graveyardpansy's reviews
557 reviews

3.5 — i like both her other memoirs better. but this is def still enjoyable !

i don’t think this would make sense if i hadn’t already read fun home, and the added context of having read both the collected DTWOF and also bechdel’s newest book also helped. unfortunately i am not a psychoanalysis fan.

3.5? i once again really love the art in this one, but think i prefer the first volume. the decision to make the viet cong vampires is rly odd to me and the political implications of this volume as a whole seem a little underdeveloped? but i did enjoy it ! i wonder if id get smth different out of it if i’d watched the show, a lot of reviewers mention them in tandem.

4.5 — this book has a really strong thesis and direction, and is organized in a beautiful way that’s easy to follow. one of my favourite book niches is queer history examinations of a specific place, and this checks all my boxes. not only were gay historical figures examined, but working-class queer life, gender variance, and communities of POC. this is really clearly a passion project of Ryan’s built out of a love for brooklyn, history and queerness, and i could feel that before i even read the epilogue. if there was one thing i could critique, id enjoy more analysis of the past in addition to the retellings of it — although i know part of Ryan’s argument is that brooklyn’s queer history has been largely hidden, i love discussions of parallels between history and the present and would’ve appreciated more of them. regardless, really well done, thoughtfully researched, and painstakingly thorough book. would more than recommend, esp for ppl like me who love niche queer history, folks who live in brooklyn, and/or those who want to learn about stuff that’s been brushed over for a long time.

a little bizarre, but holds up surprisingly well and i found it very enjoyable and a relatively quick read! i like the way vonnegut fucks with time in a way that’s relatively easy to follow.

4.5 — i am thoroughly impressed

3.5? this was overall enjoyable, but i wanted a lot more in many ways. a lot of my thoughts are worded well in this review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2631085614

i wish it’d engaged more w actual politics, maybe a little more theory. there are still so many avenues to be explored and i felt like some of them weren’t given the attention they deserve. maybe it’s partly my straightedge-ness, but i really would’ve loved more exploration of how bodily autonomy doesn’t always mean drug use, and active choice in that regard is important in a multitude of ways beyond (but including!) what feels good. i also was a /little/ disappointed by the lack of discussion of kink/bdsm/power exchange, bc i just think there’s such a wonderful potential for (anarchist) theorizing around consensual playing with power and exploring pleasure in non-normative way.

i like the variety of perspectives amb brought in, and the intentions with which the diversity was handled. wish it’d been a little more intentional with incorporating queer history - it was implied a couple times but never discussed - disability justice, and prison abolition (which i feel like was tangentially mentioned as well but definitely not in depth.) the engagement with sex work was good, but could’ve been a larger thing as well (but maybe i just say that bc i’ve read and written quite a bit on SW as of late.)

i really enjoyed rereading the Lorde essay the book starts with, and also rly liked the pieces regarding pleasure after abuse, it’s smth i have been thinking abt more over the past year or so. also very much had fun with the essays on adornment and empowerment through self-expression in a variety of ways — although i also think that section could’ve benefitted from trans perspectives!!

regardless, overall, 3.5. enjoyable but not groundbreaking for me, and i think u should know what you’re in for before reading.

harrowing and beautifully written. the ending feels a little bit too neatly tied up and i think it could be more enlightening with slightly more engagement w disability and fat politics. but it is a memoir so maybe that’s just me, and it’s still really nice, and i’m glad i finally read it :)

3.5 - my least favourite of the umbrella academy collections. i think there’s too much action for my tastes, and there are so many sloppily introduced/developed characters.