Mandahla Rose - Juliet Takes A Breath

Big Queer Book Club Podcast

In this SUPERSIZED episode Kendra and Amanda talk to queer actor Mandahla Rose about the book Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera. In this amazing young adult novel, nineteen-year-old Juliet Palante writes a you-changed-my-life letter to her favorite feminist author and is granted a summer internship at the author's home in Portland, OR. Leaving her loving Puerto Rican family in the Bronx is difficult, but Juliet also welcomes the chance to enter a new environment: her mother has been communicating with her through closed doors ever since Juliet told her that she is a lesbian and has a girlfriend. In Portland, Juliet discovers a new world—gay, artsy, "crunchy," hippie types who welcome her with open arms and offer her marijuana. She falls in love, her heroes fall, her family supports her, and her friends save her. Juliet also discovers women of color writing science fiction, hot library paraprofessionals, and her own self-esteem. At the end of the summer, Juliet reflects, "I'm a messy, over-emotional, book nerd, weirdo, chubby brown human and I needed to learn how to love myself, even the shameful bits." Listen as the group chats about queer representation, how topical this book is with current events, and their answers to the question, "would you rather live 10 lifetimes and live to 100 years old in each one, or live one lifetime and live to be 1000 years old?"