Reviews with content warning for Biphobia - Autoboyography

Reviews tagging 'Biphobia'

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

48 reviews

kalebd_2125's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I thought the bisexual male rep was done well (we get so little of it in literature). The commentary on Mormonism was interesting too. But what really set me over the edge was the fact that this was a borderline teacher-student relationship. Disregarding that, I didn't find the romance that compelling anyway.

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angelo_vossen's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

„Autoboyography“ by Christina Lauren is a profoundly moving and heartfelt coming-of-age novel that explores love, identity, and the complex intersection of faith and sexuality. Set against the backdrop of a conservative Mormon community in Utah, the story follows Tanner, a bisexual high school senior who has recently moved from progressive California. Encouraged by his supportive family, Tanner enrolls in a writing seminar where he meets Sebastian, a devout Mormon and the teacher’s assistant for the class. Their immediate connection quickly blossoms into something deeper, forcing both boys to confront the harsh realities of their respective worlds.

One of the novel's greatest strengths is the way it captures the intensity and vulnerability of first love, particularly for queer teens navigating environments that may not accept them fully. Tanner’s voice is sincere and witty, but there’s an underlying tenderness and uncertainty that makes him relatable. His struggles to reconcile his feelings for Sebastian with the pressures of secrecy and fear ring true, especially as the tension between desire and religious doctrine mounts.

Sebastian’s character is equally compelling, as he is torn between the expectations of his faith and the undeniable pull of his emotions. His internal struggle is portrayed with compassion, allowing readers to empathize with the painful choices he faces. The authors skillfully handle sensitive issues such as the impact of religious beliefs on personal identity, while avoiding clichés or easy answers. Instead, they present a nuanced exploration of how love can challenge, transform, and sometimes complicate one’s understanding of self and community.

What makes „Autoboyography“ stand out is its balance between heartache and hope. While it doesn’t shy away from the difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in conservative settings, it also celebrates the beauty of love, acceptance, and personal growth. The writing is lyrical, with descriptions that evoke the emotional highs and lows of falling in love for the first time. The pacing keeps the story engaging, and the romance feels organic and genuine, never rushed or contrived. I really enjoyed the addition of religious themes to this otherwise „generic“ love story since it brings another deep layer to the novel.

Overall, „Autoboyography“ is an emotional, thought-provoking, and ultimately uplifting novel. Christina Lauren have crafted a powerful narrative that not only highlights the challenges of being queer in a faith-based community but also speaks to the universal experience of finding yourself through love and loss. It’s a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to be true to themselves in the face of external pressures, and it leaves a lasting impact.

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james1star's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.25

Very enjoyable, well paced read and one I’d certainly recommend for both its intended YA audience and those older.

This follows Tanner who’s a recently re-closeted bi senior at his high school in Provo, Utah. He’s waiting to finish the year and head to freedom in college out of state but then Sebastian arrives to complicate things. He’s the Mormon prodigy who’s got a book deal from completing the ‘draft a book in a semester’ class and now returned to help the current cohort, which Tanner and his best friend Autumn are apart of. It’s not much of a spoiler but the book wouldn’t be much if it didn’t go anywhere but a relationship does somewhat blossom and we follow these two as they navigate something that isn’t really possible in Provo or for a Mormon boy.

I don’t usually like long romances but I felt the page count flew by because these characters seemed so real. They’re also just lovely people, it was joy being in their company and the way the authors (I never knew it was two women!) plotted and paced this book kept me entertained and intrigued at every point. Maybe a little dragged out but I didn’t really mind. I loved they way religion is talked about and explored in the novel, with both the good and bad parts of Mormonism and how it’s changing but there’s still certain things that are a no-go. It was handled with the nuance such conversations deserve and think it, alongside other topics, was appropriate. Tanner’s dad is an amazing character and I really appreciated they way he treated his son, he gave him the respect necessary for a 17/18 year old, speaking about important vital issues and parts of life in a sophisticated manner, he wasn’t just great as a dad of a queer child but for anyone. I don’t have anything much else to add other then it was very enjoyable. I didn’t like how often people ‘growled’ tho… a bit strange and there’s also kinda insta-love which I don’t really like but things do progress from attraction to a deeper bond.

Side note: the book cover is so stunning with the open book representing the mountain and if you read it you’ll understand the importance of the Utah mountains for Tanner and Sebastian.

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24carrotgay's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

this was an unexpectedly rough one. i should have put together that queer + mormon wouldn’t be all sunshine and rainbows (pun intended), but i did not. i went into this book expecting lightheartedness, which there was sometimes, but i found myself shaking with rage and on the brink of sobbing at the realness of this story. it hurt.

our boys got their happy ending, but i feel unsatisfied that we didn’t hear sebastian’s conversation with his parents.

regarding the narration, it was off-putting to me because it felt (a) robotic (b) too old for tanner and (c) out of character for tanner. overall though, this book was hard to put down. it’ll take me a bit to recover from all this emotion

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vagaybond's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense

Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.75

This was so emotional. I'm not used to a YA book having such nuance. And to be as heartbreaking as this. No one died but I feel as emotionally wrought as I did watching the movie Holding The Man (2015) which was based on a book a man wrote about the love story between he and his partner after his partner died of AIDS and before he himself did. There is so much pain in queerness and I often wish to escape it all and have fluffy romance where nobody has to deal with things like I've been through.* And I know there are people who have been luckier than me who don't know pains related to it. But this captured this pain so well and so poetically. I often wish undying love were not so undying too.

*(Disclaimer: my family is imperfect and they were abusive to me, but I did assume coming out specifically would go okay until I actually came out and reality proved otherwise. I wasn't on speaking terms with my biological family from 19-27 or so. Honestly the reaction to coming out is probably what was the last straw, and I'm not sure that a last straw would have existed otherwise. And I needed that no-contact time to survive and become the person I am.)

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