Kj's Updates en-US Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:55:24 -0700 60 Kj's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Rating847990998 Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:55:24 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj Swanson liked a readstatus]]> /
Kj liked Emily’s status update
Emily Small Emily Small has read Hugs Are (Not) for Everybody
]]> ReadStatus9317081549 Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:54:23 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj wants to read 'The Last Holiday: A Memoir']]> /review/show/7494288733 The Last Holiday by Gil Scott-Heron Kj wants to read The Last Holiday: A Memoir by Gil Scott-Heron
]]> ReadStatus9317078794 Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:53:35 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj wants to read 'Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection']]> /review/show/7494286891 Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green Kj wants to read Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green
]]> Review6288623596 Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:55:26 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj added 'Ziggy, Stardust and Me']]> /review/show/6288623596 Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon Kj gave 4 stars to Ziggy, Stardust and Me (Audible Audio) by James Brandon
bookshelves: queer-ye
3.5

Potent and sometimes overwhelming in the cruelties depicted and described. Concerned readers should definitely check for content warnings, notably hate crimes and aversion/conversion therapies.

There were some magic moments in here between our central Ziggy-loving protagonist and the out-of-town boy he connects with on an almost cosmic level. That hyperbolic dynamic makes sense from the first person POV of this particular 17 year old, but that same POV also generates a lot of stereotyped caricatures of other characters, most egregiously with the "redneck" antagonists that appear monstrous rather than recognizable. That's how this kid in 1973 sees them, but it doesn't read particularly believably, even if their actions are believable. And for each shimmering moment between Jonathan and Web, there's about 25 other chapters of inconsistent story development and impact. I completely lost track of time of day and location for the last three chapters. I think that may be purposeful in the style of storytelling, but it makes a difficult journey that much harder.

I do recommend this, but with the caveat of coming in knowing there will be a lot of "negative to navigate" as the characters themselves would say. It brought to mind Douglas Stuart's Young Mungo, in terms of how human horror and magnificently vulnerable tenderness interplay between pages. It's a lot to take in.

[Tom Picasso does a worthy job narrating the often choppy, open-ended dialogue. Made me curious to know what the dialogue looks like on the page.] ]]> ReadStatus9313503172 Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:29:20 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj started reading 'How We Named the Stars']]> /review/show/6626637439 How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica Kj started reading How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica
]]> Review6288623596 Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:23:55 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj added 'Ziggy, Stardust and Me']]> /review/show/6288623596 Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon Kj gave 4 stars to Ziggy, Stardust and Me (Audible Audio) by James Brandon
bookshelves: queer-ye
3.5

Potent and sometimes overwhelming in the cruelties depicted and described. Concerned readers should definitely check for content warnings, notably hate crimes and aversion/conversion therapies.

There were some magic moments in here between our central Ziggy-loving protagonist and the out-of-town boy he connects with on an almost cosmic level. That hyperbolic dynamic makes sense from the first person POV of this particular 17 year old, but that same POV also generates a lot of stereotyped caricatures of other characters, most egregiously with the "redneck" antagonists that appear monstrous rather than recognizable. That's how this kid in 1973 sees them, but it doesn't read particularly believably, even if their actions are believable. And for each shimmering moment between Jonathan and Web, there's about 25 other chapters of inconsistent story development and impact. I completely lost track of time of day and location for the last three chapters. I think that may be purposeful in the style of storytelling, but it makes a difficult journey that much harder.

I do recommend this, but with the caveat of coming in knowing there will be a lot of "negative to navigate" as the characters themselves would say. It brought to mind Douglas Stuart's Young Mungo, in terms of how human horror and magnificently vulnerable tenderness interplay between pages. It's a lot to take in.

[Tom Picasso does a worthy job narrating the often choppy, open-ended dialogue. Made me curious to know what the dialogue looks like on the page.] ]]> Review6235754225 Sun, 13 Apr 2025 13:04:38 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj added 'Wrong Answers Only']]> /review/show/6235754225 Wrong Answers Only by Tobias Madden Kj has read Wrong Answers Only (Audible Audio) by Tobias Madden
bookshelves: queer-ye
DNF 36%

This will be an enjoyable read for plenty of people and I've really enjoyed the two previous Tobias Madden books I've read, but this one just wasn't my vibe. Really long lead-in to a consistently hard to picture and hard to believe plot that points towards flirty and fun without quite getting there. ]]> ReadStatus9304588713 Sun, 13 Apr 2025 11:57:39 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj started reading 'Ziggy, Stardust and Me']]> /review/show/6288623596 Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon Kj started reading Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon
]]> ReadStatus9295789308 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 22:58:45 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj started reading 'Wrong Answers Only']]> /review/show/6235754225 Wrong Answers Only by Tobias Madden Kj started reading Wrong Answers Only by Tobias Madden
]]> Review7021975546 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 11:01:46 -0700 <![CDATA[Kj added 'A Gentleman's Gentleman']]> /review/show/7021975546 A Gentleman's Gentleman by T.J. Alexander Kj gave 4 stars to A Gentleman's Gentleman (Audiobook) by T.J. Alexander
bookshelves: queer-ye
A calm, quiet, comfort read that, while not living up to its full story potential, delivers some meaningful complexity and beautiful trans* historicity.

Far too much is saved up and rushed through in the final act, which undercuts the emotional and narrative payoff, but I never felt frustrated or let down by what was here; just would have been happy to get more time for everything that happens.

[Wonderful audiobook narration by Harrison Knight] ]]>