The Great Believers is split into two storylines with alternating chapters between them. The first follows Yale, an art museum curator and gay man living in Chicago during the height of the AIDS crisis. AIDS is rippling through his community killing off his friends and loved ones, including his good friend Nico. At the same time, he's trying to secure a large art deal that could be career making from Nico's aunt for the museum. The second storyline follows Nico's sister Fiona in the present day as she tries to find her estranged daughter in Paris while reflecting on how the AIDS crisis deeply affected her life.

I found both storylines compelling and enjoyed reading about both Yale and Fiona. Yale was a truly likable character and I was rooting for him so much. I just wanted things to work out for him, but his storyline fills you with a sense of dread as AIDS hits closer and closer to home. Fiona felt a little uneven - I felt like her character as seen by people like Yale was precocious and quite different than who she seemed to be in the present day, but I still found it believable enough.

I have heard this book compared to A Little Life and The Heart's Invisible Furies. For me, it was closer to The Heart's Invisible Furies, which I rated four stars. (ALL is one of my all time faves and basically nothing can compare.) This book started off a bit slow, but I was immediately drawn to Yale. I found Yale's story moving and I definitely shed some tears while reading this. If you liked ALL or THIF, I think it's worth giving this one a read.