Jess’s Reviews > Last Night at the Telegraph Club > Status Update

—Aunt Judy was the most supportive. She didn’t want Lily to continue as is, per se. but she didn’t deny Lily her identity or wholistic freedom. She wants what’s best for her. They’ve experienced oppression for being Chinese; they know how it feels to live in exclusion & in fear of having your lives ruined. They don’t want more of that for her + the disgust they’ve been taught. Also, FUCK SHIRLEY!!!

—I thought the portrayal of Lily’s family’s homophobia was well done. Her mom pissed me off, ofc, but I can understand what she’s thinking (even though it’s unfair to Lily). Her father’s last dialogue to her about how he knows a lesbian doctor & admired her made me emotional 😭 obviously he still doesn’t get that he should let Lily be autonomous & also fuck bigoted society, but still.—

This made me tear up 🥹 I love lesbians!!! What an incredible thought-provoking, vivid, & mesmerizing story. This was written with such care. The characters felt so real. I’m glad Lily & Kath had a happy (if ambiguous) ending. I interpret the bit before the epilogue as Lily realizing there’s sm more to the world than her hometown, the people she already knows (who have judged her), & the scrutiny of society—

This book has been not only sweet, but contextually informative! The setting has reminded/taught me of the history of queer women & Chinese Americans during the 50s in the US. While we still have work to do as far as maintaining our freedoms & advocating for more justice & equality, it’s a good reminder to appreciate how our ancestors have fought for us & to be grateful for what we have now🌈🩷

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The gay panic + comp het etc from Lily (& Kath) is so accurately, & even occasionally sweetly, portrayed. I love own voice stories! The plot is starting to introduce higher stakes; the paranoia of the Red Scare era is not unlike what still happens today with racial profiling :/

A coming of age Asian lesbian story? Ofc I’m super stoked for this one :) The writing so far has been superb; it doesn’t feel juvenile or silly despite it being a YA novel & the MC being a senior in high school rn. This is perfect! I can tell the author did a lot of research for historical context, & that she has a lot of personal attachment to the identities here, thus portraying them with respect & integrity.