bibliomania_express's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is also about the shitty things people will do to each other, and the importance of learning and making amends. There's a wide span of friendship issues, family issues, and high school administration issues. I liked that the major subplot of fighting to amend the Code of Conduct to include verbal bullying and harrassment was given a lot of page time. I also love how the whole Homecoming Court vote shook out.
Graphic: Transphobia, Bullying, and Homophobia
Moderate: Racism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Violence, Deadnaming, and Grief
Minor: Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Death, and Car accident
bashsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A gripe I usually have with queer fiction - especially queer YA fiction - is that the queer characters are not allowed to be messy disasters. There is a very limited amount of disaster allowed for queer characters before they have to be consumed by guilt and apologies.
That is not a problem here! These guys - the two main characters, Jeremy and Lukas - are selfish and angry and hurting and think that ruling a high school via Homecoming Court can fix that. I don't think it's much of a spoiler to say that it obviously can't. There are some truly painful moments in here, but I loved that. I loved that they did awful things that I totally would've also done if I'd been in their scared and miserable positions when I was seventeen. This is not making excuses for them, though - they are completely in the wrong most of the time- just, it makes their character growth wayyy more satisfying than usual.
This author clearly has a very nuanced understanding of queerness, and he approached how transitioning goes from a number of angles, including an important one that I don't usually see - that trans people themselves need to grow into their genders and resist toxic behaviors for the sake of validity.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the autistic representation in Lukas, which I wasn't aware of before I started reading this. I appreciate that a trans gay guy and an autistic got to be assholes and not use their identities as an excuse, but that those identities were integral to how they process the world. That's a fine line to balance, and I think Ellor did a great job.
Graphic: Deadnaming, Ableism, Alcohol, Bullying, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Death, Transphobia, Hate crime, Violence, Dysphoria, Toxic relationship, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Drug use, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Car accident, and Misogyny
Minor: Classism and Racism
-F-slur used a few timessamstopher'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Transphobia and Homophobia
Moderate: Death, Deadnaming, and Car accident
love_bookswillbetheendofme's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Sexism, and Bullying
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Car accident
rowan00's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Transphobia and Bullying
Moderate: Deadnaming
Minor: Sexual assault and Car accident
thereaderfriend's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Some fav quotes:
- Because the world values our lies over our truths, our silence over our voices, our deaths over our lives.
- Strange to imagine there’s a me outside the weights I carry.
- Easier to give pieces of yourself to others than the words you can’t find.
Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia, and Homophobia
Moderate: Death, Deadnaming, and Ableism
Minor: Car accident and Sexual assault
longlost's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. Autistic rep AND queer rep ?? All I want in life. Unfortunately I just could not vibe with the book or its characters.
Lukas and Jeremy's relationship was not enjoyable to read about during most points of the book. It came off as TOO mean-spirited so so often and I genuinely don't see why
I DID enjoy the queer power message in this book, and while I didn't enjoy the shitty school system it also reflects reality unfortunately so. I wish I could have liked this book more because I'm 100% behind Jeremy's fight to change the Code so that the harassment he's facing is Actually Acknowledged but I couldn't stand the main plot of fighting over the Homecoming crown even if I could sympathize with both character's motivations. The actions they took against each other just felt too mean-spirited.
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, Bullying, Ableism, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Grief, Dysphoria, Cursing, Misogyny, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Blood, Death, Racism, and Alcohol
Minor: Car accident, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
alyshkalia's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Transphobia, Bullying, Homophobia, and Ableism
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Grief, Dysphoria, Deadnaming, and Medical content
Minor: Death, Sexual harassment, Car accident, Racism, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts
alyxinthestars'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? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Transphobia, Violence, Ableism, Bullying, Dysphoria, Grief, Hate crime, and Sexual assault
Minor: Biphobia, Alcohol, Car accident, Deadnaming, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexism
stinky_stew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Sexism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming and Emotional abuse
Minor: Antisemitism, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, and Sexual harassment
It is explained as exposition that Lukas’s older brother died in a car accident not long before the story begins