A landmark in LGBT fiction, this captivating story of two teenage girls who fall in love is a “classic of the genre” (Publishers Weekly). When Liza Winthrop first lays eyes on Annie Kenyon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she knows there’s something special between them. Soon, their close friendship develops into a deep and intimate romance. Neither imagined that falling in love could be so … falling in love could be so wonderful, but as Liza and Annie’s newfound sexuality sparks conflict in both their families and at their schools, they discover it will take more than love for their relationship to succeed.
One of the first books to positively portray a lesbian relationship, Annie on My Mind is a groundbreaking classic of the genre. The subject of a First Amendment lawsuit over banned books and one of School Library Journal’s “One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century,” Nancy Garden’s iconic novel is an important story for anyone discovering who they’re meant to be.
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Beautiful book about first love and fighting external and internal homophobia for that happy ending. Absolutely recommended.
Some books you pick up and it takes you ages to read (see: Ben Hur). Some books you pick up and never finish reading coz you get bored (see: Women in Love). Some books pick up in the middle and leave you gasping for more (see: The Picture of Dorian Gray).
This book is none of those. This book I finished reading in about three hours. This book hit all the right points, and it’s taken me so long to write this review because I couldn’t bring myself to write it and not give it the justice it deserves as a wonderful novel.
I feel a bit of historical context is also important here, first. This novel was written in the 1980s, and takes place in what I believe is the 1970s. The novel was banned for a VERY long time in a lot of public libraries, because of its depiction of homosexuality as the main romance in the novel. The main characters of the novel, Annie and Liza, fall very quickly and very deeply in love, which must have twisted a few panties back when this novel first came out. A cursory search shows that the novel is actually the 44th most challenged novel by censorship in the United States in the 1980s.
But here’s why this novel is so important for the LGBT community. When reading this novel, while it’s not got the WOW factor that some other novels might have in terms of writing, the story line is happy. Imagine that – a queer story line where nobody dies in the end. That’s a big leap there, considering that the majority of queer characters in the media up to that point had been mercilessly killed off in their depictions.
Liza, as the novel’s main narrator, is actually a very wonderful narrator who actually gives you an insight into her emotions, not making it too emotional and trying to show you what her side of the story is without undermining anything that happened, or placing the blame on others. Liza takes full accountability for her actions and acknowledges that some things she said or did in the course of the story she’s telling might have been terrible decisions. Liza is a mature narrator, and I like how she tells her story.
What I also like about this novel is how realistic the characters feel. Liza goes through her own moments of doubt and internal homophobia, questioning if what she feels is even right or real, but she also goes through her moments of falling in love for the first time that makes you blind to all other consequences and situations. Liza is, really and truly, all of us when falling in love for the first time.
I don’t want to tell you how the novel will play out, because there’s a lot more to the story than just two girls who happen to fall in love. All I can really tell you is that you have to sit down on a quiet evening, switch off your phone, and get ready for your heart to crack open just a smidge (or maybe more than that) while you’re reading this novel.
Final rating: 6/5. Honestly, though the writing isn’t perfect, it’s one of my favourites for the story line alone.
poignant
Another book that’s a reminder of how close-minded people can be, and it wasn’t that very long ago! (I know, I know. I’ve worn those shoes too.) “Don’t let ignorance win. Let love.” This is the story of two teenagers falling in love, and the struggles they face as gays.
If you haven’t read Annie on My Mind, you must! This is a book I want to have babies with and one of the first JGBTQ YA’s I’ve ever read.
Annie on my Mind is a tender and beautifully written romance between two teenage girls. The narrator Liza lives in an upscale neighborhood and attends private school. One day while Liza is at the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC) she’s meets Annie. Annie is the daughter of Italian immigrants and doesn’t come from a privileged family like Liza does. But these two become good friends where eventually their friendship becomes something more. Liza falls in love with Annie, which confuses and scares her. Annie figures out Liza is hiding something because Liza is suddenly acting strange around her. Liza admits her feelings, and Annie more than willing accepts Liza’s love. From that they start to date secretly and become intimate. But their relationship is discovered to their dismay. Now they’re forced to tell the world from their family to friends what they are to one another. The biggest issue is if Liza and Annie can stay together regardless of the scandal and those who think what they have is immoral and wrong.
I have so much love for Annie on My Mind. I can’t believe any parents or school would want to ban this book. Annie on My Mind shows how sweet and innocent falling in love is with that one person who understands you, regardless of their gender. To deny anyone a book like this or stop the means in reading it, is so very sad. So what if Annie on My Mind is a Lesbian YA romance? The reason Annie on my Mind was banned is because two teen girls so fall in love with one another and act on their attraction, just like most teenagers tend to do when in a relationship. There’s one love scene that is so incredibly tame, especially when compared to current YA’s being published today.
Thirty years ago a book like this would have caused waves, now I can see it being more accepted and welcomed because of the message Nancy gets across so well.
Annie on my Mind is one book I must re-read every year and an absolute keeper that gets an A+ from me. If you’re interested in reading a banned book, a YA or a GLBT romance that will stick with you long after you finish reading, Annie on my Mind is that book.
One of my favorites. I love everything about it. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
Teenage oriented, and simply written, it is however a surprisingly clear depiction of what assuming ones sexuality and coming out feels like at 17. Quick read to relive those confusing years for someone in their 30s like myself, short and sweet.