The Things We Promise

by J.C. Burke

There are two things you need to know about me. The first is that I remember life by what I was wearing. The second is that I think too much.

It's the early 1990s and all Gemma can think about is looking perfect for her first school formal. Gemma's brother Billy - New York's up and coming hair and make-up artist - has made her the ultimate promise: he's returning home especially to 'create magic' on her and two friends for their end-of-year formal. Gemma's best friend, Andrea, is convinced it'll be their moment to shine; Gemma hopes it's the night Ralph will finally notice her.

But when Billy arrives home from New York, Gemma's life becomes complicated. Her family's been keeping secrets; friendships are forged and broken; and suddenly the length of her formal dress is the least of her worries.

Set in a time of uncertainty and fear, The Things We Promise is a beautifully told novel that sings with emotion, humour and heartbreak.

Genres: Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Family, Historical Fiction, Grief, Death

369 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2017

About the author

http:/www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Burke/20821...
.J.C Burke was born in Sydney in 1965, the fourth of five sisters. With writers for parents, she grew up in a world of noise, drama and books, but she decided to become a nurse after her mother lost a long battle with cancer. Since Burke started writing in 1999, she has published a number of acclaimed books for teenagers and young adults, including Children's Book Council Notable Books WHITE LIES and THE RED CARDIGAN, Aurealis Awards finalist NINE LETTERS LONG, THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN, FAKING SWEET, STARFISH SISTERS and OCEAN PEARL. THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN won the 2006 CBC Book of the Year - Older Readers and the 2006 Australian Family Therapists Award for Children's Literature. It is currently on the NSW HSC syllabus list.PIG BOY is Jane's newest title and was released in May 2011.
Jane lives on Sydney.

http:/www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Burke/20821...

Reviews

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is incredibly offensive and triggering, especially for LGBTQIA+ teens.

In just 75 pages, I've already gotten red flags against disrespect against your parents, homophobia, slut-shaming, girl on girl hate and insults on mental health.

WARNING: the following phrases are taken from the book and incredibly triggering for those suffering from mental health conditions and gay people.

This includes:
- two characters in the book including the homophobic dad and insensitive best friend have managed to refer to the gay brother as poofters, bum bandits, poofs, and the most horrible insult, "limp-wristed, pillow-biting, doughnut punching bum bandit".
- Gemma, the main character referring to other girls in high school as 'prissy girls', in particular one who 'isn't a natural beauty, so she doesn't have to worry'.
- Her best friend is Andrea, aka a homophobic girl who is also apparently a slut, because she's had sex with three guys and likes to brag about her conquests. Gemma in contrast, is presented as a saint because she's only had sex once and doesn't want to talk about it.
- Derogatory terms are used against mental illness, such as using 'crazy' multiple times in a negative context, using 'schizo' when referring to her mother's mood swings, and the horrible insensitive chained insult "red-faced, roaring, homicidal, spit-flying, crazy madwoman".
- Gemma does not have respect for her mum and what she does for her as practically a single parent, with her father working out in the mines, at all. She likes to view her in a derogatory manner, even sifting through her mum's underwear drawer and throwing it in her mum's face.

All in just 75 pages. I shudder to think about what the rest of the book would entail, but I hope those who will be hurt by the book will never find out.

I received the book for review from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Zoë Takala · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a young queer person, i think its rather absurd to express this novel as "homophobic." The novel expresses the struggles of a marginalised group in keeping with the social standards of the time, which were, sadly, inclusive of homophobia. If the novel were to skirt around the challenges a young queer person faced, I would find it extremely ignorant. It is pivotal in the fight for LGBTQI+ rights that we understand what the queer community has faced in the past, in order to keep moving towards equality. Thus, I believe Burke's novel has done an outstanding job of portraying an accurate, albeit necessarily gritty, image of the life of a young queer person.

[Danielle (Arabbitinwonderland) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book should never have been written let alone published.

I found Gemma to be completely unlikeable. she is self-absorbed, bratty, and far to intent on 'getting off'. I can't say what 16 year olds in 1990 were like but I could not make common ground with this girl at all.

And the writing style, what on earth was the author thinking? Such as on page 37 "I stood up, my hungry bum, swallowing my red-striped undies, was on full show for everyone to see. Including Ralph.” There is NOTHING right about this sentence. This sentence, no this book is so bad that at page 50 I give up.

I am sorry to the author, I know that you must have spent a good portion of your life writing this however I have no choice but to give this book a 1 star review, I equate this book to the likes of Twilight in poor writing, unlikeable characters, and completely out of touch stereotyping of what teen girls act like.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: Had a lovely bookclub about this book, which reminded me of how much I love it, and how timely it is, in this moment of a postal vote. JC Burke very clearly aligns herself in the camp of equality and compassion, and the details and layers she builds here to welcome empathy and openness is amazing and inspiring. Read it, people!

I have wept all the tears.

Lovely writing. Terrific narrator. Sad story.

[Rania T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in the 1980's and 1990's, there was one advertisement on Australian television that absolutely scared the living daylights out of me, and I still remember it to this very day. It was the Grim Reaper ad that tried to raise awareness of the epidemic that AIDS had become. Reading this book, brought that memory back in full detail, as well as the stigma a lot of people suffered because of AIDS during that time. J.C. Burke presents an honest and sensitive portrayal of what Australian Society was like in dealing with AIDS in the early 90's, as well as the discrimination many that identified as gay faced. We have fortunately come a long way since then, and this is a book that deserves to be read.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nostalgic, sad, gripping - full review to come closer to release date.

[Chihuahua Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disgusting, homophobic, and racist. I DNF this book after 1oo pages and can't believe that Allen & Unwin published this trash.

[Margot McGovern · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re in need of a good cry, this, my friend, is the book for you. I had a couple of niggling minor criticisms, and I want to get those out of the way before I get into what I thought worked really well (and there was a lot that worked really, really well). Stay tuned for the good stuff. (Forgive me. Pregnancy brain’s like: ‘What be review structure? Words is hard. Let’s nap!’)

In the beginning, Burke makes a point about fashion being Gemma’s thing. And because of this, the formal—and more specifically, her formal look—is an especially huge deal for her. However, Burke doesn’t give much evidence of Gemma’s love of fashion throughout the book. Sure, Billy’s boyfriend, Saul, sends Gemma a winter coat from New York that she absolutely loves, there’s a pair of designer earrings she really wants and she stresses a bit about what fabric her formal dress will be made from, but other than that, I didn’t get the sense she really cared that much about fashion. In fact, she often wears the same Levi 501s and black top. I think she even refers to it her ‘uniform’. It wouldn’t have been a big deal except for the fact that a big part of Gemma’s arc is her realisation that these superficial things aren’t that important, at least not compared to family and friends, and that point would have been clearer if she was more of a material girl in the beginning.

At times, I also found Gemma a tricky character to empathise with. For much of the story, she’s extremely self-centred, which, while realistic, isn’t exactly endearing. When she learns how AIDS is affecting her brother’s life and the lives of his friends, she somehow manages to make it all about her. Sure, it’s her story and she does slowly learn to put others’ needs before her own, which is kind of the point, but there were still moments where I wanted to grab her and yell, ‘NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU!’ To be honest, this felt like more of a problem with Gemma’s friends than Gemma herself. They all have their own lives and problems—some of them really big, difficult problems—and are complex, well-drawn characters, but (with the exception of Andrea, The Antagonist) they continually drop everything for Gemma, as though resigned to their role as supporting cast members. I see this in a lot of YA narratives and it bugs me no end. The love interest, Ralph, is the worst. He really doesn’t seem to have anything better to do than drive around in the hopes of spotting Gemma and offering her a lift. It’s a little creepy. Like, dude, get a hobby.

I also just wasn’t a huge fan of Gemma having a love interest. On one level he works, in that he’s part of Gemma’s wider life outside the AIDS ward and represents a hope for her future, which is somewhat necessary given how bleak this story gets. But does the silver lining have to be in the form of a boyfriend? He feels like a kinda shitty consolation prize.

Wow. I’m really making it sound like I wasn’t into The Things We Promise. In truth, I loved it. It’s the kind of book that hits you right in the feels. The characters, particularly Gemma’s family members, feel incredibly real and I got a clear sense of early 90s Australia, and of the cultural centre being somewhere else—Gemma hears about all the coming trends from her brother in New York many months before they reach her school. I’d forgotten that sense of disconnect! It reminded me of taking a trip to the US with my family when I was thirteen and the absolute novelty of buying clothes from American Eagle and Gap (which were cool at the time and near impossible to get here), and of suddenly being the most popular girl in year eight upon my return (for a day, at least) because I’d seen a couple of Dawson’s Creek episodes that wouldn’t air here for another six months.

I thought a story exploring the AIDS epidemic of the early 90s, and people’s attitudes about it in Australia was a clever choice. It’s something that the target readership is too young to remember. And it seems that a lot of the fictional texts that have been created about it, at least the ones I’ve encountered, are American. As a teenager, I remember watching things like Rent and Philadelphia. But of course, it happened here too. I learned a lot, and more than that, Burke uses those early 90s attitudes about AIDS as a vehicle to explore the wider issue of how we treat those whom we perceive as different and the way fear can rob people of their compassion and empathy.

While AIDS is the major issue Gemma and her friends navigate in The Tings We Promise, there’s also a subplot that explores sexual assault, specifically the way victims of sexual assault are stigmatised, and the prevailing perception that women who are sexually assaulted must have somehow invited it, just as AIDS sufferers in the late 80s and early 90s were seen as having brought the disease on themselves. I thought this was a fitting parallel and served to illustrate a larger point about victim blaming.

I’ve said before that I’m not crazy about issue-based YA narratives. They too often feel heavy-handed and flat, and they can read as though the author is speaking down to the reader, trying to teach them a lesson. But Burke approaches her subject with compassion and nuance and lets her characters steer the story rather than serving as mere agents of ideas.

At times, The Tings We Promise is a harrowing read. I blubbed a lot. But it’s also uplifting and shows how we can make each other’s lives that little bit easier when we come together and support each other rather than drawing dividing lines and unfairly stigmatising those who are already suffering.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing a copy of The Things We Promise in exchange for an honest review.

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[Steve lovell · Rating 4 out of 5]

My beautiful writerly daughter passes on to me the best of her reading of YA. She knows what I enjoy, so she rarely lets me down regarding that. A ten day cruise to the South Pacific was the ideal time to enjoyably plough through several of her recommendations – Andrew Daddo's 'One Step' and JC Burke's 'The Things We Promise'. I knew, from the experience of my first time on an ocean liner, deliberately eschewing social media for the duration and finding a quiet sunny spot on board, that being there with a book in hand is bliss. Last time I ran out before the cruise ended and had to stock up on a shore excursion. This time I ensured I had enough along, but it was a close run thing.

The Daddo family have been big names in the popular culture of our country and as it seems almost obligatory for celebrities to try their hand at this writing caper, why should a Daddo be any exception? Most go for the biography or memoir, often ghost written – but a few have had a go at writing for kids, many – you can probably name them, as could I – have made a fair fist of it. Andrew Daddo is no exception – he has obviously found another calling to add to his talents. Name recognition possibly gives him a head start, but he needs the talent to back it up. Daddo has it on the evidence of 'One Step'. The mood of dread he created as his tale headed towards its conclusion convinced me.

A constant theme in YA is the scourge of schoolyard bullying, a fact the main protagonist of this tome, Dylan, knows only too well. Just when he thinks he's making progress in the girlfriend department (he's finally been noticed by Gracie), despite his constant battles with an acne-ravaged face, along comes his arch-nemesis, Hamish Banning, to make his life hell. The situation is not helped by his best buddy going all weird on him. Dylan thinks, though, an invitation to a party will see him finally become part of the cool set and he'll be able to hang out with the object of his desire. But all is not as it seems, with disastrous results. With his self opinion plunging, not assisted by his worrisome parents and the embarrassment of actually being good at something (creative writing) preying on his mind, where can a lad seek refuge. The answer doesn't make for pleasant reading.

Some reviewers have stated the necessity for parents of teenagers to engage with the books of 'One Step's' ilk being currently written for that age group. This is to better understand what's going on in the lives of young people at such a critical age. It is perhaps a forlorn hope, even if they are as immensely enjoyable as anything written for older age brackets. So if it's Daddo for the lads, then a worthy recommendation for the lasses would be JC Burke, even if the title under discussion here is set back in the Nineties.

Ms Burke has been around for a while now, perfecting her wordsmithery. 'The Things We Promise' takes us back to a time when the Grim Reaper was instilling fear into communities all around Oz. It was a period when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was getting into full gear. Gemma gets swept up in it all because her brother, Billy, is gay and at the epicentre of events in NYC, plying his trade as a make-up artist. He has promised to return home to work his wonders on his sister's face for her leavers' dinner.

We forget the impact the then deadly outcomes of this invidious disease had on the world. When this author discovered that her own offspring had little idea about it all, now we're into the second decade of a new century, she decided a novel was the best way of informing today's teens. Into it she has woven the confusions afflicting tender souls in those years when one comes of age – the same issues largely as the present, minus the impact of hand held digital devices. With the recent plebiscite, homophobia has again crawled out form the gutters, so 'The Things We Promise' is a timely tome. And it is also a reminder of how far we have come, in the positive sense. But ignorance still abounds, just as it did back in Gemma's day. She's a spirited lead character and as the waves rolled by, with the sun soaking this body that was fresh from the icebox that had been Hobart this winter on that sunny cruise, I immensely enjoyed this young lady's journey. So I took two good 'uns on the cruise with me. Ta muchly darling daughter.

[Faith Limo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this book just captures your heart!

It's another of one of those pleasantly surprisingly books but not just 'pleasant' in that woah-its-actually-pretty-good way but in a woah-I-never-knew-that-my-life-has-changed way. 

We are in the eyes of Gemma, a 16 year old girl looking forward to the day she goes to formal in a beautiful dress and her hair and makeup done by her talented brother, Billy who is living in New York. For about a quarter of the book, you don't actually realise how great the story will be as you get slightly annoyed by Gemma's extreme excitement for a day which is months away and the rants of her whiny and self-centred best friend, Andrea. But then an air of despair creeps in as you slowly discover, with Gemma, how sick her brother is.

The story is set in the 1990s but not just among its dynamic popular culture of scrunchies and chokers but also a time when HIV/AIDS was what everyone was talking and worried about. I absolutely love how this story dealt with homosexuality and the terrible way they are viewed by ignorant people but also the impact such an illness has on this community and loved ones. There are definitely moments in the book where your chest begins heaving from the immense sadness of these situations.

Billy's boyfriend dies from AIDS and soon Billy (himself with HIV) returns home, wanting to spend his limited time with his family. The most unique aspect of this novel was how it describes the illness not only affecting the person but the people around them. Gemma is of course sad but more than that, is attempting to be 'Polly Positive' as she tries to be optimistic for her mother and brother. She deals with a new love, a friendship that is falling apart, a friendship that is coming together and tensions at school whilst she deals with her brother's sickness, highlighting how HIV/AIDS affects every facet of her life. In addition, I love how Burke made the sickness such a major focus in Gemma's life without having to compromise on telling Gemma's story as a normal teenage girl in 20th century Sydney. Her budding new relationship with long time crush Ralph still has this great romantic effect without it interrupting the significance of HIV/AIDs in her life. Also, her friendship with Andrea slowly deteriorates as Andrea comes from an ignorant family, uncomfortable with Gemma's family circumstance and Andrea herself not exactly being the most compassionate person but there is also a new friendship with Louisa and Vanessa - one of the more joyful aspects of the story among all the saddening events.

The book is incredibly well done in how it deals with so many sub-plots and themes in such a detailed and realistic manner - bullying, sexuality, tolerance, sickness, family, love, friendship and kindness. It's so touching and relatable plus, I loved reading a story set in Sydney. This book is definitely evidence to why Australia YA fiction should be read and publicised more.

 

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Things We Promise is an impactful read. Set in Sydney, during 1990, this story highlights the AIDS epidemic. The story is from the perspective of a teenage girl and follows her in the lead up to her school formal. The countdown to the formal is Intertwined with her relationships with her friends and family. This includes her relationship with her brother and his partner.

As history shows, this was a horrifying time for the LGBT+ community. This community faced discrimination at a time where AIDS was killing off entire friendship groups. I have seen that some other reviewers have had issues with the homophobic language in this book. This is a good thing. We should absolutely be horrified and offended by the derogatory language used by characters to describe LGBT+ characters in this book. We should be horrified because this happened. It is still happening. If the book didn’t use this kind of language it would be doing a disservice as it would downplay the discrimination of that time. I certainly remember hearing that kind of language in the late 90s. I imagine it was worse in 1990 when AIDS was on everyone’s mind. We should be offended by derogatory slurs. But at the same time it is important to not censor the past. Rather we should use this as a tool for discussion.

Due to the topics discussed in this book it is not an easy read. It is painful to read about a time when a lot of people died and to learn about the hardships that these characters faced. However, this story highlights a period of time that isn’t covered enough in literature. Especially in YA. The Things We Promise tells a story that shows how far we have come and still how far we have to go for true equality. It highlights the horrors of a disease which has killed millions of people worldwide. I think that it’s important that people read more books like The Things We Promise. So that we don’t forget the horrors of that time.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this on a Good reads giveaway and was very pleased with the book .
On the back it says the book is suitable for 15+ , well, I am 50 years older than the age recommended but I found it a great read. I wish I had something similar available to me when I was a teenager .
The book begins in March when the reader learns it is 33 weeks until the Formal at the school attended by Gemma and we are updated throughout the book on the timeline, with the story ending in December .
As the story progress's the reader sees some very significant changes occurring in Gemma as she learns to deal with AIDS in family and friends .At school she is dealing with normal teenager's loves and fall outs while at the same time visiting hospital supporting her brother Billy and other patients.
Thrilled to be driven to the hospital by Ralph who thought she was 'cool' she spent time with Zane as " I still wanted him to think he was the only one in my heart" .
And with great maturity Gemma "stayed with Zane and he wasn't alone when he died.I wanted to tell him I wasn't scared. Ralph was right . The room had just gone really really quiet."
Billy's funeral was the day of the formal , but Gemma did get to wear the beautiful dress her mother had made at a progressive dinner party on December 31 World AIDS Day.
This is a very powerful story

[Cass · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

I'm at a loss for words. I have literally just been typing words and erasing them, scratching my head as to what the heck I'm actually going to write. I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into when I picked this book up - all I knew was that it was set in 1990 and that was pretty cool. As I delved deeper in the story I grew more and more invested in its characters, and while I do think that it was a bit slow-going at times and some readers may be offended by the language used, I have to applaud the author for taking all the risks that she did because this story was a difficult one to tell, and painfully accurate as far as I'm concerned. And for that reason alone I had to bump this book up to a respectable 4 stars.

'The Things We Promise' follows Gemma, an ordinary teenage girl living in Sydney, Australia in 1990, whose biggest worries are what she's going to wear to the upcoming Year 11 formal, and whether her crush since Year 7, Ralph, would ever fall for her, too. Her brother, Billy, who lives in NYC with his partner Saul, has promised Gemma that he will do her hair and makeup for the formal, even though it's months and months away, and in that amount of time anything can happen. Especially in the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

[Full review to be posted next week.]

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book knowing I'd cry, but I didn't foresee just how much crying, or how much my eyes would ache from said crying. Omg. 100% recommend (the MC is selfish and annoying at the beginning but that's the point, push through that).

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't even finished this book yet but feel strongly enough to rate it.

Firstly, to address criticism from other reviews, I found this book and the characters really authentic and not offensive. Yes, there's homophobic behaviour and ugly language, but you're talking about the 90s here so it rings true. Yes, the main character is a bit of a selfish brat, but she's a 16-year-old girl so that's pretty much a given (if you're currently a 16-year-old girl and you disagree, wait ten or fifteen years, read the book again, and see what you think in retrospect). And the constant talk about formal dresses and boys certainly rang true….

The main reason I didn't score it five stars is simply because I found this a very sad and somewhat traumatising book, and I hadn't expected that because it's not obvious from the back cover that this book will be filled with dying young men and it's a book I picked up randomly, not because I'd heard of it before. It reminded me a lot of the French movie Beats Per Minute that I saw recently at a film festival so if you enjoyed the book, check it out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BPM_(Be...

Finally, this book strikes me as the sort of book that could well end up on an Australian high school English curriculum at some time… teachers take note, I think it'd be a decent choice.

[Greyson | Use Your Words]

Not reading because of homophobia, slut-shaming, girl on girl hate and insults on mental health as outlined in Jeann's review.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received my copy of The Things We Promise from a Goodreads' giveaway. J.C.Burke has written an absolutely brilliant book. i read it in two days and resented having to put it down. The mood of the 1990's has been perfectly captured with the references to clothes, music, make-up, hairstyles and homophobia. Sixteen year old Gemma is looking forward to the school formal with her friends when her life is turned upside down by her brother's HIV positive result. Her daily life totally changes as she becomes aware of the stigma of AIDS. The themes of the novel; family,friendship, sexuality, discrimination, death and HIV/AIDS, are beautifully dealt with. The characters and events are entirely believable and heart wrenching. This is a coming of age novel with more than your normal emotion.
I would recommend anyone over 16 read this book. It highlights the dramas and emotions of those caught up in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in a realistic way. If only everyone could be as caring as Gemma and her friends.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this from Goodreads as a giveaway. So well written and so heartbreaking in many ways. Love is love no matter what form it takes and the lose of it is devastating. Nobody knows what goes on in another's private life or thoughts and this wonderfully written tale gives us a glimpse of the possibilities for us all. It is the saddest of stories but there were people who rose to the challenge, who were unafraid of giving their affection, support and help to those young men suffering so much and often dying alone. The cruelty and ignorance of others was disturbing but Gemma, her mother and many friend's loyalty at this difficult time was wonderful. I think we all make promises and intend to keep them but sometimes life, or fate, changes everything.

[Clare M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly a wonderful book. The first 100 pages were difficult to get through, but I'm glad I persevered. This book is thought-provoking and features some amazing, well-developed characters. To someone today, it might seem "homophobic", but the book is set in the 90s, and the negative attitudes are a reflection of the time. Please give this beautiful book a chance!

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes I enjoy an unlikeable female character. There's something subversive about it given our general expectations as a society. It particularly fits in this case as such Gemma faces some pretty gruelling life moments. 90s nostalgia was a bonus.

[Shana Weerakoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was something that needed to be written, and was done so perfectly. It captured the ignorance and homophobia of the past through a sweet character who really grows on the readers. It is heart wrenching and a fabulous snapshot of the AIDs epidemic from an Australian perspective.

[Indy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book. I spent a solid 4/5hrs reading through it. Bordering on tears from about 1/3 of the way through. Such a poignant, beautifully written book. I can't praise it more!

[TheCosyDragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.

During the height of the HIV and AIDs epidemic in the 1990s, Gemma is blissfully ignorant of any health issues that could be going on in her home town of Sydney. Her worst concerns are who she will hang out with school and what kind of hairdo she is going to have her brother Billy do for her formal.

I’ll be the first to say that a lot of the language in the novel is offensive. It’s particularly offensive to gay people, eg. “limp-wristed, pillow-biting, doughnut punching bum bandit”. Which, given the subject matter, I’m not surprised that it’s targeted so negatively. But I also appreciated the hard feelings and accuracy of that. It felt ‘real’.

The problem some reviewers had with this novel was that it was horrifically offensive to a variety of people. While I agree that it is, I also accept that this novel is an accurate snapshot of the early 90s, where this sort of language, beliefs and behaviour was common. If you are easily offended and can’t understand the setting of the novel (such as a slavery novel with ‘nigga’ in it), this novel is not for you.

It’s an interesting way of approaching the early years when very few people knew about HIV and how it was transmitted. It paints a picture of how miserable things really were from a personal perspective, not just a sheer number of people who were infected as a sterile statistic.

I’m giving this three stars. It took me a while to warm up to it, and despite eventually enjoying it, it seemed a little forced at times.

[Stef (Noveltea Corner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book left me feeling very conflicted. While on one hand I can appreciate what I think the author was trying to do - recognising the difficulty of people diagnosed with AIDS in the early nineties, and the impact on family and friends - I found a lot of the language used (especially in the first half of the book) to be offensive. As an adult, I can look at it through the lens of 'this was (sadly and disgustingly) the behaviour and beliefs of many people at that time' but I do wonder if teenagers picking up this young adult book would be able to do the same, and whether it would do more harm than good. Not only does it deal with homophobia (including name-calling), but also slut-shaming, amongst other things.

Why three stars? The family story was, ultimately touching, even if I found Gemma (the main character) to be borderline unlikeable. She's quite selfish for the majority of the book, but you can tell she cares deeply about her family.

Read at your own discretion.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.
Gemma started out completely self centred, obsessed with material things and appearances but by the end of the book she has matured to become a really likeable character through a series of unfortunate and tragic events. I found the characters relatable to myself as a teenager and to the teenagers I knew during that era.
The things we promise is aimed at young adults and while I'm slightly older than the intended audience I still took a lot from reading JC Burkes story. I was alive in the time it was set but far too young to really remember much of the time especially about the aids hysteria and homophobia but some things did click with me making me think it was well researched and a good representation of the climate of the early 90s.
I found the book thought provoking, emotionally charged and engaging. I struggled to put it down once I started reading and have recommended it to many people.

[Tegan Stettaford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m so thankful to have met the wonderful J.C. Burke, who produced this emotional novel!

Set in Australia, in the 1990’s, this novel follows the life of year 11 student, Gemma Longgrig. Of course, all she can think about is friendship, the formal and that boy, Ralph.

When her brother and his partner came home from New York, her world was turned upside down by the devastation of AIDS.

This book was a really interesting, and quite touching look back into the epidemic of AIDS.
You fall in love with those afflicted by AIDS and their strong will.
You get a sense of being 16 again.
I did enjoy reading this.

However, the plot was slow. The day to day struggle of 16 year old Gemma’s life, and that of her AIDS afflicted brother.
Even though, it was no surprise that Billy would end passing not long before the formal, and the years plans would be in strife, it was still a very emotional ending.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

when i won this book in a school-wide spelling bee in 2017, i had no idea what this book was about. when i picked it up last night and put it in my uni bag to read today, i still had no idea. i knew it was written by an australian author and that's about it.

the things we promise is about the aids crisis, and how it affects everyone it comes into contact with. i'm no authority on how well/tactfully/respectfully it handled it, but it made me cry on the train home. the voice of the gemma, who's seventeen and thinking about formal and boys and her hiv+ brother, was so strong and believable. the slurs made me uncomfortable, but the picture of late 80s/90s australia was so vivid in my mind.

a recommendation only if you feel like sobbing for a bit.

eta: wowEE the hate reviews on this book are wild. i get it tho, its valid. i'm definitely not qualified to have a say whether it's bad or not bc its not about me, but it did me make cry.

[texbsquared · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly gut-wrenching. I bawled my eyes out over and over, but what an incredible, beautiful story.

To these 1 star reviews calling the book homophobic - fuck. off. Burke manages to capture how truly deadly homophobia is and was in the 90s (and now!). I'm quite sure none of these people have a lived experience, so am all too happy to dismiss them.

Must-read for all young queer people - we can't afford to forget our history.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was pretty good, it was certainly very well written, i thought all of the characters were incredibly lifelike and realistic. However, one when Gemma most needs a friend, Andrea is horrible to her. This book came very close to making me cry. I can't think of much else ton say because i really couldn't find fault with it.

[Avril · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important story that Burke handles with care, but somehow the overall "why am I worrying about formal when something important is happening" theme just didn't grab me.