Reviews with content warning for Car accident - Under the Rainbow

Under the Rainbow is the second book I have finished for the 52 Book Club 2024 Reading Challenge.

When a task force of queer activists from Acceptance Across America move to live in Big Burr, Kansas, for two years, it causes a ripple, and the beginnings of a study in cause and effect in a small town labelled "the most homophobic town in America". Almost everyone in the community do not want them there, apart from Linda, who welcomes them for her own reasons.

The story is told through the eyes of a series of narrators, both residents of Big Burr and those from the task force, over the two year period, with snippets telling of raised tensions, new friendships and relationships beginning and ending, questioning their own and others identities and reconsidering what the true meaning is of community.

I borrowed this book from Taunton Library and listened to the audiobook on BorrowBox. I read this for prompt 7, at least 4 different points of view, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.

Content Warnings

abbie_'s review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.0

It’s been ages since I read a book told entirely in different POVs! With the exception of one who we hear from twice, we only get a chapter with each of the characters in Under the Rainbow, a snapshot of life in Big Burr, the most homophobic town in America, told from multiple perspectives. Strangely for me, I found the chapters from the younger characters the most compelling. A few of the adults felt interchangeable, and I also felt like Laskey’s writing excelled more when she was writing from a queer POV. The chapters where she narrates from one of the homophobic residents didn’t feel as effective, though I understand why she wanted to include them.

The concept is this - a taskforce of queer folk from Acceptance Across America is sent to the most homophobic town in the US to try to make change. I appreciated that it wasn’t all twee and everyone became great pals by the end of it, because that’s unfortunately not how life works. The change is incremental, the task force members grow frustrated, come up against countless walls and residents unwilling to change their outdated mindsets. But the last chapter did make me happy - a reminder that even if you feel like you’re getting nowhere, standing up for what’s right can help even one person live the life meant for them.

Engaging - a good one to pick up if you’re feeling slumpy!

Content Warnings

gellyreads's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Under the Rainbow is the story of what happens when a group of LGBTIQA+ activists move into the most homophobic town in America and try to bring about change. It unfolds over two years from the perspectives of 11 different characters, some activists, some townsfolk adamantly opposed to their work, and some in the middle . I enjoyed the range of perspectives but this meant the book provided breadth not depth and didn’t really offer anything new or insightful. Entertainment rather than educational unless you are a straight reader just beginning to explore LGBTIQA+ issues via literature.

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onceandfuturereads's review against another edition

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funny hopeful relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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amandalorianxo's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Centered around a small town in the middle of nowhere Kansas, we encounter various people's little snippets of their lives as a task force is sent over to assist this town in figuring out why it's been considered the most homophobic and how could a select group be able to establish acceptance? I did like the that we were able to get a peek at not only the members of the task force but also some of the community members well. I do believe that the epilogue that goes with this story could have been fleshed out more and I would have liked Karen and Avery's POV's although seeing them from other's peoples perspectives probably painted a better picture for the audience as a whole.

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amy__'s review against another edition

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4.0

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lilymurph's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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