amberinoface's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed how similar yet different the two main characters are. I enjoyed how Milo wanted to know about their sperm donor mostly for medical reasons. It did an excellent job discussing how the other parent feels when the child isn't biologically theirs.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
lostinmylibrary's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this. It got me out of my reading slump, and it's a great concept.
I have to talk about the thing that bugged me: the "you don't look Jewish" line. I have gotten this in my life so many times. At this point, I usually respond with, "oh, so what does Jewish look like?" and wait as they try to come up with something that's not a horrible stereotype. But it isn't challenged in this book at all - the character this is directed at just says something along the lines of "oh, yeah, I'm adopted" (which he is), and the conversation moves on. I understand that his complex feelings about his identity are a big part of the book, and that he perhaps doesn't feel as attached to the label, but the idea that there is one way that Jewish people look needs to stop.
I have to talk about the thing that bugged me: the "you don't look Jewish" line. I have gotten this in my life so many times. At this point, I usually respond with, "oh, so what does Jewish look like?" and wait as they try to come up with something that's not a horrible stereotype. But it isn't challenged in this book at all - the character this is directed at just says something along the lines of "oh, yeah, I'm adopted" (which he is), and the conversation moves on. I understand that his complex feelings about his identity are a big part of the book, and that he perhaps doesn't feel as attached to the label, but the idea that there is one way that Jewish people look needs to stop.
cameesreads's review
4.0
I love a book that takes me by surprise. The Other F-Word was such a unique story, that explored lots of great themes. Family, friendships, bullying, loss, health problems...there was so much going on but the flow of the story was solid with lots of humor and heart.
samwlabb's review
4.0
I feel like I repeat this a lot, but my initial interest in this book was due to the cover and the snappy title. What can I say, I like shiny, pretty things. Then I read the blurb, and thought the concept could yield an interesting read. Lucky for me, the story was not only interesting, but quite amusing as well.
I was sort of emotionally drained from my last read, and that probably made me more receptive to this book, because it made me laugh, and laugh, and laugh. This is a character driven story told from the POVs of Milo, the boy allergic to the world, and Hollis, the girl who is mad at the world. Milo enlists Hollis on his quest to find their sperm-donor dad, and she reluctantly agrees.
I greatly enjoyed the interactions between Milo and Hollis. Both were extremely bright and total book worms. Their banter was fun and witty. But I would say Hollis was the more compelling MC. At the onset of the story, Hollis came off as a very angry girl, but as the story played on, we learned that there are multiple reasons for this anger. A major source of her anger is due to losing her other mother to cancer when she was seven years old. She is harboring some serious guilt from her last day with Pam, and it was quite heartbreaking when it is revealed. There are other peripheral issues such as her long undiscussed anger with her ex-friend and the "numbing" activities that she is partaking in. It was Hollis' story that gave the book more emotional depth, and I really loved being there with her while she embarked on this healing journey.
I thought many of the secondary characters were fabulous. The four sperm-siblings were a force to be reckoned with when they started group chats/emails. Each sibling was given a distinct personality, but also had a little piece of each other in them.
Then there was JJ. At first, I didn't quite understand JJ's role, but as I read on, I grew to love the big goof ball. He added yet another perspective on this self-identity issue, as he did not know either of his biological parents. But, he was also a wonderful, supportive friend. He was there for Milo and encouraged him, but also served as the voice of reason when necessary (believe it or not). I thought his friendship with Hollis was adorable, and was glad that he was able to help her work through some of her issues.
I appreciated the way Friend incorporated the issues same sex families faced prior to the marriage equality act. It really broke my heart when both Hollis and Leigh related their stories. And, she contrast that with what Milo's moms had, as they were able to legally marry.
Overall: a sweet and funny adventure of sperm-donor siblings trying to find their "dad" where they actually end up finding themselves and each other.
**I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the advanced copy of this book
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I was conceived in a petri dish.
My father is out there.
I have a half brother.
I was sort of emotionally drained from my last read, and that probably made me more receptive to this book, because it made me laugh, and laugh, and laugh. This is a character driven story told from the POVs of Milo, the boy allergic to the world, and Hollis, the girl who is mad at the world. Milo enlists Hollis on his quest to find their sperm-donor dad, and she reluctantly agrees.
“But this is my quest, okay? I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s true. And I want you to come with me.”
“On your quest.”
“On my quest.”
“You want me to leave the Shire and go face the freaking dragon with you?”
I greatly enjoyed the interactions between Milo and Hollis. Both were extremely bright and total book worms. Their banter was fun and witty. But I would say Hollis was the more compelling MC. At the onset of the story, Hollis came off as a very angry girl, but as the story played on, we learned that there are multiple reasons for this anger. A major source of her anger is due to losing her other mother to cancer when she was seven years old. She is harboring some serious guilt from her last day with Pam, and it was quite heartbreaking when it is revealed. There are other peripheral issues such as her long undiscussed anger with her ex-friend and the "numbing" activities that she is partaking in. It was Hollis' story that gave the book more emotional depth, and I really loved being there with her while she embarked on this healing journey.
I thought many of the secondary characters were fabulous. The four sperm-siblings were a force to be reckoned with when they started group chats/emails. Each sibling was given a distinct personality, but also had a little piece of each other in them.
JJ Rabinowitz, honorary sperm sibling.
Then there was JJ. At first, I didn't quite understand JJ's role, but as I read on, I grew to love the big goof ball. He added yet another perspective on this self-identity issue, as he did not know either of his biological parents. But, he was also a wonderful, supportive friend. He was there for Milo and encouraged him, but also served as the voice of reason when necessary (believe it or not). I thought his friendship with Hollis was adorable, and was glad that he was able to help her work through some of her issues.
I appreciated the way Friend incorporated the issues same sex families faced prior to the marriage equality act. It really broke my heart when both Hollis and Leigh related their stories. And, she contrast that with what Milo's moms had, as they were able to legally marry.
“A good and generous guy gave us some seeds so we could grow you!” The story sounded a lot like Jack and the Beanstalk: mysterious man, magic seeds. A fairy tale.
Overall: a sweet and funny adventure of sperm-donor siblings trying to find their "dad" where they actually end up finding themselves and each other.
**I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the advanced copy of this book
BLOG|INSTAGRAM|BLOGLOVIN| FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
chriswolak's review
5.0
"That's all they wanted, wasn't it? Milo thought. To know where they came from? It wasn't right, it wasn't wrong, it just was."
In the 90s, test-tube babies, as babies conceived in vitro fertilization were called back then, were headline news and a huge topic of conversation in the LGBT community. I remember regular conversations with lesbian friends about who'd they'd prefer to have as their sperm donor if they decided to go that route to have a child. A stranger via a sperm bank? A family member? A friend? Gay guys were scrutinized on the dance floor by their lesbian friends like never before. I also had a friend who donated her eggs, which is a much more complicated and painful procedure than donating sperm.
One of the main arguments against using a sperm bank was that the kids wouldn't know who their dad was beyond a number and some basic descriptive information. Some countered that it was the same as being adopted. There were more issues, of course, and this novel addresses many of them.
I was drawn to this book but a bit skeptical. The description gave me pause:
Trigger alert! I thought. Such a novel could be rife with homophobic sentiments and cringe-worthy scenes of heteronormativity. I don't read a lot of LGBT novels due to the obligatory gay bashing scene and/or homophobic attitudes presented as "facts," but this novel is a breath of fresh air.
As the description states, the story is about a teenaged boy named Milo who lives in Brooklyn and a teenaged girl named Hollis from Minnesota, both of whom have lesbian moms. They met once when they were little kids and at the beginning of the novel are brought together again as teens. They track down more half siblings--kids whose heterosexual parents couldn't conceive. There's also Milo's best friend, JJ, a major character in the story, who is adopted.
There's so much that is gracefully packed into this story. There are the big issues at hand: what the kids struggle with, how the in vitro kids have similar yet different issues from the adopted, and how the parents cope with their own challenges regarding their decisions and fears. Also touched upon are numbing one's feelings, dating, bullying, gender vs genes, and grief after losing a parent/partner, among other things.
I was pleasantly surprised by this tender and seemingly "real" novel. I put "real" in quotation marks because I don't have direct experience with these issues, but I have friends who've dealt with a variety of them, both when they were children and now as parents. From what I know of their stories, this novel rings true.
In the end, being a teenager is hard no matter where you come from and who your parent/s is/are. As Milo's friend JJ says, "None of them get us, dude...They're parents."
Bottom Line: Highly recommend to teens and YA readers interested in non-traditional family stories and LGBT issues.
Source: Review copy via NetGalley
This review first appeared on my blog at http://www.wildmoobooks.com/2017/03/the-other-f-word-by-natasha-friend.html
In the 90s, test-tube babies, as babies conceived in vitro fertilization were called back then, were headline news and a huge topic of conversation in the LGBT community. I remember regular conversations with lesbian friends about who'd they'd prefer to have as their sperm donor if they decided to go that route to have a child. A stranger via a sperm bank? A family member? A friend? Gay guys were scrutinized on the dance floor by their lesbian friends like never before. I also had a friend who donated her eggs, which is a much more complicated and painful procedure than donating sperm.
One of the main arguments against using a sperm bank was that the kids wouldn't know who their dad was beyond a number and some basic descriptive information. Some countered that it was the same as being adopted. There were more issues, of course, and this novel addresses many of them.
I was drawn to this book but a bit skeptical. The description gave me pause:
A fresh, humorous, and timely YA novel about two teens conceived via in vitro fertilization who go in search for answers about their donor.
Milo has two great moms, but he's never known what it's like to have a dad. When Milo's doctor suggests asking his biological father to undergo genetic testing to shed some light on Milo's extreme allergies, he realizes this is a golden opportunity to find the man he's always wondered about.
Hollis's mom Leigh hasn't been the same since her other mom, Pam, passed away seven years ago. But suddenly, Leigh seems happy—giddy, even—by the thought of reconnecting with Hollis's half-brother Milo. Hollis and Milo were conceived using the same sperm donor. They met once, years ago, before Pam died.
Now Milo has reached out to Hollis to help him find their donor. Along the way, they locate three other donor siblings, and they discover the true meaning of the other F-word: family.
Trigger alert! I thought. Such a novel could be rife with homophobic sentiments and cringe-worthy scenes of heteronormativity. I don't read a lot of LGBT novels due to the obligatory gay bashing scene and/or homophobic attitudes presented as "facts," but this novel is a breath of fresh air.
As the description states, the story is about a teenaged boy named Milo who lives in Brooklyn and a teenaged girl named Hollis from Minnesota, both of whom have lesbian moms. They met once when they were little kids and at the beginning of the novel are brought together again as teens. They track down more half siblings--kids whose heterosexual parents couldn't conceive. There's also Milo's best friend, JJ, a major character in the story, who is adopted.
There's so much that is gracefully packed into this story. There are the big issues at hand: what the kids struggle with, how the in vitro kids have similar yet different issues from the adopted, and how the parents cope with their own challenges regarding their decisions and fears. Also touched upon are numbing one's feelings, dating, bullying, gender vs genes, and grief after losing a parent/partner, among other things.
I was pleasantly surprised by this tender and seemingly "real" novel. I put "real" in quotation marks because I don't have direct experience with these issues, but I have friends who've dealt with a variety of them, both when they were children and now as parents. From what I know of their stories, this novel rings true.
In the end, being a teenager is hard no matter where you come from and who your parent/s is/are. As Milo's friend JJ says, "None of them get us, dude...They're parents."
Bottom Line: Highly recommend to teens and YA readers interested in non-traditional family stories and LGBT issues.
Source: Review copy via NetGalley
This review first appeared on my blog at http://www.wildmoobooks.com/2017/03/the-other-f-word-by-natasha-friend.html
rainbowsnorlax's review
MC does not think of one of her moms (who has passed away) as her mom, thinks horribly of her other mom who’s still grieving, and calls artificial insemination ‘cold and impersonal’. Hopefully this is adressed later in the book, but I just cannot deal with this right now
marcopoloreads's review
3.0
This was a really sweet novel that dealt with family issues that I really enjoyed! However, I was not a huge fan of the main characters and would have preferred if we got to see more of Noah and Josh. The novel felt like it was written for a younger audience other than Young Adult readers, which isn't necessarily a bad thing; it was just something I wasn't a fan of. Overall, while I did enjoy this book, it didn't leave much of a lasting impression on me.
kellyhager's review
5.0
Hollis has known that her moms used a sperm donor to conceive her for basically her entire life. She also knew that she has a half-brother who was comceived from the same donor. But now Milo has contacted her for the first time in years because he wants to find their father. And we soon learn that they have siblings. All told, there are six of them (though one is adamant about not meeting their donor).
I am so in love with this book. A lot of it could be my story (though I was adopted, so it's not exactly the same) and I think I have had at least one conversation in this book almost word for word.
But the real best part is Hollis. Watching her go from an only child to having brothers and a sister is awesome. Family is a weird and kind of fluid thing sometimes, and this book reflects and honors that.
I am so glad I found it. Highly recommended.
I am so in love with this book. A lot of it could be my story (though I was adopted, so it's not exactly the same) and I think I have had at least one conversation in this book almost word for word.
But the real best part is Hollis. Watching her go from an only child to having brothers and a sister is awesome. Family is a weird and kind of fluid thing sometimes, and this book reflects and honors that.
I am so glad I found it. Highly recommended.
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