot marry because they are both girls. In their country, homosexuality is considered a crime, and death can be one of the many punishments. For a while, Sahar and Nasrin carry on their secret romance. And then Nasrin’s parents reveal that they have plans for their daughter to be married to a successful doctor. The girls are devastated, and Sahar tries frantically to find a way to stop the wedding. She learns that, although homosexuality is abhorred in Iran, being transgender is viewed as a correctable mistake, and the government allows sex reassignment surgery. Sahar isn’t transgender, but she wants to have a chance with Nasrin, so she seriously considers the surgery. She meets and befriends many transsexuals, some happy in their new bodies and some not. But she must ask herself if her decision is really the right path for her, and what kind of choices she should make.

If You Could Be Mine is a moving book, with complex characters and scenes; some wrenching, some beautiful. Sara Farizan provided an interesting glimpse of what it may be like to be gay or transsexual in Iran. There was an ever-present sense of fear and urgency that many homosexual Iranians must go through every day. There were a few things about the culture I hadn’t known before reading this book, so that made it an even more interesting read.

Like Farizan’s second novel Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel, this story has fascinating and memorable characters. Sahar is an interesting and conflicted protagonist. There were moments where I felt she was jumping into decisions too fast and naively, but given that she really had no prior experiences with homosexual and transsexual people, it was understandable. One of my favorite characters in If You Could Be Mine was Parveen, a male-to-female transsexual. She spoke seriously to Sahar about what changing her gender would entail, and if Sahar was doing it for the right reasons. She remained a supportive friend throughout the novel, and was open and honest about her experiences so she could help Sahar make the right decision. Parveen really deserves a novel of her own, she’s so well-developed and intriguing.

Sahar’s journey to be true to herself is emotional and thought-provoking. She must decide whether Nasrin would love her if she became a man, and if not, how to move on with her life. There were other subplots weaved with the main one: Sahar’s father coping with the loss of his wife, her gay cousin Ali making some humorous appearances, and the motives of Nasrin’s parents for their daughter’s upcoming wedding.

If You Could Be Mine is not a light read; it deals with heavy subject matters. There are no easy answers to the character’s predicaments. But the idea and plot are interesting additions to YA literature. This novel, especially with its amazing characters, will easily be remembered by readers.

Rachel reviewed The Locket and the Flintlock by Rebecca S. Buck

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From Bold Strokes Books comes an unusual story of love amidst pre-Victorian England. The Locket and the Flintlock by Rebecca S. Buck starts in 1812 when Lucia Foxe, daughter of a wealthy British aristocrat, and her family are robbed by a band of thieves called Highwaymen. The thieves steal Lucia’s treasured locket and leave, but Lucia, bound and determined to get her locket back, secretly leaves home and pursues the outlaws. She soon meets their female leader, Len Hawkins, who on the surface seems vastly different from Lucia, but in reality shares a lot of common ground. The two, much to their surprise, become friends after a while, and later those feelings turn into undeniable love. But can gentlewoman Lucia and outlaw Len make a life together in a time when homosexuality was abhorred?

The Locket and the Flintlock  covers interesting topics, such as the social constraints women were faced with in the early 1800s, and how the poor barely had enough wages to live on and so many turned to a life of crime. The author did a good job highlighting these points, and the scenes where Len challenged Lucia on what society deemed “proper” rang true.

However, there were some things about the book that didn’t sit right with me. Lucia, never having been in a lesbian relationship before and unfamiliar with homosexuality, seemed to accept her feelings for Len too quickly. It felt to me that, a woman in Lucia’s time and society would have been more hesitant, afraid of being gay and done some serious soul-searching about it. But Lucia never really addressed this to herself, which I found surprising and unrealistic for the plotline.

At times, the two women’s stories were really absorbing and tense, but at others the book reiterated some of the same points which slowed the plot down. One unexpected twist felt a bit too convenient for Lucia and Len. And there were other moments in the novel that felt a little far-fetched for the characters, detracting from the story.

Though The Locket and the Flintlock wasn’t really my cup of tea, I applaud Rebecca S. Buck for all her research into the historical details of 1812 England and the last days of the highwaymen. The subject of a female highwayman isn’t touched on much, so it was refreshing to see that aspect of history acknowledged. Readers who love historical fiction, particularly in England, and women’s history should give The Locket and the Flintlock a try and see if it’s something they like.

Rachel reviews Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

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Published in 1985 by Jeanette Winterson, the classic novel Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit hits home on a young girl coming of age and beginning to question her sexuality.

The protagonist, Jeanette, has been adopted by stringent Pentecostal evangelists. As she grows up, she is expected to one day be a missionary. Her mother in particular pushes Jeanette to pursue this dream. Together, the family listens on the radio to missionaries converting unbelievers, attend church for intense sermons, and learn as much from the Bible as they can. Jeanette is an outcast at school because her beliefs set her apart from the other kids; her only true friend is Elsie, an elderly woman who encourages Jeanette in her work. One day however, Jeanette meets Melanie, and begins to feel the first stirrings of attraction. This causes uproar in her family and community, leading Jeanette to make her own decisions about her future.

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a mixture of humor and sadness as the story follows Jeanette in her journey to awakening. And the journey is full of ignorance and a lack of understanding. Jeanette loves God and Melanie, but her pastor tells her she cannot love them both. She is surrounded by people who do not understand her; her mother and community believe she has allowed the devil to take her with “unnatural passions.” It was heartbreaking at times to read of how Jeanette was treated by people she had known her whole life. The homophobic remarks were infuriating. People fear what they do not understand, and the characters in this book were no exception.

Winterson brilliantly captured Jeanette’s struggles to find her own place while reconciling her attraction to women. As the novel progresses, Jeanette begins to question her beliefs and challenge her society’s rules. The reader can see her getting more independent with every page. Her growth from a young girl to a mature woman exploring the world around her was liberating in a way.

Throughout the book, there are stories interwoven with the main plot. These stories hold a message relevant to what Jeanette is going through. Every chapter of Oranges is marked by the name of a Bible story, starting with Genesis and ending with Ruth. My favorite chapter was Deuteronomy. Though short, in it Jeanette ponders questions about history and how easily people change it to match their beliefs.

Lesbianism is not the main subject touched on in the novel; religion and questioning are at the forefront. It’s no surprise; Jeanette’s beliefs are important to her and she built a lot of her dreams and plans on it. She works hard to make sense of her faith and the world around her. That makes her the strongest character of the book in my opinion, and more endearing.

I can see why Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a classic; the novel prompts readers to question society, religion, and prejudice. Some may find the subjects too heavy, but this book has important messages, and should be read by everyone, gay or straight.

Rachel reviews Her Maiden Voyage by Rachel Maldonado

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A wonderful lesbian romance that takes place on the Titanic, Her Maiden Voyage by Rachel Maldonado, was just released earlier this year.

The protagonist of the story, Marie Antoinette Michaels, earns her passage on the Titanic to escape from England, where she is at the mercy of her controlling husband. Boarding the ill-fated ship to start a new life, Antoinette is a first class passenger. While departing Southampton, she meets Evelyn Chambers, a third class traveler with a moody husband and baby son. The two young women feel a pull to each other and become friends. Over the course of the voyage, Evelyn and Antoinette explore the ship and acknowledge their feelings for each other. Then the ship hits the iceberg. If Antoinette and Evelyn survive the voyage, can they live together in a time when homosexuality was not accepted?

Her Maiden Voyage is now one of my favorite lesbian books. The characters of Antoinette and Evelyn balance each other out so well: serious, down-to-earth Antoinette and plucky, playful Evelyn forge a strong bond. As they get to know each other better, the women begin to confide their deep secrets and longings. Antoinette wants to be a writer, and Evelyn wants to someday own a boutique, and they encourage each other’s dreams and to pursue what they want. Their love for each other is genuine and pure. The characters do have shortcomings, but that doesn’t detract from the story at all.

Another thing that made this novel really good was how in depth Maldonado went into describing the amenities and activities the Titanic had, and how the two women explored so much of it. There were squash courts, swimming pools, promenades, cafes, and more. It was fun to read about Antoinette’s exploits on the ship. I was not aware that there was so much to do on the Titanic! As the story progresses, Evelyn and Antoinette play squash, chess, swim races in the pool, dine in First Class, among other adventures. It was interesting to watch these characters explore and interact with other people, often in a joking fashion. The story had some good humorous moments, and the two women said some funny and cute things to each other.

The novel doesn’t center entirely around the night the Titanic sank, so is not packed with action and intensity like the famous movie, Titanic. Some readers may find the sinking in this book to be anti-climactic or glossed over, but it really wasn’t the point of the story. The point is two young women in love who want to create a life together. Personally, I thought the author handled the Titanic disaster well. She showed how many of the passengers were not fully aware of the situation, and how they wouldn’t know of the high cost of lives until later.

Her Maiden Voyage seems to mean more than just the first and only voyage of the Titanic, it also seems to represent Antoinette and Evelyn on their journey to acknowledge their love for each other. The title was a symbolic touch to the novel, and the story itself is beautiful. It’s a new take on lesbians in history, on a topic that no one really has done before, making it a groundbreaking and riveting novel.

Rachel reviews The Sea Hawk by Brenda Adcock

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If you want to read a book about lesbians, time travel, and seafaring, The Sea Hawk by Brenda Adcock has all three. And the story she tells is a gripping, emotional read.

In the present day, Julia Blanchard, a marine archaeologist is excavating a ship from the 1800s that she calls “The Georgia Peach.” One day, while on one of her dives, Julia barely escapes modern pirates and is accidentally drifted out at sea. After days of floating aimlessly, Julia passes out and wakes up on a British ship in 1814. Unsure whether this is all a hallucination or not, Julia goes along with the events and reveals nothing about her real life. Then the ship is raided by French privateers, and Julia is taken captive by Captain Simone Moreau of the Faucon de Mer. Julia and Simone both feel an attraction to each other, although Simone is currently in a loveless relationship. After some adventures, the two fall in love. Then Simone is summoned by Jean Lafitte to help the Americans defend New Orleans from the British, at the end of the War of 1812. As the privateers gather, Julia and Simone must decide if they can have a life together.

The Sea Hawk has an amazing plot, and the characters of Julia and Simone were funny, flawed, and human. I found myself especially intrigued by Simone, wondering how she had become captain of the Faucon de Mer, and what in her life had led up to her choosing to be a privateer. These questions are answered, and make Simone’s motives more understandable. Unlike many pirates and privateers of her day, Simone isn’t interested in finding treasure and gaining notoriety. She simply wants to live out her life in peace once she retires from sailing. I found this quite refreshing. And her fighting alongside the Americans in the War of 1812 was another interesting plot line I had never seen done before.

The War of 1812 is not the only subject covered in this book; Julia and Simone sail to Simone’s home island Martinique, Louisiana, and of course, experience adventures on the high seas. There are plenty of action scenes with swords and pistols, as well as betrayals, daring escapes, horseback riding, and tender romances. Not just Julia and Simone’s love story is told; Simone’s brother Anton and his girlfriend Kitty have their own promises and loyalties. No one seems to mind same-sex relationships in the novel, which I found inaccurate to the time period, but on the other hand it fit with the characters and the story.

Brenda Adcock did well conveying the emotions of what was happening with her characters. I felt the same anxiety, sadness, and happiness of Julia and Simone as they went through each trial. While some may find the ending confusing, I was satisfied with how things were wrapped up, both in the past and present.

The Sea Hawk was a wonderful book from start to finish; I will definitely be picking this up again!

Rachel reviews Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan

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For fans of lesbian chick-lit, Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan is a funny, entertaining read, and delves into what it is like to be a lesbian of color.

Leila Azadi, a high school junior at Armstead Academy, is Iranian-American; the only one in her school, in fact. Most of her classmates are white, so Leila already feels out of place. She also knows she is gay, and is terrified to come out to her school and her conservative parents. So Leila decides to keep her sexuality a secret. All that changes when Armstead gets a new student; an attractive and enigmatic girl named Saskia. Leila begins to develop romantic feelings for her, and is thrilled when Saskia seems to like her back. She also gets to learn more about her classmates, who are not at all what they appear to be. As Leila grapples with coming out, she needs to learn who to trust…and who to avoid.

Tell Me Again is an easy read, as well as relevant to lesbians today. Throughout the book, Leila’s mixed feelings about being gay come to the surface. The story opens with her class reading The Color Purple, and how scared Leila is to say anything about the main character’s sexuality, for fear of drawing attention to herself. From that moment on, I found myself drawn in. The storyline of Leila coming to terms with her sexuality was gripping as I wondered what would happen next. There were plenty of subplots in the story; such as Leila’s sister Nahal going to medical school, her aloof friend Lisa Katz dealing with her brother’s death, and Leila working on the school’s upcoming play of Twelfth Night. All were nicely written by Sara Farizan.

The best parts about this book were the characters and the numerous surprises that came up. No spoilers here, but I really liked how the plot lines wrapped up. There were some moments where I laughed at a surprise, or when I got livid with a character. Nobody in Tell Me Again was clear-cut. They all had their secrets, motives, and hidden personalities. It was good to see such multi-layered characters, and that really made this book leave a deeper impression on me.

Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel is not a book readers should easily forget. The humor, combined with family, crushes, and coming out, makes Leila’s story fun and relatable. Sara Farizan put a new and interesting spin on teenage sexuality, and the result was a splendid read.

Rachel reviews The Year They Burned the Books by Nancy Garden

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Nancy Garden, author of the classic Annie on my Mind, wrote another poignant novel about lesbians. This time, she touched on controversy about homosexuality, censorship, and free speech. The Year They Burned The Books is that novel.

Published in 1999, this story still rings true today about how far censorship and prejudice can go. The story revolves around Jamie Crawford, a senior at Wilson High School, who is editor of the school paper, the Telegraph. She is coming out to herself as a lesbian. In her school, a new policy comes out, allowing condoms to be distributed in the nurse’s office. When Jamie writes an editorial supporting it, she is met with opposition, especially from Lisa Buel, a woman running for a position on the school board. Lisa wants to rewrite the entire school curriculum, including removing books on homosexuality, discussing abstinence, and omitting facts about cohabiting couples. When Jamie stays true to her views, other students begin to lash out at her, and the school paper. Soon, Jamie’s town comes under a huge censorship scandal, and she and her gay friends face discrimination.

The Year They Burned The Books nails it when it comes to discrimination and free speech rights. Nancy Garden based this book off a real-life event, when copies of her novel Annie were burned on courthouse steps in a town in Kansas, and the books were nearly banned from schools in the district. The Year They Burned The Books shows accurately how far discrimination can be taken.

The main conflict in the story starts out with the health curriculum, but as the novel progresses, the characters begin to spar over things like religion and homosexuality. Jamie is firm in her opinions, but there are a couple characters who are conflicted. Nomi, Jamie’s longtime friend, wants to stay Jamie’s friend, but the church she goes to says homosexuality is immoral. She must wrestle with her beliefs and come to her own conclusions. Then there is Ernie, the boyfriend of Terry, Jamie’s best friend. Ernie loves Terry, but his parents are completely against homosexuality. He feels he has to be straight, and feels loathing and disgust towards himself. He too must try and reconcile his beliefs with his sexuality.

Other characters were highly unlikeable, especially Lisa Buel. She promotes discrimination in the name of her religion, and her insults towards homosexuals are infuriating. As she campaigns for school board membership, she purposely deceives voters by not sharing her true intentions. She also resorts to extreme measures, one being checking out library books about gays and lesbians, burning them, and then lying about burning library books. These things showed her bad side.

This story can be heavy at times, with Jamie and her friends getting scary notes in school, the town’s narrow-minded side, and the school paper coming under fire because of Jamie’s editorial. Many students at Wilson High go to church one day, and the next day they launch hatred against the gay students. Nancy Garden wasn’t afraid to show this side of people, which I applaud.

I also loved how Jamie and her friends stuck with their beliefs and stood up to those who hated them. One of my favorites was Tessa, the new girl at school. She was dead firm in her human rights opinions and was not afraid to say so. She and Jamie made perfect friends, and balanced each other out. Terry was also not afraid to jump in to defend those he cared about, especially Ernie.

The Year They Burned The Books had its tense moments, and times when I got really angry. But there was still goodness and hope in the story. It was a satisfying read, and gays and lesbians should read this. Straight people should read it too, as it touches on all true subjects and challenges censoring people’s opinions. Some may disagree with the views expressed in this book, but that’s okay, as long as everyone can believe what they want without being hurt. That’s what this novel teaches; being entitled to your beliefs without being persecuted. I thought this story was amazingly told, and with a sympathetic, likeable heroine, The Year They Burned The Books should be a major classic as well.

Rachel reviews Ash by Malinda Lo

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Ash

Anyone into lesbians living in a fantasy/medieval world should pick up this Cinderella retelling, Ash by Malinda Lo. Having read it twice, I’m very impressed with the details and the culture of this beautiful novel.

In a fantasy world, young Aisling “Ash” has lost her mother. Before she can properly grieve, her father leaves on a business trip…and returns with Ash’s new stepmother and two stepsisters. Her father takes ill soon after and dies, leaving Ash’s stepmother, Lady Isobel, in charge. Ash is uprooted from her childhood house and forced to be her stepmother’s servant. Treated badly by Isobel, Ash turns to her book of fairy tales, and soon meets a real fairy: Sidhean. As Ash grows up, she and Sidhean share an understanding, though Ash is not allowed to question him about where he lives. By the time she is eighteen, Sidhean reveals that he wants Ash to be his. Tired of being Isobel’s slave, Ash is ready to agree. But then she runs into Kaisa, the king’s new huntress, and the two become fast friends. Slowly, Ash’s feelings for Kaisa turn into a deep love. Torn between her potentially dangerous promises to Sidhean, and her love for Kaisa, Ash must make her choice about who she wants to be with.

Ash takes a whole new twist to the classic fairytale in an interesting way. There are elements of the old tale, such as the prince looking for a bride, and the evil-stepmother scenario. But it’s refreshing that Ash has no romantic interests in the prince, and instead loves the huntress.

Fairies are a very important part of the novel. Sidhean is the one we see the most, but the book provides glimpses of more. But unlike the real Cinderella story, the fairies in Ash are much darker in personality. They are known to lure humans into their circles, and to be deadly about keeping their secrets. Sidhean is one of the more lenient fairies, but even he seemed temperamental and rude at times.

The story itself is descriptive of Ash’s culture and the world she lives in. Lo clearly paints the settings around Ash: from the Wood where the fairies live, to the palace’s lavish parties. I really got to know Ash, the beliefs she grew up with, and her plight. The author even showed some examples of the fairy tales Ash grew up with, providing an even clearer idea of how important magic was to her culture. This added to the story, in my opinion.

Homosexuality in Ash is portrayed in a good light. Most people in the story expected Ash to fall in love with a man, but the ones who knew about her loving Kaisa didn’t seem unsettled or disturbed by the idea of her loving another woman at all. And one fairy tale in Ash’s book was about female/female love, so I got the impression that homosexuality was generally accepted, even if people didn’t think about it much. Ash feels no shame with Kaisa because of their gender, and vice versa. The typical agonizing questions “Why am I gay?” and “Can I change?” are not an issue in this book because the culture is so accepting. To people like Ash, there was no problem with their sexuality at all. This was quite refreshing, to get a glimpse of a more understanding world.

All in all, Ash is an enjoyable read. It’s easy to get lost in the story as you root for Ash and the choices she must make to secure her own future. A wonderfully descriptive novel, this book should be a classic; not because of its ties to Cinderella, but because of its own merits.

Rachel reviews Taming the Wolff by Del Robertson

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In this debut novel by Del Robertson, Taming The Wolff is a story of piracy, adventure, and love. Kris Wolff is a female pirate captain of The Wolfsbane who hides her true gender from most of her crew. She is aloof and reveals little about her past. She abducts a duchess and her two daughters for ransom. Alexis DeVale, one of the daughters, had been bound for an arranged marriage and now is captive on The Wolfsbane. She, like most others, believes Captain Wolff to be male. Kris protects her hostages from prying eyes, and though she and Alexis butt heads at first, an attraction between them is undeniable. Alexis soon discovers Kris’s secret, and wrestles with the idea of loving another woman. Meanwhile, The Wolfsbane is pursued relentlessly by naval officer Captain Jackson, who will stoop to torture and murder to obtain Kris. And during all this, Kris and Alexis must decide if they can have a future together.

Taming The Wolff gives readers insight to how being gay would be perceived in 1703, the year this book takes place. While Kris sees no problem with loving another woman, Alexis does. She was brought up in her family, society, and her church to think homosexuality was a sin. As a result, she has a hard time trying to reconcile her love for Kris. But that was a real factor back then; and still is today.

The characters of Kris and Alexis were complicated. I liked both women, but sometimes I found myself angry with them. I will not spoil the plot, but at one point, Alexis makes a sudden decision that to me seemed tacked in to the story. The explanation she gives for her action was rather unsatisfying, and I was thinking there had to be some better reason than what she was saying. When that turned out to not be the case, I was disappointed with the unexpected shift in the storyline. Also, Kris and Alexis had their arguments, like every couple. But some of the arguments seemed forced and interrupted the plot a bit. But maybe the purpose was to show how the two women were dealing with coming from two vastly different worlds and beliefs.

Those issues aside, the book had some good battle sequences and love scenes. Robertson accurately depicted the dangerous life of a pirate. There were many tense moments that had me wondering what would happen next. There were also enough twists and unexpected events to keep me reading on.

Taming The Wolff is a good book for those looking for adventure and surprises. Though not my absolute favorite, it can still be interesting and suspenseful.

Rachel reviews Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

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[trigger warning for cover: cutting, blood]

Lesbian author Cheryl Rainfield presents a gripping and compassionate novel about a teenage girl trying to move on from horrible traumas, and at the same time, find true love. That novel is Scars.

Fifteen year old Kendra Marshall, a bright, talented artist, had a childhood full of sexual abuse. She is being stalked by her rapist, but she can’t get him in jail because she cannot remember his identity. Every man she knows could be him. To get rid of her unbearable pain, Kendra self-harms by cutting. She works hard to keep it a secret from everybody, as she feels it’s her only way to cope.

Things change when Kendra gets to know Meghan, the school rebel with a deep, caring heart. The two become friends, and Kendra feels something more than friendship. But starting a relationship proves difficult, because of Kendra’s stalker and her family’s sudden financial problems. Threatened with losing all her support systems, Kendra must find out who her abuser is.

Scars is an honest portrayal of sexual abuse, the repercussions and effects. It can be disturbing, with Kendra’s memories and flashbacks, and the descriptions of her cutting. The story itself is heavy, but it focuses on real issues that a lot of people need to be better aware of. Rainfield put so much into Scars, especially with her characters. Carolyn, Kendra’s therapist and mother-figure, provides love and understanding to Kendra. Meghan is a strong girl, and is willing to jump in and help those who need a hand. I could vividly picture each character in the novel, and I grew to love or detest them.

Another aspect of the story I loved was Kendra’s art. She painted or drew what she felt, pulling no punches. One of the most touching scenes in the book was when Kendra painted a picture of Meghan and gave it to her.

Kendra being a lesbian isn’t the primary focus of Scars, but it’s there. She too deals with coming out to her parents, and deciding to get into a relationship with Meghan. I loved both Kendra and Meghan, and felt they went so well together. Both respected the other’s feelings, and talked deeply and honestly of their lives. They were not, by any stretch of the imagination, perfect; they were human. But their love for each other was undeniable.

Scars is a suspenseful read as Kendra gets closer to finding her abuser out. The climax is really edge-of-your seat, but ultimately satisfying, as is the ending. Though the story might be too heavy for some people, others might find it a good read, and a resource for healing. It’s definitely a strong voice in literature that deserves to be read.