Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Harlequin Teen (Uncorrected Proof)
Pages
432
Description
In 1955, eighteen-year-old Janet Jones keeps the love she shares with her best friend Marie a secret. It's not easy being gay in Washington, DC, in the age of McCarthyism, but when she discovers a series of books about women falling in love with other women, it awakens something in Janet. As she juggles a romance she must keep hidden and a newfound ambition to write and publish her own story, she risks exposing herself--and Marie--to a danger all too real. Sixty-two years later, Abby Zimet can't stop thinking about her senior project and its subject: classic 1950s lesbian pulp fiction. Between the pages of her favorite book, the stresses of Abby's own life are lost to the fictional hopes, desires and tragedies of the characters she's reading about. She feels especially connected to one author, a woman who wrote under the pseudonym "Marian Love," and becomes determined to track her down and discover her true identity. The story of two young women connected across generations through the power of words.… (more)
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2018
Physical description
432 p.; 8.5 inches
ISBN
1335012907 / 9781335012906
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
Robin Talley has created quite the unique book...or actually three books in one. Abby decided to do her senior project on lesbian pulp fiction of the 1950s. Part of the project is to ultimately write her own genre-defying pulp fiction novel. After reading Women of the Twilight Realm by Marion Love,
The stories in the book include Ms. Love's life, how she came to write the book in the 1950s and how society treated lesbians at that time, Abby's current life and loves and excerpts from both Abby's attempts at writing as well as excepts from Women of the Twilight Realm.
Through Women of the Twilight Realm, Ms. Talley has accurately captured the tone and life of the 1950s pulp novels and their characters. By way of impartiing a little history, she also talks of the Lavender Scare, which refers to a witch hunt and the mass firings of homosexuals in the 1950s from the United States government. Gay men and lesbians were said to be security risks and communist sympathizers, which led to the call to remove them from government employment.
Pulp is a great read. I hope it gets the readership it deserves as a fun read, as an introduction to the pulp genre and as a history lesson. Good luck Robin.
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she becomes obsessed with the book and its author and wants to meet Ms. Love. However, it is the sole novel written by Ms. Love and tracking her down is virtually impossible. The stories in the book include Ms. Love's life, how she came to write the book in the 1950s and how society treated lesbians at that time, Abby's current life and loves and excerpts from both Abby's attempts at writing as well as excepts from Women of the Twilight Realm.
Through Women of the Twilight Realm, Ms. Talley has accurately captured the tone and life of the 1950s pulp novels and their characters. By way of impartiing a little history, she also talks of the Lavender Scare, which refers to a witch hunt and the mass firings of homosexuals in the 1950s from the United States government. Gay men and lesbians were said to be security risks and communist sympathizers, which led to the call to remove them from government employment.
Pulp is a great read. I hope it gets the readership it deserves as a fun read, as an introduction to the pulp genre and as a history lesson. Good luck Robin.
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LibraryThing member MichaelC.Oliveira
I loved how the author, Robin Talley, worked historical names into the story. As another reviewer pointed out, it is three stories in one book. I read Pulp in the evenings before bed, so every now and then I had to re-read a few pages to remind myself of which characters belong to which storyline.
Aside from overlooking some of the more annoying traits of the character Abby, it was a wonderful book and fun to read. As I mentioned I recognized a few of the names, I assume as homages to writers and bibliographers. I greatly appreciate the list of resources included at the end of the book.
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I hope the historical fiction brings a greater understanding to a younger generation of what it was like to live when lesbian women and gay men were treated as mentally ill criminals. Aside from overlooking some of the more annoying traits of the character Abby, it was a wonderful book and fun to read. As I mentioned I recognized a few of the names, I assume as homages to writers and bibliographers. I greatly appreciate the list of resources included at the end of the book.
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LibraryThing member reader1009
mature (but still angsty) teen fiction, lesbian pulp fiction writers and fans.
I got to page 42 but had trouble caring about the characters, esp. the modern-day Abby (who couldn't manage to come up with a senior project topic because she was too preoccupied with her ex-girlfriend who wants to remain
I got to page 42 but had trouble caring about the characters, esp. the modern-day Abby (who couldn't manage to come up with a senior project topic because she was too preoccupied with her ex-girlfriend who wants to remain
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best friends). Show Less
LibraryThing member forsanolim
This dual-timeline YA novel switches between the perspectives of Abby, a high school senior in 2017, and Janet, an eighteen-year-old in 1955. In 1955, Janet and her friend Marie have fallen for each other. When Janet happens upon a lesbian pulp fiction novel, her whole outlook shifts when she
Through the juxtaposition of the two time periods, the author provides a lot of historical context to LGBTQ+ rights, especially in Washington, DC (where both girls live)--I found it really interesting both to learn about the history of queer pulp fiction and to learn about the very real Lavender Scare that accompanied McCarthyism. I found the story pretty predictable, and I didn't love the writing (it felt a little forced and disjointed), but I think that the messages/history are worth it.
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realizes that there are others out there "like her," and she resolves to try her hand at writing her own novel. In 2017, Abby also learns about 1950s lesbian pulp fiction, and she (suddenly) decides to write one for her senior-year project.Through the juxtaposition of the two time periods, the author provides a lot of historical context to LGBTQ+ rights, especially in Washington, DC (where both girls live)--I found it really interesting both to learn about the history of queer pulp fiction and to learn about the very real Lavender Scare that accompanied McCarthyism. I found the story pretty predictable, and I didn't love the writing (it felt a little forced and disjointed), but I think that the messages/history are worth it.
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LibraryThing member psalva
This is probably one of the best YA/Teen novels I’ve read in a long time. The story is told in two timelines, which allowed for the story of 1950s pulp to be put into context for a modern teen audience. However, I found myself losing interest in the 2017 characters, often wanting to get back to
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the 1955 timeline. It comes together in the end though, and I think I would have related more to it if I was in the target demographic, so I can’t fault it. Also, I learned something new about the “In God We Trust” Bill, so it gets bonus points. I really want to read some more pulp lesbian authors now. Show Less
LibraryThing member caedocyon
Just fabulous, a shining example of YA. More later!
Awards
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2020)
ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — 2019)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Teens (Fiction — 2018)
Call number
YA A Tal