Author: Julie Murphy
What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Ramona lives in Eulogy, a small southern Mississippi town known for its beach and vacation rentals. She, her father, and her pregnant sister Hattie live in a small trailer and can barely make ends meet. When Ramona's childhood friend Freddie moves into town, Ramona and he have a romantic relationship, which confuses Ramona because she identifies as a lesbian. Plus, Ramona struggles with what she wants to do after graduation--will her family survive without her?
What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I usually don't read any other reviews of a book until I've written my own, but I made an exception when I discovered so many mixed reviews of Ramona Blue. I think it's too far to say that the book is lesbophobic, biphobic, and acephobic, and even though I agree that it's insightful and moving, I didn't think it was perfect.
The review that most mirrored my opinions is from Book Riot, particularly this quote:
Critics of Ramona Blue seem to talk about it as if being attracted to a guy for the first time is a free ticket out of queer town and into straight privilege, but that's jut not accurate. It's a complicated process of self-reflection, doubt, loss, and fear.
In other words, Ramona didn't suddenly become "cured" of her attraction to girls. She just experienced an attraction to a guy, which is something new for her. Sexuality is fluid, and it's common, especially for women. Honesty, I think more books should be written with bisexual or sexually-fluid characters.
Most of the book isn't about Ramona's relationship with Freddie anyway. It's about a year in the life of a community still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, working hard but not getting paid much, limited opportunities of residents of small towns, living as an African-American and gay in the South, and Ramona deciding what she plans to do in the future. It was true enough to life that it made me sad, and the ending was bitter-sweetly optimistic.
This book is on the 2018 Rainbow Book List.
My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer): Well-written, good story, depressingly realistic. I like Julie Murphy's writing style and characters.
Ramona Blue is definitely NOT about a girl who is magically cured of her queerness. Don't believe that hype.
My favorite quotes:
- "I don't get rom-coms. It's not that I don't believe in romance or love stories, but for once--just for once!--why can't the girl sweep the girl off her feet? Or why can't the fat best friend get the guy? Why can't two guys get into a pillow fight in their underwear? It's the same old s*** every time" (e-book, ch. 7).
- "Love isn't all you need, but it's a start, I guess" (ch. 15).
- "You can't be color-blind or some s*** when it's convenient for you, okay? I'm black. This is the skin I wear every d*** day. You're my best friend. You can't tell me that you don't see that my black life is not the same as your white life" (ch. 17).
- "For a moment, I wonder if she has some weird yet wonderful bit of middle-aged-lesbian advice to impart to us. But instead she just treats us like we're totally normal, which is somehow even better" (ch. 21).
Other reviews: Ivy Book Bindings and This Ain't Livin'
This book is available in the Greensboro Public Library.
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