leahhmorriss's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I started this book last year and only got around 100 pages in so I decided to give it another go from the start. I ended up finishing it in one day!
It was a very easy and enjoyable read, Simon was so cute and I absolutely loved Abby and Nick. I didn’t love Leah because she seemed very bitter and jealous but I guess I can also relate to her in some ways. I didn’t guess who Blue was, a couple times I thought he was Nick and then I was so annoyed when it was potentially Martin, as he definitely didn’t deserve a redemption arc.
I most likely won’t be watching the movie cos apparently it’s rubbish and I don’t want it to ruin the book for me lol.
It was a very easy and enjoyable read, Simon was so cute and I absolutely loved Abby and Nick. I didn’t love Leah because she seemed very bitter and jealous but I guess I can also relate to her in some ways. I didn’t guess who Blue was, a couple times I thought he was Nick and then I was so annoyed when it was potentially Martin, as he definitely didn’t deserve a redemption arc.
Spoiler
I think Blue being Bram was a little underwhelming but he’s cute so i guess it was okay.I most likely won’t be watching the movie cos apparently it’s rubbish and I don’t want it to ruin the book for me lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
kkshaye's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Minor: Fatphobia, Violence, and Racism
famlam2's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Homophobia, and Cursing
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Alcohol
noahsingh's review against another edition
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing and Homophobia
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Slavery
nannahnannah's review against another edition
3.5
This may one of the few times I'm actually looking forward to the movie version. Not to say the book was bad, but there were parts that I enjoyed so little that I'm hoping the movie got rid of them altogether or at least ... just really put as little emphasis on them as possible.
Using the email account [email protected], 16yo Simon Spier can come out of the closet to someone named Blue and express himself honestly in a way he can't to anyone "irl". Unfortunately, a kid named Martin from drama class sees his email when Simon forgets to log off in the library and blackmails him: help Martin get close to Simon's friend Abby or everyone will know Simon's gay (and worse, because screenshots will be released, Blue is involved in it too).
Basically, it's a messy soup of a high school coming-of-age story mixed with a coming-out story mixed with one hell of an adorable romance. What's not to love?? I honestly stayed up many nights to read a bit longer.
So why the 3.5?
Sometimes the text got to be a tad cringy; I mean, I get it takes a book a few years to get from finished mss to published text, so already you have some outdated slang (e.g. "I can't even"), but some dialogue exchanges could be a bit awkward. I just couldn't imagine kids talking like this, or even the adult characters either. Things just ran a bit stilted.
But the real villain of this book was Leah. An anime-obsessed yaoi-loving gay-fetishizing friend of Simon who was supposed to be an ally??? I don't think so. But this book never changed its stance on her. Simon keeps his opinion that she's like ... the most understanding out of all his friends because she introduced him to "slash fanfiction".
So let me make this clear, as a wlw: people who love yaoi (especially women and especially women who call themselves "fujoshi") basically fetishize gay people, and fetishizers are not allies.
Just like Simon, on page 21, says he thinks gay women have it easier (LOL), because dudes find them hot. Again, fetishizing gay people isn't the same thing as being allies. GOD, this part made me so furious. Almost to the point of quitting the book right there on page 21.
Anyway, despite this (which made me despise every single time Leah showed up in the book), I still loved the book as an easy romantic read. But since it looks like the next book is all about Leah ?? I definitely won't read on. There are enough stuff about gay fetishization out there being seen in a positive light. Yuck.
Using the email account [email protected], 16yo Simon Spier can come out of the closet to someone named Blue and express himself honestly in a way he can't to anyone "irl". Unfortunately, a kid named Martin from drama class sees his email when Simon forgets to log off in the library and blackmails him: help Martin get close to Simon's friend Abby or everyone will know Simon's gay (and worse, because screenshots will be released, Blue is involved in it too).
Basically, it's a messy soup of a high school coming-of-age story mixed with a coming-out story mixed with one hell of an adorable romance. What's not to love?? I honestly stayed up many nights to read a bit longer.
So why the 3.5?
Sometimes the text got to be a tad cringy; I mean, I get it takes a book a few years to get from finished mss to published text, so already you have some outdated slang (e.g. "I can't even"), but some dialogue exchanges could be a bit awkward. I just couldn't imagine kids talking like this, or even the adult characters either. Things just ran a bit stilted.
But the real villain of this book was Leah. An anime-obsessed yaoi-loving gay-fetishizing friend of Simon who was supposed to be an ally??? I don't think so. But this book never changed its stance on her. Simon keeps his opinion that she's like ... the most understanding out of all his friends because she introduced him to "slash fanfiction".
So let me make this clear, as a wlw: people who love yaoi (especially women and especially women who call themselves "fujoshi") basically fetishize gay people, and fetishizers are not allies.
Just like Simon, on page 21, says he thinks gay women have it easier (LOL), because dudes find them hot. Again, fetishizing gay people isn't the same thing as being allies. GOD, this part made me so furious. Almost to the point of quitting the book right there on page 21.
Anyway, despite this (which made me despise every single time Leah showed up in the book), I still loved the book as an easy romantic read. But since it looks like the next book is all about Leah ?? I definitely won't read on. There are enough stuff about gay fetishization out there being seen in a positive light. Yuck.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Bullying
also: fetishizationminke's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing and Homophobia
darcy124's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing and Homophobia
cozygrovereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
one of the first lgbtq+ books i've read so it holds such a special place in my heart. i love it so much. <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
blues's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
3.25
È una storia davvero molto carina e su cui possiamo trarre molti spunti di riflessione. Lo stile di scrittura è semplice e scorrevole, si legge velocemente.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Bullying
raynebeauskittles's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, and Bullying