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forrestalexander's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
3.5
I have a ton of conflicting feelings about this book. I was searching for a story about a trans boy because there are so few out there, and of course, the ones that do exist out there are almost always laden with trauma - including this one.
This book is heavy - so heavy, I almost didn't finish reading it. I wanted to put it down multiple times, so I took breaks, but I kept reading.
In the end, I'm glad I did. I kept flip-flopping between liking and hating the book because it was so dark and triggering for me, but in the end, I liked it. Many of the characters experience such tremendous character growth, and there are heart-warming moments.
With that being said, if you're looking for a sweet, coming-of-age book about a boy who happens to be trans, this isn't it. This book is dark, sad, and heavy, and I would tell anyone who wants to read it to know that beforehand.
TW: dysphoria, transphobia, homophobia, deadnaming, bullying, use of slurs, suicidal thoughts, public outing
This book is heavy - so heavy, I almost didn't finish reading it. I wanted to put it down multiple times, so I took breaks, but I kept reading.
In the end, I'm glad I did. I kept flip-flopping between liking and hating the book because it was so dark and triggering for me, but in the end, I liked it. Many of the characters experience such tremendous character growth, and there are heart-warming moments.
With that being said, if you're looking for a sweet, coming-of-age book about a boy who happens to be trans, this isn't it. This book is dark, sad, and heavy, and I would tell anyone who wants to read it to know that beforehand.
TW: dysphoria, transphobia, homophobia, deadnaming, bullying, use of slurs, suicidal thoughts, public outing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, and Violence
ashheinrich's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This was extremely frustrating to read. Everything was so misogynistic and the message was basically queer and trans people will suffer until they come out, at which time the suffering will escalate. Being trans was also compared to being a secret writer lmfao
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, and Grief
instalovewithbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I didn't know I was going to love Pony as much as I did. He was such a lovable character who was so dimensional and I wish I could meet him in real life.
I definitely will read more from this author!
I definitely will read more from this author!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Physical abuse
ilbther's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Transphobia, and Violence
nonbinaryreading's review against another edition
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
Minor: Death and Vomit
allzen_nochill's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
3.75
So I mostly liked this. While the prose can get a little fanficky at times (if you know, you know), the snappy dialogue and smartly written characters more than make up for it. I would have liked a little more exploration of Pony & Ted's relationship, because I think that would have made that part of the story feel a little less rushed. I also think that Pony totally has a point - coming out is so often something that ends up being co-opted by the people we are coming out to and we end up having to manage fragile cishet emotions rather than just sharing a piece of ourselves. It's personal, it's important, but I also cannot WAIT until the day coming out becomes obsolete. So therefore all of his friends who really wanted him out get a raised eyebrow, and Georgia gets a MAJOR raised eyebrow by being obsessed with Pony's deadname (though realistically, cis folks do act this way so... hard line to walk between portraying the reality we live in & the reality we want. This line is also why I have a raised eyebrow at Pony's dabbling in toxic masculinity). But all I wanted out of this was for a trans character to get a happy-ish ending and it delivered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Transphobia
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death
tinytrashqueen's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming and Emotional abuse
laurenlanz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This was a seriously great book about a transgender teen trying to blend in. I couldn't help thinking about the protagonist's struggles, and if/how they stemmed back to the author's life.
First, a fact: this book is definitely not advertised correctly.
Stay Gold is compared to books like Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agendaand To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in it’s synopsis, which couldn’t be more off. These comparisons make the book sound like a rom-com of sorts.
In reality, Stay Gold deals with several heavy and potentially triggering topics. It is a portrayal of what trans teens experience far too often, told by a trans author.
Now that that’s out of the way, here's for the plot.
~★~ What is this book about? ~★~
Pony just moved schools, and this time, he’s trying to blend in. Unlike at his old school, no one knows he’s transgender here, and Pony intends to keep it that way. It isn’t long before Pony falls for Georgia, a cute cheerleader that’s become his good friend. The only problem is that Pony can’t bring himself to tell her he’s trangender. He’s not prepared to face her reaction for fear that it might ruin everything.
~★~
It wasn’t long before I became glued to this story; Pony was a compelling and gripping narrator with a voice one can’t help but grow fond of. It was disheartening to read about some of the experiences Pony faced, though it was also a great window into the very real discrimination so many face. Georgia’s character growth was executed really well. High schoolers are still young and often have trouble figuring themselves out completely, which was reflected clearly in her character. It was nice to see her mindset change over the course of the book.
Tobly McSmith’s writing wasn’t anything outstanding, though to be fair most contemporaries don’t usually wow me in this sense. I enjoyed Pony’s stream of consciousness, though objectively there wasn’t anything unique about the articulation if that makes sense.
I would recommend this book to many, though be sure to keep the trigger warnings in mind before reading. This isn’t a light story, but it’s one with a message that pays off.
First, a fact: this book is definitely not advertised correctly.
Stay Gold is compared to books like Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agendaand To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in it’s synopsis, which couldn’t be more off. These comparisons make the book sound like a rom-com of sorts.
In reality, Stay Gold deals with several heavy and potentially triggering topics. It is a portrayal of what trans teens experience far too often, told by a trans author.
Now that that’s out of the way, here's for the plot.
~★~ What is this book about? ~★~
Pony just moved schools, and this time, he’s trying to blend in. Unlike at his old school, no one knows he’s transgender here, and Pony intends to keep it that way. It isn’t long before Pony falls for Georgia, a cute cheerleader that’s become his good friend. The only problem is that Pony can’t bring himself to tell her he’s trangender. He’s not prepared to face her reaction for fear that it might ruin everything.
~★~
It wasn’t long before I became glued to this story; Pony was a compelling and gripping narrator with a voice one can’t help but grow fond of. It was disheartening to read about some of the experiences Pony faced, though it was also a great window into the very real discrimination so many face. Georgia’s character growth was executed really well. High schoolers are still young and often have trouble figuring themselves out completely, which was reflected clearly in her character. It was nice to see her mindset change over the course of the book.
Tobly McSmith’s writing wasn’t anything outstanding, though to be fair most contemporaries don’t usually wow me in this sense. I enjoyed Pony’s stream of consciousness, though objectively there wasn’t anything unique about the articulation if that makes sense.
I would recommend this book to many, though be sure to keep the trigger warnings in mind before reading. This isn’t a light story, but it’s one with a message that pays off.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia
lopsidedly's review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 stars! Not a bad book by any means, but I felt like a lot of the issues were resolved too quickly and the ending was wrapped up too nicely when the subject matter was very heavy (suicide, being outed, abuse) and deserved more realistic and grounded discussions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia
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