She was also quite hypocritical, behaving in ways that her community disapproved of but still judging Lily for something she could not control. It was clear early in the story that Shirley was homophobic. Lily eventually forms a relationship with Kathleen, cementing the fate of her now severed friendship with Shirley. She ostracizes Lily for the most trivial things, but Kathleen’s presence is the tipping point in their friendship. Her friend, Shirley Lum, is hot and cold about their relationship, constantly starting arguments and never asking for forgiveness, but still associating with Lily when she pleases. Lily is only one of two girls in her math class, the other being Kathleen Miller, for whom she eventually develops feelings. In addition to the normal struggles of high school, these comments and her experiences only pile onto the pressure she faces in life. Lily regularly deals with comments about her race and sexual orientation, both directly and indirectly. “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” deals with themes pertaining to teenage life, romantic relationships and identity, race, and careers. I could name other contrasts, but we would be here for hours. I know many people who expect to go into STEM-related careers, which pertain to science, technology, engineering, and math. She lives in a time when hoping to be a female scientist was only that: a hope. Lily has to sneak around and hide her sexual orientation I can easily come out without as much fear. It put into perspective just how lucky I am and how much times have changed. I saw some of my worst fears and most vivid hopes play out as I read. It centers around events in a nightclub called the Telegraph Club and Lily’s observations of her life surrounding these events.Īs someone who identifies as bisexual and Korean American, this book hit especially close to home. This book leads the reader through much of Lily’s senior year of high school, explaining her experience with coming to terms with her identity and defying her family’s expectations. Malinda Lo’s “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” portrays these struggles through the eyes of Lily Hu, a 17-year-old Chinese American lesbian living in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 1950s. For most LGBTQ+ people of color, these topics come up every day, often accompanied by tension and other struggles. Everyone has to deal with them at one point or another. Warning: This article contains spoilers for the book “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo and contains mentions of homophobia and alcohol.

“Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo explores themes of love, family, identity, and race in an emotional but wonderful coming-of-age story.

Last night at the telegraph club book