Last Night at the Telegraph Club

By Malinda Lo

Part of the Last Night at the Telegraph Club series

In 1950s Chinatown, two girls risk everything for forbidden love amid Red-Scare paranoia.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 126,600 ratings

416 pages· 105,147 words· Est. 10 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

In 1954 San Francisco, Lily Hu discovers love and identity under the neon glow of the Telegraph Club. As she and Kath navigate their forbidden romance, they face the looming threat of Red-Scare paranoia and her father's potential deportation. Can their love survive in a world that demands conformity? This gripping tale of courage and self-discovery unfolds against the backdrop of historical upheaval, challenging societal norms and personal boundaries. Will Lily and Kath's love endure the pressures of a society not ready to accept them? Dive into a story where love defies the odds and history shapes destiny.

From the publisher

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND STONEWALL BOOK AWARD - From acclaimed author Malinda Lo comes a gripping, tender coming-of-age novel exploring identity, queerness, and historical upheaval set in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the 1950s.”Lush, ambitious and layered, Malinda Lo’s sweeping historical novel is the queer romance we’ve been waiting for.”–Ms. MagazineSeventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the feeling took root–that desire to look, to move closer, to touch. Whenever it started growing, it definitely bloomed the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. Suddenly, everything seemed possible. But America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father–despite his hard-won citizenship–Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day. Meticulously researched, emotionally stirring, and startlingly brave, Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a standout work of historical fiction that has taken the world by storm. Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature - A Michael L. Printz Honor Book - A We Need Diverse Books Walter Dean Myers Honor Book - A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist - A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Century

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