I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis held so much promise, but the book failed to deliver as much as I hoped for from it. I enjoyed it well enough, but with a few tweaks it could have been an even more enjoyable read.

I read an early draft of WE ARE LOST AND FOUND and fell in love with it then. It reminded me so much of the work of Douglas A. Martin, and with my background in literary fiction and experimental prose, it hit me in all the right places. I was so eager to get my hands on an ARC, and I read it in one sitting--no exaggeration.

Officially, I wrote, "With its staggeringly gorgeous, experimental prose, Dunbar delivers a critical story about love, heartbreak, the manifestation of fear, and hope."

I meant every word.

If possible, I recommend reading it out loud to hear the lyricism, and go along for the ride. This is really a character study so please keep that in mind.

It was 1983 New York when HIV scares the hell out of people. The virus even has a different name back then, making people, especially gay men, scared to have random sex.

I got Perks of Being a Wallflower -turned-into-social-activism vibes while reading this novel. Being spontaneous, living in the moment, carefree, coming of age.

I have elected not to read and review this book due to time constraints. Thank you for the opportunity.

This book was heavy. I enjoyed the characters, they were realistic and flawed. I also appreciated the relationship between Michael and his brother Connor. The setting was done flawlessly, I really felt the challenge and fear of James and Michael living in New York in the early 80s and the lack of information related to AIDs. The formatting of the book was interesting, with no quotation marks it was sometimes confusing who was speaking.

I could not have loved this book anymore if I tried.

Startlingly beautiful, honest, vulnerable, and sincere without ever feeling forced over over the top. Incredibly memorable and one that will stick with me for a long, long time.

Poignant and thoughtful, I was really transported back to the 80s NY that Dunbar creates, and the claustrophobia, fear and confusion of the AIDS crisis at the beginning and the peak. I felt such closeness to the main character, I wanted the best for him, and enjoyed following his journey, the wider cast of characters painted a picture of this world. I hated his parents (as I was supposed to), loved his chosen family. I will look forward to reading more from this author.

An excellent addition to the realistic fiction YA vault, “We Are Lost and Found” is a heartbreaking coming of age novel that is certain to stay with readers long after the final page is turned. Examining the on set of the AIDS epidemic in 1980’s NYC, author Helene Dunbar creates poetic prose that tugs at the soul with full realized characters and genuine emotions. This one not to be missed.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our library collection on preorder and will recommend it to students.

1983. The music and culture, the lifestyles, the mystery illness. Friendship, loneliness, success and failure, fear and bravery- it's all here. Beautifully told through the poetic words of Helene Dunbar, and visualized by her specific set of characters, We Are Lost and Found is a tribute to that all but forgotten year.

In the heart of New York City, Michael navigates his way through uncharted territory, stumbling for a path for his future. Along with his brother Connor and his good friends James and Becky, Michael succumbs to his own uncertainty and at times brazen tenacity. Who is he? He wants to know.

Dunbar has captured the essence of that year with such haunting truth and clarity, as is only possible in hindsight. I have to say that I spent most of the time reading this, with a horrible gnawing in my stomach... I'd forgotten just how intense life was in 1983. I was just a few years older than these characters (at the time), but can closely relate to it all. Dunbar brought it all back to me.

As a novel aimed at teen and YA readers, I can't even fathom how they would respond to it. For me, it's like a ghost revealed behind a mirror. For this generation, hopefully it will be a glimpse in to what has gone on before, as they struggle with their own challenges and identities as each new generation does.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so intrigued and excited to read this book because I wanted to read a queer story set in 80s NYC. I was hyped for it but didn't end up loving the writing style and the pacing was a little off for me. However, and this is the important part, the story itself, its message and characters were phenomenal. I ended up really liking this book, even though it wasn't pure perfection, and still highly recommend it.

My heart hurt so much to see the pain and struggle of LGBT teens (and people in general) coming out in the 80s. The fear they felt and the danger they put themselves in. The risks that Michael takes just to be who he is, its heartbreaking. Of course, the HIV/AIDS crisis is very much at the forefront of this story and an important part of our history for teens to learn.

A recommended read, overall.

A very poignant coming of age story set in 1980s America during the AIDS epidemic. Michael thinks he's happy living his life in secret from his parents as well as in the shadow of his friend but as opportunities arise he finds himself conflicted. He knows the consequences of opening up to his family and must work out whether the consequences are worth it to live the life he loves. But as a young single gay guy living during the epidemic, Michael must also work out the risks he's willing to take to find love.
I really liked the characters in this story and their personal growth, my only criticism is that the story seemed a little anticlimactic, it ended very suddenly. But overall I loved it.

Being transported to 1983 New York was one of the assets of this book ; I found the story quite compelling and would be happy to read more from the author!

I am always torn about books for contemporary teens set in the 1980s- as an adult reading these books, I love the nostalgia. BUT- YA books are for current teens, and some of that must be lost on them. However; I think this book did it right. The story of a young gay man living through the AIDs crisis is emotional and painful. This is perfect historical fiction of the recent past. I will definitely be adding to my collection, as this book does it right!

Edited & updated Sept. 9, 2020.

Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of We Are Lost and Found through Netgalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

How do I put this?

We Are Lost and Found is a beautiful, important, and informative story about growing up queer during the AIDS crisis. But I have some concerns.

Gabriel, Michael's love interest, is years older than the teenaged main character and frankly could have treated him better.

Maybe I’m too Gen Z for this time period, I don’t know, but I couldn’t fully invest myself in Gabriel and Michael. I think this is partly because there wasn’t any closure in the end. They just acted like their issues never happened.

And Becky was borderline creepy about wanting her two gay best friends to get together. Becky was creepy, in general. There, I said it!

I ended up ending this at 54% through it, I had lost interest in this. I wanted to love it,. I love the cover art and enjoying the lgbt rep.

TW: being kicked out, homophobic parents

Set in New York back in 1983, this is an LGBTQ+ Young Adult contemporary that follows the story of a gay teenage boy during the AIDs epidemic. This book is pitched for fans of Perks of Being A Wallflower, but it absolutely stands on its own for a myriad of reasons, that I'll get into shortly.

We follow Micheal, who has been content to live his life from the sidelines both at home and with his friends. Micheal's father is an angry man that no one is prepared to cross. Micheal and his mother navigate his father's temper, but his older brother, Connor, has long since been kicked out of the house for being gay. Not wanting to face the same fate as Connor, Micheal keeps his sexuality hidden - but trying to find a space for your true self in a world going through an epidemic that largely affects gay men, is no easy task.

Micheal spends as much time as possible at The Echo, a club where his best friend, James performs. James is the guy that everyone wants, but no one can ever get. Their friend, Becky, sees everything they're going through, and is fiercely loyal and brutally honest no matter what. All Micheal wants is to pass the time away, so he can figure out who he is, who he's going to be, but every time he comes close there's always something standing in the way.

Micheal meets a boy who finally seems to understand, who gets the crushing pressure of everything that's going on. But with so little information on how the condition is transmitted, no real way to know you're safe, he's left wondering if he's risking his life in his pursuit of happiness. This book taught me a lot about the threat posed by HIV/AIDs specifically back in the '80s. It was very much a looming presence and threat, and in a world that was (and still is to this day) fighting for LGBTQ+ people to be seen as valid and equal, this book did an excellent job at showcasing just how isolating and dangerous life could be.

The LGBTQ+ community faces dangers and prejudice even today, in many forms, due to homophobia and bigotry. We Are Lost And Found showed many of those forms of homophobia, from physical violence, to parental abuse and abandonment, and how they cause both short and long term effects on lives. Even internalised homophobia, that so many in the broad spectrum of sexuality must unlearn, was subtly woven in and very realistically so. I have read a lot of LGBTQ+ novels over the years, but so few have a focused on the HIV/AIDs epidemic. The author did an excellent job of openly discussing how people educated and looked out for themselves during that time, and still managed to make me laugh and cry along the way.
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This book covers topics such as coming out and the risks involved. And with the flawed and wonderfully pragmatic characters in this novel, it is impossible not to think of them as real people. The relationships were all impactful in their own way, especially as mistakes were made, and there was often tough love between friends. Dunbar's storytelling felt so alive, almost like reading a real diary.

The writing itself was beautiful - it was the perfect balance between introspective and observant of all the important things, both big and small, about the world around you. Finding yourself as a teenager in an abusive household, in a world that seems against you, is hard. Finding yourself at any age is hard. But this novel centers itself around hitting an age when you begin to question everything; all the decisions you make, and all the decisions that are made for you. The message of realising you have no choice but to start finding your place in the world is one that will resonate with you at any point in your life - maybe several times over - and We Are Lost and Found presented that message perfectly.
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Overall, this was one of the most hard-hitting but stunning books I've read in a long time. It is unforgettable. This is the kind of book you can read over and over throughout your life and it'll hit a little different every time.

I DNF'd this 36 pages in. The writing was sporadic and the characters weren't very likable. Also, there are better books about gay characters living during the AIDs epidemic that are #ownvoices.

Beautiful, nostalgic coming of age story set in 1983 New York City. As someone who is roughly the same age as the main character -- Michael -- and spent time pouring over the Village Voice and heading to NYC from the Jersey suburbs, this was especially evocative of the period. The writing is lovely and the story of a gay teen who is trying to navigate growing up and coming out in what would turn out to be the AIDS epidemic, feels like a bittersweet window into an anxious time.

This sounded like something that would suck me in, but I had trouble getting into it. It was kind of slow for me. I like a good historical coming of age story, but... This wasn't bad by any means, but it just wasn't my favorite.