Scan barcode
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia and Transphobia
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Drug abuse, and Outing
markwillnevercry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
- The constant use of the word transgender. At some point I actually had to look at whether or not the author is trans themselves, because it felt like such a weird usage of sanitised language.
- Trans representation. This book was published in 2021 and it feels like it was written for cis audience. The main premise is that Spencer wants to pass and keep passing. There are reasons that are given for this type of behaviour, like previous trauma, but when you write something it is important to ask yourself what you are trying to bring to the table and how you are trying to bring it.
At the end of the story, Spencer comes out in order to âstand up for those who cannotâ, without any conversation about how previously that caused his trauma. For the book that kept focusing on the âuglyâ sides of being trans, his coming out goes great and there are no issues, which feels like this part was written for some other book. I did not grow up trans, I came out when I felt like it would make sense and I never even tried to pass, so I guess it makes sense that this book made me feel extremely uncomfortable, but I am not reviewing this while thinking what would a passing person review it as. Our literature should stop portraying either dystopia or utopia, there should be more focus on what is real and how there is no single experience of being trans. - The romance? It was not good. I am a proud hater of romance books, but I will be honest, I was basically against the main couple actually being a couple. I saw them as friends, as buddies, as literally anything but a couple due to the lack of chemistry between them.
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Homophobia, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mass/school shootings
aromanticreadsromance's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
honeycupreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Bullying and Outing
Minor: Deadnaming, Drug abuse, and Hate crime
mabellene's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Bullying and Outing
Minor: Ableism, Deadnaming, Death, Hate crime, and Racism
elenushka8's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Transphobia and Religious bigotry
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
smartie_chan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Drug use and Mass/school shootings
bibble_kingly's review against another edition
The main character is a passing trans man AND he's going against his parents wishes to be on the soccer team. Transphobia and the complexity of binary trans passing is complicated already. An added layer of religion and religious influence is not for me.
Graphic: Transphobia
Minor: Religious bigotry
mamaewalk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Religious bigotry
gabeagenda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry