Ratings5
Average rating3.4
When a group of social activists arrives in a small town, the lives and beliefs of residents and outsiders alike are upended, in this wry, embracing novel. Big Burr, Kansas, is the kind of place where everyone seems to know everyone, and everyone shares the same values—or keeps their opinions to themselves. But when a national nonprofit labels Big Burr “the most homophobic town in the US” and sends in a task force of queer volunteers as an experiment—they’ll live and work in the community for two years in an attempt to broaden hearts and minds—no one is truly prepared for what will ensue. Furious at being uprooted from her life in Los Angeles and desperate to fit in at her new high school, Avery fears that it’s only a matter of time before her “gay crusader” mom outs her. Still grieving the death of her son, Linda welcomes the arrivals, who know mercifully little about her past. And for Christine, the newcomers are not only a threat to the comforting rhythms of Big Burr life, but a call to action. As tensions roil the town, cratering relationships and forcing closely guarded secrets into the light, everyone must consider what it really means to belong. Told with warmth and wit, Under the Rainbow is a poignant, hopeful articulation of our complicated humanity that reminds us we are more alike than we’d like to admit.
Reviews with the most likes.
This reads almost like a collection of connected short stories, which was both a pro and a con for me. I liked the diversity of the perspectives, but found myself wanting to go back and spend more time with characters from previous chapters. I really enjoyed the discussion of real issues here and the diversity of characters, especially the non-binary and bi representation.
What an enjoyable, quick read. I devoured this book. Each chapter highlights one person's story and inevitably, their connection to the same group of people. It is a touching book - about coming of age, self discovery, and discovering who and what matters. Loved it.