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Ziggy, Stardust and Me
The year is 1973. The Watergate hearings are in full swing. The Vietnam War is still raging. And homosexuality is still officially considered a mental illness. In the midst of these trying times is sixteen-year-old Jonathan Collins, a bullied, anxious, asthmatic kid, who aside from an alcoholic father and his sympathetic neighbor and friend Starla, is completely alone. To cope, Jonathan escapes to the safe haven of his imagination, where his hero David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and dead relatives, including his mother, guide him through the rough terrain of his life. In his alternate reality, Jonathan can be anything: a superhero, an astronaut, Ziggy Stardust, himself, or completely “normal� and not a boy who likes other boys. When he completes his treatments, he will be normal—at least he hopes. But before that can happen, Web stumbles into his life. Web is everything Jonathan wishes he could be: fearless, fearsome and, most importantly, not ashamed of being gay.
Jonathan doesn’t want to like brooding Web, who has secrets all his own. Jonathan wants nothing more than to be “fixed� once and for all. But he’s drawn to Web anyway. Web is the first person in the real world to see Jonathan completely and think he’s perfect. Web is a kind of escape Jonathan has never known. For the first time in his life, he may finally feel free enough to love and accept himself as he is.
A poignant coming-of-age tale, Ziggy, Stardust and Me heralds the arrival of a stunning and important new voice in YA.
Jonathan doesn’t want to like brooding Web, who has secrets all his own. Jonathan wants nothing more than to be “fixed� once and for all. But he’s drawn to Web anyway. Web is the first person in the real world to see Jonathan completely and think he’s perfect. Web is a kind of escape Jonathan has never known. For the first time in his life, he may finally feel free enough to love and accept himself as he is.
A poignant coming-of-age tale, Ziggy, Stardust and Me heralds the arrival of a stunning and important new voice in YA.
347 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2019
207 people are currently reading
20.4k people want to read
About the author
James Brandon
2books299followersJames Brandon produced and played the central role of Joshua in the international tour of Terrence McNally's Corpus Christi for a decade, and is Co-Director of the documentary film based on their journey: Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption. He's Co-Founder of the I AM Love Campaign, an arts-based initiative bridging the faith-based and LGBTQ2+ communities, and serves on the Board, as well as the Powwow Steering Committee, for Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) in San Francisco. He's also a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher, spent a summer at Deer Park Monastery studying Zen Buddhism, and deepened his yogic practice in Rishikesh, India. Brandon is a contributing writer for Huffington Post, Believe Out Loud, and Spirituality and Health Magazine. Ziggy, Stardust, and Me is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,147 reviews
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 29, 2021This is one of those "It's not you, it's me" cases. At the 100 page mark I still wasn't feeling it. Couldn't really connect with the characters, the dialogues didn't catch me, the writing style and especially the way the characters talked nagged me. I really wanted to like this and I'm glad to see a discussion of mental health, internalised homophobia, bullying, and the harassment and racism against Native Americans. But overall, it wasn't for me.
March 24, 2020
Ayyyyyyy.
July 20, 2021
This book is recordbreaking (both in Most Sad Things To Happen While Still Making Me Feel Nothing and in Most Unnecessary Ellipses).
And if there are two things I abhor, it's books who are going out of their way to try to make me sad instead of, I don't know, making me care about the characters or the story so I'll feel sad by default, and books with annoying styles.
I wanted to like this very much, and as is I didn't hate it, but honestly I think that might be because I tried to read it at such a fast pace that I wouldn't have time to really think about it.
A favor to us all.
Bottom line: Not my cup of tea - an understatement of historical proportions.
---------------
pre-review
yes, i'm reading another copy of a book from a publisher two years late. but this time it's groovy
(thanks to the publisher for the ARC)
---------------
reading all books with LGBTQ+ rep for pride this month!
book 1: the gravity of us
book 2: the great american whatever
book 3: wild beauty
book 4: the affair of the mysterious letter
book 5: how we fight for our lives
book 6: blue lily, lily blue
book 7: the times i knew i was gay
book 8: conventionally yours
book 9: the hollow inside
book 10: nimona
book 11: dark and deepest red
book 12: the house in the cerulean sea
book 13: the raven king
book 14: violet ghosts
book 15: as far as you'll take me
book 16: bad feminist
book 17: a song for a new day
book 18: one last stop
book 19: to break a covenant
book 20: honey girl
book 21: check, please!
book 22: the subtweet
book 23: if we were villains
book 24: everything leads to you
book 25: you have a match
book 26: ziggy, stardust, and me
And if there are two things I abhor, it's books who are going out of their way to try to make me sad instead of, I don't know, making me care about the characters or the story so I'll feel sad by default, and books with annoying styles.
I wanted to like this very much, and as is I didn't hate it, but honestly I think that might be because I tried to read it at such a fast pace that I wouldn't have time to really think about it.
A favor to us all.
Bottom line: Not my cup of tea - an understatement of historical proportions.
---------------
pre-review
yes, i'm reading another copy of a book from a publisher two years late. but this time it's groovy
(thanks to the publisher for the ARC)
---------------
reading all books with LGBTQ+ rep for pride this month!
book 1: the gravity of us
book 2: the great american whatever
book 3: wild beauty
book 4: the affair of the mysterious letter
book 5: how we fight for our lives
book 6: blue lily, lily blue
book 7: the times i knew i was gay
book 8: conventionally yours
book 9: the hollow inside
book 10: nimona
book 11: dark and deepest red
book 12: the house in the cerulean sea
book 13: the raven king
book 14: violet ghosts
book 15: as far as you'll take me
book 16: bad feminist
book 17: a song for a new day
book 18: one last stop
book 19: to break a covenant
book 20: honey girl
book 21: check, please!
book 22: the subtweet
book 23: if we were villains
book 24: everything leads to you
book 25: you have a match
book 26: ziggy, stardust, and me
March 13, 2023
5 Stars
I loved everything about this LGBTQ themed YA debut, from the unique narrative and the fleshed-out characters, to the atmospheric 70s setting and that G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. cover art. I adored it all!
Add to that, this story made me feel and feel deeply. I can’t ask for much more than that from my reading.
I also recommend going in blind (figuratively speaking). All I knew before picking this one up, was that I loved this book cover, the story had queer leads, and it was set in small-town USA in 1973. That was enough—I didn't need or want any more detail than that.
For me, this story was stardust covered perfection and I can’t wait to read what Brandon writes next.
I loved everything about this LGBTQ themed YA debut, from the unique narrative and the fleshed-out characters, to the atmospheric 70s setting and that G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. cover art. I adored it all!
Add to that, this story made me feel and feel deeply. I can’t ask for much more than that from my reading.
I also recommend going in blind (figuratively speaking). All I knew before picking this one up, was that I loved this book cover, the story had queer leads, and it was set in small-town USA in 1973. That was enough—I didn't need or want any more detail than that.
For me, this story was stardust covered perfection and I can’t wait to read what Brandon writes next.
August 20, 2019
I wish I could feel more enthusiastic than a lukewarm 2.5 about this one. I wanted to like this book a lot more. It's visually gorgeous (I mean, damn, look at that cover). I quite like the recent trend of queer YA books exploring previous decades as a setting and was intrigued by the 70s background. It features a Native American love interest, a direly underrepresented minority. It deals with important themes of recent history, like the horrors of aversion therapy and the way-too-recent classification of homosexuality as a mental illness. It's spangled with all the glitz and sparkle and outrageous psychedelic dreamscapes of the decade it's set in, and loaded with love for its music. It should really be working.
It didn't work for me, and that's because of its execution. It's a very dialogue- and visual-effects-heavy book with little actual narration that...
[experiment]
LOOK, I'm gonna try something. I'm gonna... can I? ohmanohmanohman... I don't know, but... I'll try. I'll try to write part of this review like... the BOOK was written. You dig, my main man? (The 70s slang... was a bit - ouch - well you could tell it was...researched... rather than... experienced.) OH WOW. KABLOOEY!
Like the book was... it was... well it did... it had these... ellipses... and ALL CAPS... I mean, ALL OVER THE PLACE. ALL THE TIME. And random lists, like... I think it was trying to:
1) take the reader into the way the protagonist's mind worked
2) BUT
3) it came off as so gimmicky and visually distracting that
4) WHAMBAMTHANKYOUMA'M
5) it actually became annoying.
POWPOWBLAM! Got it? No, these comic book noises -BOOM! - are not an exaggeration. The book reads like this. These are quotes. KAPOW!
It would also do things like
hard returns in the middle of
lines, for, like (whambamthankyouma'am)
emphasis?
Again, gimmicky. And the protagonist... who you reallyreallyreallyreally - yesitdoesunspacedrepetitionwordslikethistoo... allthetime - anyway, who you really want to feel for, because this kid is terrified and in a shit home situation and tortured by electroshock treatments to cure him of the gay - FOREVER FIXED! - talks like, "Okay... okay... okay - I don't know... yeahyeahyeah...heh-heh" ALL THE TIME*, and okayokayokay, some of it you do get because he's always... having to...hide...and it's heart-breaking....BUT... the constant stream of excessively ellipsed dialogue...with little narrative to break it up.... kinda gives you eye AND brain strain after a while.
[/experiment]
*(He also says things like "Shubbuddudba" and "figglyfops" when he can't verbalise, which... yeah, for most of the book I cared less about whether he gets with the hot boy and more about whether someone can give him ALL THE THERAPY [actual, helpful, non-70s therapy] that he clearly needs because the shocks and/or his shit life have clearly fucked him up for life).
Anyway. Somewhere in there was a compelling story but both it and, sadly, the characters, were buried in this weird style full of over-accentuated visual effects that a novel really shouldn't need. About halfway through the book I realised that I really thought it had stumbled into the wrong medium, because between the abbreviated style and the heavy reliance on onomatopoetic effects, not to mention the rich inner world of the protagonist's imagination, this could have made a killer graphic novel. Again I say, look at that cover. Look at those descriptions. There's a magic secret room in a literal closet. David Bowie's eyes all over the walls, winking. Stardust upon stardust dreamscapades. Main character has white hair and one blue and one brown eye (LIKE BOWIE, YOU DIG?). Love interest is a long-haired dreamboat with golden skin that... shimmers? Yes, it shimmers. All the time. (Don't do that in a post-Twilight world, please.) The visuals created are, objectively, awesome. They may sound bonkers but seriously? A graphic novel in that style of art, dialogue-heavy, with all the comic book noises and Ziggy Stardust excursions to dazzling glittery imaginary universes, could have been amazing. As a novel, though, it fell short.
It also felt a bit constructed all over. I think the parts that read the most authentic were the ones that the author clearly has experience with, like the exploration of acceptance of queer people in some Native American tribes. Others, though, like the slang and the inclusion of closeted bullies and token black friend (who makes a quick appearance at the start and then practically disappears), not to mention dashing off the pop culture and political events of the time checklist-style - it's one of those book where the research isn't invisible as it should be. The research and the labour that went into the book are clear on the page, and together with the gimmicky style, it unfortunately distracted from what is, in its bones, an emotional coming-of-age story.
It didn't work for me, and that's because of its execution. It's a very dialogue- and visual-effects-heavy book with little actual narration that...
[experiment]
LOOK, I'm gonna try something. I'm gonna... can I? ohmanohmanohman... I don't know, but... I'll try. I'll try to write part of this review like... the BOOK was written. You dig, my main man? (The 70s slang... was a bit - ouch - well you could tell it was...researched... rather than... experienced.) OH WOW. KABLOOEY!
Like the book was... it was... well it did... it had these... ellipses... and ALL CAPS... I mean, ALL OVER THE PLACE. ALL THE TIME. And random lists, like... I think it was trying to:
1) take the reader into the way the protagonist's mind worked
2) BUT
3) it came off as so gimmicky and visually distracting that
4) WHAMBAMTHANKYOUMA'M
5) it actually became annoying.
POWPOWBLAM! Got it? No, these comic book noises -BOOM! - are not an exaggeration. The book reads like this. These are quotes. KAPOW!
It would also do things like
hard returns in the middle of
lines, for, like (whambamthankyouma'am)
emphasis?
Again, gimmicky. And the protagonist... who you reallyreallyreallyreally - yesitdoesunspacedrepetitionwordslikethistoo... allthetime - anyway, who you really want to feel for, because this kid is terrified and in a shit home situation and tortured by electroshock treatments to cure him of the gay - FOREVER FIXED! - talks like, "Okay... okay... okay - I don't know... yeahyeahyeah...heh-heh" ALL THE TIME*, and okayokayokay, some of it you do get because he's always... having to...hide...and it's heart-breaking....BUT... the constant stream of excessively ellipsed dialogue...with little narrative to break it up.... kinda gives you eye AND brain strain after a while.
[/experiment]
*(He also says things like "Shubbuddudba" and "figglyfops" when he can't verbalise, which... yeah, for most of the book I cared less about whether he gets with the hot boy and more about whether someone can give him ALL THE THERAPY [actual, helpful, non-70s therapy] that he clearly needs because the shocks and/or his shit life have clearly fucked him up for life).
Anyway. Somewhere in there was a compelling story but both it and, sadly, the characters, were buried in this weird style full of over-accentuated visual effects that a novel really shouldn't need. About halfway through the book I realised that I really thought it had stumbled into the wrong medium, because between the abbreviated style and the heavy reliance on onomatopoetic effects, not to mention the rich inner world of the protagonist's imagination, this could have made a killer graphic novel. Again I say, look at that cover. Look at those descriptions. There's a magic secret room in a literal closet. David Bowie's eyes all over the walls, winking. Stardust upon stardust dreamscapades. Main character has white hair and one blue and one brown eye (LIKE BOWIE, YOU DIG?). Love interest is a long-haired dreamboat with golden skin that... shimmers? Yes, it shimmers. All the time. (Don't do that in a post-Twilight world, please.) The visuals created are, objectively, awesome. They may sound bonkers but seriously? A graphic novel in that style of art, dialogue-heavy, with all the comic book noises and Ziggy Stardust excursions to dazzling glittery imaginary universes, could have been amazing. As a novel, though, it fell short.
It also felt a bit constructed all over. I think the parts that read the most authentic were the ones that the author clearly has experience with, like the exploration of acceptance of queer people in some Native American tribes. Others, though, like the slang and the inclusion of closeted bullies and token black friend (who makes a quick appearance at the start and then practically disappears), not to mention dashing off the pop culture and political events of the time checklist-style - it's one of those book where the research isn't invisible as it should be. The research and the labour that went into the book are clear on the page, and together with the gimmicky style, it unfortunately distracted from what is, in its bones, an emotional coming-of-age story.
May 21, 2020
Can I please just have alllll the LGBTQ+ historical novels? There's really something special about them, and this one was no different in that sense.
This is actually a very heavy novel, and it's really violent at times. But it's also such an important novel, about a boy dealing with and trying to overcome internalized homophobia in a time where homosexuality was still seen as a mental illness. At the start of the book, he genuinely believes he's sick, and then he starts to grow as a character, which I thought was so well done.
Jonathan is in no way a perfect character. He's flawed, he makes mistakes, but he truly stole my heart. He's just so pure, and I can't.
Oh, and of course you have to listen to David Bowie while reading this. I don't make the rules.
Rep: gay MC, gay Native-American love interest, biracial side character
CWs: (internalized) homophobia, conversion therapy, electroshock therapy, homophobic slurs, mention of suicide, racism, police brutality, hate crimes, violence, racist slurs, sexual assault, past death of a parent, alcoholism, mentions of drug use
This is actually a very heavy novel, and it's really violent at times. But it's also such an important novel, about a boy dealing with and trying to overcome internalized homophobia in a time where homosexuality was still seen as a mental illness. At the start of the book, he genuinely believes he's sick, and then he starts to grow as a character, which I thought was so well done.
Jonathan is in no way a perfect character. He's flawed, he makes mistakes, but he truly stole my heart. He's just so pure, and I can't.
Oh, and of course you have to listen to David Bowie while reading this. I don't make the rules.
Rep: gay MC, gay Native-American love interest, biracial side character
CWs: (internalized) homophobia, conversion therapy, electroshock therapy, homophobic slurs, mention of suicide, racism, police brutality, hate crimes, violence, racist slurs, sexual assault, past death of a parent, alcoholism, mentions of drug use
Want to read
March 25, 2019Not to be dramatic but this book comes out on my birthday and if that's not a sign I don't know what is
March 27, 2020
this book lodged itself into my soul and it's not ever going to leave
April 6, 2023
I went to the Banned Books List with all intention of coming in guns blazing and telling everyone . . . .
But then the same night I picked up this library hold I came across a news article where one twatty mother had managed to ban over a dozen books in a local high school. So basically near children are allowed to fight and die for our country, but they can’t read about sex and/or gender whatsoever. Got it. Oh, and also the state decided keeping conversion therapy legal is also A-Okay so I live in a shithole.
Ziggy, Stardust and Me tackles conversion therapy in an aggressive One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest sort of way as it is set in 1973. I’ll be honest and say this story didn’t 100% work for me (the Ziggy Stardust parts served as more of a gimmick and a distraction to a solid narrative), but I always love a coming-of-age story and this was an important one to tell � touching not only on the aforementioned conversion therapy and being an outcast to your family for the way you were born, but also mistreatment of Native Americans and the Wounded Knee Occupation, realizing being gay doesn’t mean you’re “broken� so there’s absolutely nothing to be fixed, etc.
But then the same night I picked up this library hold I came across a news article where one twatty mother had managed to ban over a dozen books in a local high school. So basically near children are allowed to fight and die for our country, but they can’t read about sex and/or gender whatsoever. Got it. Oh, and also the state decided keeping conversion therapy legal is also A-Okay so I live in a shithole.
Ziggy, Stardust and Me tackles conversion therapy in an aggressive One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest sort of way as it is set in 1973. I’ll be honest and say this story didn’t 100% work for me (the Ziggy Stardust parts served as more of a gimmick and a distraction to a solid narrative), but I always love a coming-of-age story and this was an important one to tell � touching not only on the aforementioned conversion therapy and being an outcast to your family for the way you were born, but also mistreatment of Native Americans and the Wounded Knee Occupation, realizing being gay doesn’t mean you’re “broken� so there’s absolutely nothing to be fixed, etc.
July 3, 2020
Ziggy, Stardust& Meis honestly just one of those completely raw and profound reads that will leave you absolutely flabbergasted and lost for words in hands down, the best way possible. My heart ached throughout this journey, for me it just illustrated what was so horribly wrong with society and how their thoughts and blind beliefs poisoned LGBTQIA+ people, branding them as broken, as sick, purely for loving someone who’s the same gender as they are. It’s cruel and completely wrong that people are still having to feel broken and degraded because of their preferred choice of partner. It’s just so sad that throughout so many points in this book, main character Jonathan is compelled to feel completely broken, sick, messed up, just because he’s a young gay male. His Father, who should be nurturing him and loving him, makes him undertake electro shock therapy, to try and fix hissickness.
I will not even attempt to sayZiggy, Stardust & Meisn’t a hard book to read. It’s completely devastating theme-wise, for the reasons I’ve mentioned above. It also delves into the matter of race too, which is equally tragic how Native American/Indian were treated too. However, it’s completely educational in some factors too � I can’t believe I had never even heard about Two-Spirit Peoples, pillars of their communities, leaders and healers, balancing both Masculine and Feminine sides. I’d never really considered the pain that Native American Indian people were subjected to either, so I appreciateZiggy, Stardust & Mefor that added educational factor, too and I encourage everyone to pick up a copy ofZiggy, Stardust and Meand learn something from it.
At every point throughout this book, I just felt so sad for young Jonathan. He struggles to come to terms with himself throughout the story, forced to undertake the monstrous therapy, hoping he’d befreeof his illness, because he’s lead to believe that he must be the problem, he really must be sick and tainted. Jonathan longs to be cured, longs for normality and hopes he will be able to breathe in relief once his therapy rounds are complete, then everything will be okay.
I just wanted to completely envelope Jonathan in a hug! Not only does he feel the urge that he indeed does need fixing, but aside from his neighbour and closest friend, the effervescent Starla, who announces that she’s soon journeying away from Jonathan with her Parents for a while. With the revelation that his dearest friend will soon be apart from him, Jonathan can rely only on his Salvation, the Alter of whom he worships upon, that of none other than Ziggy Stardust himself. It’s the voice of Ziggy and Jonathan’s deadly departed Mother that guide him through his trying and stressful days, justwow.I was absolutely shattered throughout Jonathan’s journey and found myself putting down the book intermittently, purely because I found it so heart wrenching to read.
Ziggy, Stardust & Meis an easy 5 star read for me through, completely raw and powerful and completely profound, filled with evocative, lyrical, sometimes disjointed (all the more effective though given Jonathan’s inner torment given the cruelties he’s subjected to, as well as his completely conflicted feelings about the lovely Web, who explodes into his life like a firecracker and makes him feel many a feeling. Webb, the one person that Jonathan can possibly be himself around, Web, who is completely his unfiltered, unashamed self, unafraid to hide from the fact that he too is gay. I absolutely loved their first meeting in their high school bathroom and equally adored their subsequent scenes. Bonding over loved music, conjuring up dream-like worlds that they only inhabit. Honestly, pick upZiggy, Stardust & Me.It’s easily one of my favourite reads of 2020.
I will not even attempt to sayZiggy, Stardust & Meisn’t a hard book to read. It’s completely devastating theme-wise, for the reasons I’ve mentioned above. It also delves into the matter of race too, which is equally tragic how Native American/Indian were treated too. However, it’s completely educational in some factors too � I can’t believe I had never even heard about Two-Spirit Peoples, pillars of their communities, leaders and healers, balancing both Masculine and Feminine sides. I’d never really considered the pain that Native American Indian people were subjected to either, so I appreciateZiggy, Stardust & Mefor that added educational factor, too and I encourage everyone to pick up a copy ofZiggy, Stardust and Meand learn something from it.
At every point throughout this book, I just felt so sad for young Jonathan. He struggles to come to terms with himself throughout the story, forced to undertake the monstrous therapy, hoping he’d befreeof his illness, because he’s lead to believe that he must be the problem, he really must be sick and tainted. Jonathan longs to be cured, longs for normality and hopes he will be able to breathe in relief once his therapy rounds are complete, then everything will be okay.
I just wanted to completely envelope Jonathan in a hug! Not only does he feel the urge that he indeed does need fixing, but aside from his neighbour and closest friend, the effervescent Starla, who announces that she’s soon journeying away from Jonathan with her Parents for a while. With the revelation that his dearest friend will soon be apart from him, Jonathan can rely only on his Salvation, the Alter of whom he worships upon, that of none other than Ziggy Stardust himself. It’s the voice of Ziggy and Jonathan’s deadly departed Mother that guide him through his trying and stressful days, justwow.I was absolutely shattered throughout Jonathan’s journey and found myself putting down the book intermittently, purely because I found it so heart wrenching to read.
Ziggy, Stardust & Meis an easy 5 star read for me through, completely raw and powerful and completely profound, filled with evocative, lyrical, sometimes disjointed (all the more effective though given Jonathan’s inner torment given the cruelties he’s subjected to, as well as his completely conflicted feelings about the lovely Web, who explodes into his life like a firecracker and makes him feel many a feeling. Webb, the one person that Jonathan can possibly be himself around, Web, who is completely his unfiltered, unashamed self, unafraid to hide from the fact that he too is gay. I absolutely loved their first meeting in their high school bathroom and equally adored their subsequent scenes. Bonding over loved music, conjuring up dream-like worlds that they only inhabit. Honestly, pick upZiggy, Stardust & Me.It’s easily one of my favourite reads of 2020.
May 3, 2020
O melhor livro do ano até agora.
Eu li "Ziggy, Stadust and Me" em dois dias. Já estava de olho nele há um tempo, mas sabia que ele tocava em temas difíceis (como "cura gay" e racismo), então sempre adiei. Quando finalmente me senti preparado para essa história, fui arrebatado por ela. Esse livro é um dos YA LGBTQ2+ mais importantes que já li na minha vida.
Ambientado em 1973, poucos meses antes da homossexualidade ser removida da lista de doenças mentais após muita luta da comunidade, aqui acompanhamos a história de Jonathan e Web. Jonathan é gay e acha que precisa de conserto, afinal, todos falam que seus sentimentos não são normais. Web é Two-Spirit, ou "Dois espíritos", um termo usado por alguns norte-americanos nativos para descrever pessoas que têm um espírito masculino e outro feminino. Isso é entendido como uma bênção, um motivo de alegria. Quando os dois se encontram, há uma conexão quase que instantânea, mas são muitas as pedras no caminho deles.
Esse romance tem muitos pontos positivos e é brilhantemente escrito. Para começar, temos muitas referências a David Bowie, como indica o título. Bowie é o herói do Jonathan, a pessoa a quem ele recorre sempre que está enfrentando algum problema. Outro destaque é a questão indígena. Web é membro da Oglala Lakota Tribe e... não posso entrar em mais detalhes porque são spoilers. Posso dizer, no entanto, que James Brandon, o autor do livro, fala da importância da luta dos povos nativos, assim como da cultura e costumes deles. O autor não é nativo, mas participa do Powwow Steering Committee for Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) em São Francisco, e esse livro passou por duas leituras sensíveis de Two-Spirits que ajudaram a construir essa história magnífica.
Sim, é um livro pesado. Chorei mais de uma vez enquanto lia. Ainda assim, há momentos que ele também consegue colocar um sorriso no nosso rosto e mostrar uma luz no fim do túnel. É um livro que vale a pena cada página, cada minuto, cada centavo gasto. É bonito, poético, importante, forte e sensível. Mais que recomendo. Um novo favorito para a vida toda.
Eu li "Ziggy, Stadust and Me" em dois dias. Já estava de olho nele há um tempo, mas sabia que ele tocava em temas difíceis (como "cura gay" e racismo), então sempre adiei. Quando finalmente me senti preparado para essa história, fui arrebatado por ela. Esse livro é um dos YA LGBTQ2+ mais importantes que já li na minha vida.
Ambientado em 1973, poucos meses antes da homossexualidade ser removida da lista de doenças mentais após muita luta da comunidade, aqui acompanhamos a história de Jonathan e Web. Jonathan é gay e acha que precisa de conserto, afinal, todos falam que seus sentimentos não são normais. Web é Two-Spirit, ou "Dois espíritos", um termo usado por alguns norte-americanos nativos para descrever pessoas que têm um espírito masculino e outro feminino. Isso é entendido como uma bênção, um motivo de alegria. Quando os dois se encontram, há uma conexão quase que instantânea, mas são muitas as pedras no caminho deles.
Esse romance tem muitos pontos positivos e é brilhantemente escrito. Para começar, temos muitas referências a David Bowie, como indica o título. Bowie é o herói do Jonathan, a pessoa a quem ele recorre sempre que está enfrentando algum problema. Outro destaque é a questão indígena. Web é membro da Oglala Lakota Tribe e... não posso entrar em mais detalhes porque são spoilers. Posso dizer, no entanto, que James Brandon, o autor do livro, fala da importância da luta dos povos nativos, assim como da cultura e costumes deles. O autor não é nativo, mas participa do Powwow Steering Committee for Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) em São Francisco, e esse livro passou por duas leituras sensíveis de Two-Spirits que ajudaram a construir essa história magnífica.
Sim, é um livro pesado. Chorei mais de uma vez enquanto lia. Ainda assim, há momentos que ele também consegue colocar um sorriso no nosso rosto e mostrar uma luz no fim do túnel. É um livro que vale a pena cada página, cada minuto, cada centavo gasto. É bonito, poético, importante, forte e sensível. Mais que recomendo. Um novo favorito para a vida toda.
August 6, 2019
"The things that scare you the most are the things that bring you closer to who you’re meant to be."
Ziggy Stardust is someone that I admire. He didn't care what anyone thought and did whatever he wanted to do. (This is why he's tattooed on my body) So when I saw the title of this book and saw the cover, I knew that I needed to read this. And I'm so glad that I did because it was beautiful and heartbreaking and it completely destroyed me.
Omg!! My heart!! 😭😭
Ziggy Stardust is someone that I admire. He didn't care what anyone thought and did whatever he wanted to do. (This is why he's tattooed on my body) So when I saw the title of this book and saw the cover, I knew that I needed to read this. And I'm so glad that I did because it was beautiful and heartbreaking and it completely destroyed me.
Omg!! My heart!! 😭😭
June 9, 2021
i don’t even know what to say
the setting ? the writing ? the story ? the characters ?
how is this book not a best seller ?
i cried and laughed a lot, the ROMANCE IS SO PURE
if autoboyography or Aristotle and Dante are you favorites, what are you doing ?? read it nOwW
the setting ? the writing ? the story ? the characters ?
how is this book not a best seller ?
i cried and laughed a lot, the ROMANCE IS SO PURE
if autoboyography or Aristotle and Dante are you favorites, what are you doing ?? read it nOwW
November 27, 2020
I enjoyed this book immensely!
Set in the 70's and following Jonathan, a teen gay boy, in a time and place where homosexuality was seen as mental illness and a crime, it is terribly sad and tragic.
However, it is also beautifully written, full of cool pop culture from the 70's, a lot I was not familiar with, took some time to explore and found that to really enhance the total reading experience.
Web, the new boy in town, who Jonathan comes across, is Native American. I know very little about the history of Indigenous people and really appreciated the inclusion of some of it in here. The Wounded Knee massacre and the term Two Spirits (represented as a 2 on the LGBTQ2+), for instances, was something I never came across before.
On the author's note, James Brandon tells us some more: "Two Spirit" is used by some American Indian/First Nation people as an umbrella term for gender and sexual orientation variance.
A person, who embodies both male and female spirits within them, will hence be called Two Spirit.
It appals me how some cultures have seen, understood and accepted gender and sexuality fluidity and variety, only to be obliterated by the over imposing white men, who came to tell everyone this is wrong, that is normal, when it had been beautifully okay before.
Such rage.
The novel also depicts the horror of believing the lies. Of thinking yourself ill and crazy for the non heterosexual feelings you're having. Jonathan goes through quite the journey to try and fix himself and is very heart-breaking.
When we look back and think that 50 years ago people were trying or being forced to treat themselves with treatments like the conversion therapy, it really feels like we've come a long way.
That said, there are still so many places on this Earth where people are being discriminated and abused by others for who they are, or where homosexuality is still illegal. That really bogles my brain.
Ziggy, Stardust and Me is foremost the story of these two boys, trying to navigate the negative of a time and place that do not want them.
But, how James Brandon says and really well: Please don't waste another breath being anything else. There's just no time.
I loved James' writing and I'm super excited to pick the next book he writes.
Set in the 70's and following Jonathan, a teen gay boy, in a time and place where homosexuality was seen as mental illness and a crime, it is terribly sad and tragic.
However, it is also beautifully written, full of cool pop culture from the 70's, a lot I was not familiar with, took some time to explore and found that to really enhance the total reading experience.
Web, the new boy in town, who Jonathan comes across, is Native American. I know very little about the history of Indigenous people and really appreciated the inclusion of some of it in here. The Wounded Knee massacre and the term Two Spirits (represented as a 2 on the LGBTQ2+), for instances, was something I never came across before.
On the author's note, James Brandon tells us some more: "Two Spirit" is used by some American Indian/First Nation people as an umbrella term for gender and sexual orientation variance.
A person, who embodies both male and female spirits within them, will hence be called Two Spirit.
It appals me how some cultures have seen, understood and accepted gender and sexuality fluidity and variety, only to be obliterated by the over imposing white men, who came to tell everyone this is wrong, that is normal, when it had been beautifully okay before.
Such rage.
The novel also depicts the horror of believing the lies. Of thinking yourself ill and crazy for the non heterosexual feelings you're having. Jonathan goes through quite the journey to try and fix himself and is very heart-breaking.
When we look back and think that 50 years ago people were trying or being forced to treat themselves with treatments like the conversion therapy, it really feels like we've come a long way.
That said, there are still so many places on this Earth where people are being discriminated and abused by others for who they are, or where homosexuality is still illegal. That really bogles my brain.
Ziggy, Stardust and Me is foremost the story of these two boys, trying to navigate the negative of a time and place that do not want them.
But, how James Brandon says and really well: Please don't waste another breath being anything else. There's just no time.
I loved James' writing and I'm super excited to pick the next book he writes.
January 11, 2020
2.5 stars, rounded up | ”i guess this is what family feels like.�
overall, this was a pretty disappointing read for me.
i love david bowie, and i loved the idea of this book. don’t get me wrong, i think the themes in this book were PHENOMENAL and the discussions about racism, homophobia, conversion therapy, abuse, alcoholism, and ALL the other shit that went on was mind blowing. it’s books like these that can change the world. it’s books like these that can save lives.
unfortunately, as far as the writing of this book goes, i did NOT like it. words and phrases were repeated constantly and got to be so fucking annoying. the characters were alright, but they didn’t touch or impact me in the way i wanted them to. the plot felt sloppy and didn’t flow as well as it could have. the dialogue was also so damn awkward (i get that the main characters have a hard time speaking, hell i have social anxiety too bitch. it sucks. but it was so excessive and ALL THE ELLIPSES I WANTED TO CRY).
in the end, this was definitely an important book. maybe even a game changing book. but NOT, in my opinion, a good book.
overall, this was a pretty disappointing read for me.
i love david bowie, and i loved the idea of this book. don’t get me wrong, i think the themes in this book were PHENOMENAL and the discussions about racism, homophobia, conversion therapy, abuse, alcoholism, and ALL the other shit that went on was mind blowing. it’s books like these that can change the world. it’s books like these that can save lives.
unfortunately, as far as the writing of this book goes, i did NOT like it. words and phrases were repeated constantly and got to be so fucking annoying. the characters were alright, but they didn’t touch or impact me in the way i wanted them to. the plot felt sloppy and didn’t flow as well as it could have. the dialogue was also so damn awkward (i get that the main characters have a hard time speaking, hell i have social anxiety too bitch. it sucks. but it was so excessive and ALL THE ELLIPSES I WANTED TO CRY).
in the end, this was definitely an important book. maybe even a game changing book. but NOT, in my opinion, a good book.
October 19, 2023
5.0 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
This was ...
important.
Yeah, important. As the blurb says, "stunning and important". That's what this book is.
SO happy I bought the physical hardback (not on KU). It now has a permanent place in my "Special Books" collection and I will be re-reading it many times, I'm sure. 😊
This was ...
important.
Yeah, important. As the blurb says, "stunning and important". That's what this book is.
SO happy I bought the physical hardback (not on KU). It now has a permanent place in my "Special Books" collection and I will be re-reading it many times, I'm sure. 😊
November 20, 2019
"I think everyone needs a secret place in the world, a place you can count on to keep your dreams safe."
Wow. I loved this book more than I anticipated and I am over the moon with feelings for it! An absolute stunner. 🌠🌙🚀
Feeling the 4.5- 5 � love for it. The diversity, the history, the inclusivity of native american culture. I just loved so much of it. I can't wait to see what others think of it once released! It's heart breaking and hopeful and just overall a powerful story that can really reflect and be a parallel to current times in some ways as well. It does however contain quite a few things that some readers might prefer trigger warnings before going in reading.
I'm also mad at myself for putting off reading it for so long. But binging it in a day was entirely worth it.
I would definitely read this one again. It's just got a certain spark of magic to it that's completely captivating.
Wow. I loved this book more than I anticipated and I am over the moon with feelings for it! An absolute stunner. 🌠🌙🚀
Feeling the 4.5- 5 � love for it. The diversity, the history, the inclusivity of native american culture. I just loved so much of it. I can't wait to see what others think of it once released! It's heart breaking and hopeful and just overall a powerful story that can really reflect and be a parallel to current times in some ways as well. It does however contain quite a few things that some readers might prefer trigger warnings before going in reading.
I'm also mad at myself for putting off reading it for so long. But binging it in a day was entirely worth it.
I would definitely read this one again. It's just got a certain spark of magic to it that's completely captivating.
Want to read
July 21, 2019not a fan of david bowie but i mean this is a queer book that takes place in the 70s,,, how could i say no???
March 3, 2022
2nd Read: I have never wanted a movie made for a book as much as I have for this one, but the chances are probably less than zero lmao.
April 11, 2023
4,5 ⭐️
too much pain, too much magic
too much.
too much pain, too much magic
too much.
February 25, 2020
Ay, ¡qué libro más bonitoooooooo! Me gustó tanto que en un día me comí casi 200 páginas, cosa que no me pasaba desde hace un montón. Amé muchísimo a Web, un amor de hombre, y la historia de Jonathan me tenía con el corazón en la mano todo el libro T_T. Este libro necesita más atención en español, porque esa portada tan bella le hace mucha justicia a la historia que lleva por dentro. Lo amé.
September 17, 2019
a
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars!
This was tough to read at times due to some pretty heavy subject matter, but it was such a well written and beautiful book. I highly recommend!
Note: I am currently on a hiatus from reviewing. I need a bit of a break from the pressures of reading, so I'm just going with the flow this year. I'll obviously still be reading, but at my own pace and when I feel like it. Thank you for understanding!
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars!
This was tough to read at times due to some pretty heavy subject matter, but it was such a well written and beautiful book. I highly recommend!
Note: I am currently on a hiatus from reviewing. I need a bit of a break from the pressures of reading, so I'm just going with the flow this year. I'll obviously still be reading, but at my own pace and when I feel like it. Thank you for understanding!
September 19, 2019
4.5 stars
Originally posted on:
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This is an incredibly beautiful and powerful novel. It is quite a heavy and emotional story and an absolutely stellar debut. I learned so much more about the 1970s and the LGBT community at the time. We get insight into society’s atrocious treatment of same-sex couples and the brave individuals who stood up for themselves and championed the freedom to love. This is such an important novel, particularly for young adult readers that did not grow up in this time period. It is a raw and moving snapshot of a time of great injustice but also of strength and the courage of standing up for what you believe in.
In this novel, we follow a teenage boy named Jonathan who is going through the process of discovering his true self and sexuality. He is facing the intolerance and attempted suppression of homosexuality that plagued society in the 1970s. These feelings are treated as a mental illness and Jonathan has come to believe that he is sick and needs to be cured. He copes with life by entering the safety of his imagination, getting advice and guidance from his hero, David Bowe’s Ziggy Stardust, as well as his mother who passed away after his birth.
Due to pressures from a variety of sources—his very close-minded father included—Jonathan has been undergoing painful and, quite frankly, inhumane treatments that he hopes will “cure� him. However, before he finishes he meets a new classmate named Web—someone who is fearless, strong-willed and, most importantly, not ashamed to be gay. Before he knows it, Web is completely changing his world and taking him on an adventure through love that he never dared to consider.
Jonathan’s story had my heart from the very beginning. Hearing his thoughts through all the events of this novel is equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and inspiring. Watching him grow so much and gradually accept himself over the course of the narrative is wonderful and I found myself feeling extremely proud of him. Every up and every down touches your core and makes you become increasingly invested in his story. This gripped me and held me until the final page and even well after finishing.
Every single character, both good and bad, in this novel is crafted incredibly well. Jonathan and Web are definitely two of my new favorite literary characters. They are two truly beautiful human beings—inside and out—and their relationship is done to absolute perfection. I adored every moment they spent together and there was one scene in particular toward the end of the novel that has genuinely become one of my favorite scenes from any novel I’ve ever read. I have been constantly replaying so many of their interactions in my mind since I finished reading this book and I love that.
Brandon does an amazing job of capturing the mind of a teenage boy going through this rough and confusing time in his life. It is so easy to connect with and feel for Jonathan, as he is so clearly and vividly portrayed. Each scene in the story is packed with so much detail and sentiment they are almost tangible. It is as if you are right there beside Jonathan, watching him grow and transform and always cheering him on. Brandon’s writing transports the reader back in time and right into the middle of things, making for a wholly unique and sweeping narrative.
The only minor issue that I faced was my personal connection to the writing style. Since we are in first person following Jonathan’s point of view, we get to hear all his thoughts as they happen. For me, it felt like it had a sort of stream of consciousness quality to it. I didn’t entirely click with it and it took some getting used to each time I picked the book up. But this was completely a personal thing, not a problem with the actual writing itself. As I’ve said, it is very beautifully written and that stream of thoughts that bounces quickly from one thing to another fits Jonathan perfectly.
Ziggy, Stardust and Me is an absolutely essential read in my opinion. It is a raw and unflinching look at the horrors of intolerance and the length people believed one should go to in order to rid themselves of these feelings they could not—or would not try to—understand. It is a book that will have a great impact on all of its� readers and on the young adult literary world in general. We get a picture of what it was like for gay people living in this time and the painful and damaging emotional turmoil inflicted on them just for being themselves.
The importance of looking back on our history and learning from the mistakes in order to improve society is particularly important for this generation of readers. Love is love and that will always be true. Here we can find a message of the significance of being open-minded and helping continue the fight for equality. This is a story that will stick with me for a very long time. I look forward to reading future novels by James Brandon.
Originally posted on:
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This is an incredibly beautiful and powerful novel. It is quite a heavy and emotional story and an absolutely stellar debut. I learned so much more about the 1970s and the LGBT community at the time. We get insight into society’s atrocious treatment of same-sex couples and the brave individuals who stood up for themselves and championed the freedom to love. This is such an important novel, particularly for young adult readers that did not grow up in this time period. It is a raw and moving snapshot of a time of great injustice but also of strength and the courage of standing up for what you believe in.
In this novel, we follow a teenage boy named Jonathan who is going through the process of discovering his true self and sexuality. He is facing the intolerance and attempted suppression of homosexuality that plagued society in the 1970s. These feelings are treated as a mental illness and Jonathan has come to believe that he is sick and needs to be cured. He copes with life by entering the safety of his imagination, getting advice and guidance from his hero, David Bowe’s Ziggy Stardust, as well as his mother who passed away after his birth.
Due to pressures from a variety of sources—his very close-minded father included—Jonathan has been undergoing painful and, quite frankly, inhumane treatments that he hopes will “cure� him. However, before he finishes he meets a new classmate named Web—someone who is fearless, strong-willed and, most importantly, not ashamed to be gay. Before he knows it, Web is completely changing his world and taking him on an adventure through love that he never dared to consider.
Jonathan’s story had my heart from the very beginning. Hearing his thoughts through all the events of this novel is equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and inspiring. Watching him grow so much and gradually accept himself over the course of the narrative is wonderful and I found myself feeling extremely proud of him. Every up and every down touches your core and makes you become increasingly invested in his story. This gripped me and held me until the final page and even well after finishing.
Every single character, both good and bad, in this novel is crafted incredibly well. Jonathan and Web are definitely two of my new favorite literary characters. They are two truly beautiful human beings—inside and out—and their relationship is done to absolute perfection. I adored every moment they spent together and there was one scene in particular toward the end of the novel that has genuinely become one of my favorite scenes from any novel I’ve ever read. I have been constantly replaying so many of their interactions in my mind since I finished reading this book and I love that.
Brandon does an amazing job of capturing the mind of a teenage boy going through this rough and confusing time in his life. It is so easy to connect with and feel for Jonathan, as he is so clearly and vividly portrayed. Each scene in the story is packed with so much detail and sentiment they are almost tangible. It is as if you are right there beside Jonathan, watching him grow and transform and always cheering him on. Brandon’s writing transports the reader back in time and right into the middle of things, making for a wholly unique and sweeping narrative.
The only minor issue that I faced was my personal connection to the writing style. Since we are in first person following Jonathan’s point of view, we get to hear all his thoughts as they happen. For me, it felt like it had a sort of stream of consciousness quality to it. I didn’t entirely click with it and it took some getting used to each time I picked the book up. But this was completely a personal thing, not a problem with the actual writing itself. As I’ve said, it is very beautifully written and that stream of thoughts that bounces quickly from one thing to another fits Jonathan perfectly.
Ziggy, Stardust and Me is an absolutely essential read in my opinion. It is a raw and unflinching look at the horrors of intolerance and the length people believed one should go to in order to rid themselves of these feelings they could not—or would not try to—understand. It is a book that will have a great impact on all of its� readers and on the young adult literary world in general. We get a picture of what it was like for gay people living in this time and the painful and damaging emotional turmoil inflicted on them just for being themselves.
The importance of looking back on our history and learning from the mistakes in order to improve society is particularly important for this generation of readers. Love is love and that will always be true. Here we can find a message of the significance of being open-minded and helping continue the fight for equality. This is a story that will stick with me for a very long time. I look forward to reading future novels by James Brandon.
October 1, 2019
This is definitely not something I would normally read, but I'm glad that I did. I generally try to stay away from sad LGBT books and books featuring conversion therapy in particular, with the idea that the real world is awful enough and I'd rather read something happy or at least set in a happier world in my free time. This book wasn't anywhere near as sad I was expecting consider the setting and subject material, but I do think I was more 'on edge' than usual while reading because I was always just waiting for horrible things to happen and that might have made it a bit harder for me to immerse myself sometimes. Still, I love both the main characters and the intersectionality of the whole thing and at the end it was actually a really cute and sweet book, even though there were definitely sad bits too. Also 'Ziggy on the cross' is probably one of my new favorite phrases so there's that.
June 19, 2020
nothing about this book worked for me for three reasons
1. i don't think it's ever a white author's right to write racist characters who employ racist slurs & violence against the non-white person in question; especially with the slurs, it really isn't a white person's place to do that
2. i am really tired of narratives where there isn't any queer joy only queer suffering through which a teenage character figures out that being gay isn't bad, there's only SO MANY bad things that can happen to one person before it's torture porn
3. the writing is very juvenile and annoying to read with the amount of dot-dot-dot ellipses
1. i don't think it's ever a white author's right to write racist characters who employ racist slurs & violence against the non-white person in question; especially with the slurs, it really isn't a white person's place to do that
2. i am really tired of narratives where there isn't any queer joy only queer suffering through which a teenage character figures out that being gay isn't bad, there's only SO MANY bad things that can happen to one person before it's torture porn
3. the writing is very juvenile and annoying to read with the amount of dot-dot-dot ellipses
June 26, 2020
NO.
WHAT.
NO. NO. JUST. NO�
It can’t end like that. IT CAN’T. I FORBID IT YOU HEAR ME? I WANT A FLIPPIN SEQUEL�
Okay, I’m back. *breathes in, breathes out�* Okay. Listen. Ever since I heard of this book’s existence, I fell in love. I wanted this book immediately. No joke. Nearly bought it on the same day I learned about it but held back cause of finances. Anyway. I finally bought the damn book. And it blew me away and enraged me all in one breath.
First off, the rage: some of these characters face a lot of homophobia and racism. You have been warned. It is hard to swallow and it had me so furious, I was seeing red, but that’s the point. It’s not supposed to be easy to digest. What makes this book so emotional by the end is because of the shit Jonathan and Web go through. It isn’t fair. It’s fucked up. And unfortunately, it’s staying true to the times back in 1973.
Ooooh the amount of bigots I wanted to DESTROY in this book�
Okay, I’m back again.
So, long story short, Jonathan is a gay white teen that goes through conversion therapy in the hopes of being cured of his homosexuality and Web is the gay Lakota teen who lives with a lot of trauma and anger. Through music, especially through Ziggy Stardust, they find a connection and they have to decide where they want to go from there. Reading about Jonathan’s treatments was…tough. Tragic. Heartbreaking. I felt for him so much and his actions, his mistakes, all made sense given what he’s been through. He truly felt like a scared, awkward teen. And the writing style, although sometimes hard to keep up with, was necessary because it really portrayed Jonathan’s quirky personality. It also oftentimes reminded me of I’ll Give You the Sun which is another book I ADORED, so it’s really no surprise the writing style grew on me.
Web felt like such a raw character as well. I loved his personality and I really felt for him on his anger. The amount of racism he and his family had to deal with was a strong element in this story, much stronger than I thought it would be when I came into this. It played a large role in the conflict of the story, so listen, readers: Please be aware when you pick this story up that there are hard topics touched upon like police brutality, sexual harassment, assault, racial slurs, discrimination. I loved this book to pieces, but I do think the blurb is a little misleading by not mentioning how much race plays a factor in this story.
With that said, I was overjoyed to be reading Native American representation. I can’t really speak on how accurate it is, but I can say that these characters felt real. They didn’t come off as stereotypical or caricatures. I know I’ve said this already but I’m saying it again: I LOVED WEB.
Loved, loved, loooved him.
And Starla. Despite not being physically present for most of the novel, she still came off strong and was a fantastic friend to Jonathan (she’s biracial too. Loving this rep <3). Also, she’s just a powerhouse of a person in general. Go Starla <3
Although I gave the book five stars (because I loved Jonathan and Web THAT MUCH) I do feel like there should have been more. And maybe that’s me being greedy because I know the story is not meant to end with all loose ends tied but still�
For one thing, I felt the whole Scotty situation could have been fleshed out more. I do think Jonathan’s relationship with his father was done pretty well—showed all the ups and downs and how they couldn’t just cut each other out of their lives—but I feel what Dr. Evelyn had told him at the end was a slap to the face. It wasn’t necessary. But then again, not much would have changed regardless. Some proper closure with some of Jonathan’s imagined people would have been nice too.
Despite the amount of conflict outside of Jonathan and Web’s relationship, which I wasn’t prepared for, I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I’m pretty sure this is a standalone, but if the author ever decides on making a sequel…just sayin�. I’m not at all opposed to seeing my boys again.
WHAT.
NO. NO. JUST. NO�
It can’t end like that. IT CAN’T. I FORBID IT YOU HEAR ME? I WANT A FLIPPIN SEQUEL�
Okay, I’m back. *breathes in, breathes out�* Okay. Listen. Ever since I heard of this book’s existence, I fell in love. I wanted this book immediately. No joke. Nearly bought it on the same day I learned about it but held back cause of finances. Anyway. I finally bought the damn book. And it blew me away and enraged me all in one breath.
First off, the rage: some of these characters face a lot of homophobia and racism. You have been warned. It is hard to swallow and it had me so furious, I was seeing red, but that’s the point. It’s not supposed to be easy to digest. What makes this book so emotional by the end is because of the shit Jonathan and Web go through. It isn’t fair. It’s fucked up. And unfortunately, it’s staying true to the times back in 1973.
Ooooh the amount of bigots I wanted to DESTROY in this book�
Okay, I’m back again.
So, long story short, Jonathan is a gay white teen that goes through conversion therapy in the hopes of being cured of his homosexuality and Web is the gay Lakota teen who lives with a lot of trauma and anger. Through music, especially through Ziggy Stardust, they find a connection and they have to decide where they want to go from there. Reading about Jonathan’s treatments was…tough. Tragic. Heartbreaking. I felt for him so much and his actions, his mistakes, all made sense given what he’s been through. He truly felt like a scared, awkward teen. And the writing style, although sometimes hard to keep up with, was necessary because it really portrayed Jonathan’s quirky personality. It also oftentimes reminded me of I’ll Give You the Sun which is another book I ADORED, so it’s really no surprise the writing style grew on me.
Web felt like such a raw character as well. I loved his personality and I really felt for him on his anger. The amount of racism he and his family had to deal with was a strong element in this story, much stronger than I thought it would be when I came into this. It played a large role in the conflict of the story, so listen, readers: Please be aware when you pick this story up that there are hard topics touched upon like police brutality, sexual harassment, assault, racial slurs, discrimination. I loved this book to pieces, but I do think the blurb is a little misleading by not mentioning how much race plays a factor in this story.
With that said, I was overjoyed to be reading Native American representation. I can’t really speak on how accurate it is, but I can say that these characters felt real. They didn’t come off as stereotypical or caricatures. I know I’ve said this already but I’m saying it again: I LOVED WEB.
Loved, loved, loooved him.
And Starla. Despite not being physically present for most of the novel, she still came off strong and was a fantastic friend to Jonathan (she’s biracial too. Loving this rep <3). Also, she’s just a powerhouse of a person in general. Go Starla <3
Although I gave the book five stars (because I loved Jonathan and Web THAT MUCH) I do feel like there should have been more. And maybe that’s me being greedy because I know the story is not meant to end with all loose ends tied but still�
For one thing, I felt the whole Scotty situation could have been fleshed out more. I do think Jonathan’s relationship with his father was done pretty well—showed all the ups and downs and how they couldn’t just cut each other out of their lives—but I feel what Dr. Evelyn had told him at the end was a slap to the face. It wasn’t necessary. But then again, not much would have changed regardless. Some proper closure with some of Jonathan’s imagined people would have been nice too.
Despite the amount of conflict outside of Jonathan and Web’s relationship, which I wasn’t prepared for, I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I’m pretty sure this is a standalone, but if the author ever decides on making a sequel…just sayin�. I’m not at all opposed to seeing my boys again.
September 7, 2019
HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! READ THIS BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING BOOK!
Oof. I am still in a book haze with tears in my eyes and I don’t know if any review can do this book justice. I’m going to take some time to think on it but I just want to give copies of this book to everyone I know and hug the author and his characters. And I want a sequel. Immediately.
One of the absolute best books I’ve ever read. And one I’ll hold close to my heart forever. Go get a copy of this book. Now.
Oof. I am still in a book haze with tears in my eyes and I don’t know if any review can do this book justice. I’m going to take some time to think on it but I just want to give copies of this book to everyone I know and hug the author and his characters. And I want a sequel. Immediately.
One of the absolute best books I’ve ever read. And one I’ll hold close to my heart forever. Go get a copy of this book. Now.
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July 7, 2020June 2020: I have been informed that this book includes racism toward Native Americans and I will no longer be promoting this book. I have removed my rating.
April 26, 2020
Comprei este livro pela capa. A referência evidente ao David Bowie e as cores foram razões mais que suficientes para me convencer. Eventualmente li a sinopse antes de fazer a encomenda, claro, mas quando livro chegou era da sua capa e da sonoridade que transparecia que eu me lembrava � sim, as capas vedem livros.
Descobrir que esta narrativa de passava nos anos 70 e que tratava a temática LGBTQ2+ naquela época foi, para mim, um enorme extra e não foi preciso avançar muito nesta história para perceber que era verdadeiramente boa, a sério. Do melhor que já li desde género porque, confesso, todo o ambiente da narrativa me conquista.
Jonathan acredita que está doente por se sentir atraído por rapazes e porque, em 1973, a homossexualidade era efetivamente considerada uma doença mental em US ele encontra-se a fazer tratamentos � isto é facto, acreditam? Nos Estados Unidos havia tratamentos de choque (e/ou prisão) para quem assumisse gostar de uma pessoa do mesmo género.
Enfim, com esta premissa eu não podia resistir, certo?
Gostei de tudo neste enredo! Gostei do protagonista que tem 16 anos e se comporta exatamente como um adolescente, fazendo asneiras mas tentando ser melhor e com muitos traumas a transparecer no seu imaginário criativo. Da mesma forma, gostei dos intervenientes secundários, da sua melhor amiga Starla que poderia ter um livro só seu e de Web que, definitivamente, poderia contar apenas a sua história. Felizmente, James Brandon trabalhou muito bem os sub-plots deste enredo e no seu todo ficou perfeito.
As temáticas não se ficam pelas questões de género, pelo que fala igualmente de disfunção familiar, alcoolismo, direitos cívicos � da mulher, LGBTQ2 �, e ainda dos nativos americanos, que por esta altura (e ainda hoje, convenhamos) travavam as suas lutas. Definitivamente um livro riquíssimo nas abordagens e que espelha muito bem um lado americano que muitas vezes nos esquecemos e que é muito distante do famoso sonho.
Tudo isto, claro está, vem embrulhado em referências da cultura pop da época, em particular musicais e para os fãs deste tipo de pormenores (como eu!) este livro é um prato cheio.
Sinceramente? Não sei como é que não se falou mais, não se divulgou mais este livro. Se eu fosse editora tinha ido à guerra para publicar este em Portugal.
“Ziggy, Stardust & Me� tem a dose certa de tristeza, humor e melancolia, transporta o leitor no tempo e foge ao comum que tem sido publicado de YA. Adorei!
Descobrir que esta narrativa de passava nos anos 70 e que tratava a temática LGBTQ2+ naquela época foi, para mim, um enorme extra e não foi preciso avançar muito nesta história para perceber que era verdadeiramente boa, a sério. Do melhor que já li desde género porque, confesso, todo o ambiente da narrativa me conquista.
Jonathan acredita que está doente por se sentir atraído por rapazes e porque, em 1973, a homossexualidade era efetivamente considerada uma doença mental em US ele encontra-se a fazer tratamentos � isto é facto, acreditam? Nos Estados Unidos havia tratamentos de choque (e/ou prisão) para quem assumisse gostar de uma pessoa do mesmo género.
Enfim, com esta premissa eu não podia resistir, certo?
Gostei de tudo neste enredo! Gostei do protagonista que tem 16 anos e se comporta exatamente como um adolescente, fazendo asneiras mas tentando ser melhor e com muitos traumas a transparecer no seu imaginário criativo. Da mesma forma, gostei dos intervenientes secundários, da sua melhor amiga Starla que poderia ter um livro só seu e de Web que, definitivamente, poderia contar apenas a sua história. Felizmente, James Brandon trabalhou muito bem os sub-plots deste enredo e no seu todo ficou perfeito.
As temáticas não se ficam pelas questões de género, pelo que fala igualmente de disfunção familiar, alcoolismo, direitos cívicos � da mulher, LGBTQ2 �, e ainda dos nativos americanos, que por esta altura (e ainda hoje, convenhamos) travavam as suas lutas. Definitivamente um livro riquíssimo nas abordagens e que espelha muito bem um lado americano que muitas vezes nos esquecemos e que é muito distante do famoso sonho.
Tudo isto, claro está, vem embrulhado em referências da cultura pop da época, em particular musicais e para os fãs deste tipo de pormenores (como eu!) este livro é um prato cheio.
Sinceramente? Não sei como é que não se falou mais, não se divulgou mais este livro. Se eu fosse editora tinha ido à guerra para publicar este em Portugal.
“Ziggy, Stardust & Me� tem a dose certa de tristeza, humor e melancolia, transporta o leitor no tempo e foge ao comum que tem sido publicado de YA. Adorei!
May 8, 2019
This was really quite heavy. Jonathan is a 17 year old gay boy in 1973 St. Louis, undergoing shock treatments to help him overcome his homosexuality. Plus, he's getting bullied by the straights at school and his dad is a sad drunk who treats Jonathan like shit. That's a lot. Also, my straight dad was also 17 in 1973 and it was weird for me to imagine him in high school and hoping he wasn't one of the "apes" who tortured kids like Jonathan. But yeah, Brandon does a great job of historical world building. Also, I loved Web and I think his story and his fight for rights as an American Indian are still so prevalent today. And even tho Jonathan fucked up like a white kid, he tried to learn and do better.
One thing I didn't really like was the closeted homophobic bully trope. Like there are 2 closeted bullies in this story and it's such an annoying stereotype to me. If the worst homophobes are actually secretly gay themselves, it's like a weird scapegoat for straight ppl to never be accountable for their own bigotry and bullying behaviors. 'Welp, it wasn't one of ours so we're good.' Like, are there closeted bullies? Of course, but it's over played and b.o.r.i.n.g. and lazy. I don't think the presence of this trope really diminished my experience enjoying this book, just was on my soap box. *tips hat*
Anyway, if you like sweet and sad and atmospheric gay boy books, check this out!
One thing I didn't really like was the closeted homophobic bully trope. Like there are 2 closeted bullies in this story and it's such an annoying stereotype to me. If the worst homophobes are actually secretly gay themselves, it's like a weird scapegoat for straight ppl to never be accountable for their own bigotry and bullying behaviors. 'Welp, it wasn't one of ours so we're good.' Like, are there closeted bullies? Of course, but it's over played and b.o.r.i.n.g. and lazy. I don't think the presence of this trope really diminished my experience enjoying this book, just was on my soap box. *tips hat*
Anyway, if you like sweet and sad and atmospheric gay boy books, check this out!
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