nerdyrev's review against another edition
4.0
In the last few months, I have read two YA oriented books with gay characters debating whether or not to come out and in a secret relationship with another student. The first was Will Grayson Will Grayson and the second was Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. Both have gay male HS characters trying to figure out who they are, both have a secret love with whom they share their secrets via email/IM, and both end with a play. In both too, the love on the other end is not who is expected.
I write this wondering if this is becoming a literary trope and wishing for a different and more difficult exploration.
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda is about Simon who is a gay HS youth who has not come out yet. He writes back and forth with Blue, another gay HS youth who goes to Simon's school. Neither are using their true names because neither is out yet.
The book opens with Simon being caught. Martin, another youth at his school, threatens to expose Simon to the HS via Tumblr, unless Simon helps Martin get together with Abby, one of Simon's best friends. Nick is Simon's other friend, who has been Simon's friend since childhood. There is also Leah who is new to his friendship circle, (very minor minor spoiler warning coming. Really minor) but becomes the first person Simon comes out to.
The question is what will Simon do? What will he do for Blue?
The book takes place through the span of a few months. We see Blue and Simon's relationship grow through email texts every other chapter. We also see Simon's family and friends though Christmas and finish with a play. Simon will learn who Blue is and his life will change.
The book is written for a young adult audience, so it reads very quickly and there is lots of drama throughout the book. Things blow up quickly and resolve themselves just as quickly. Some of the side plots too aren't explored very much in depth. Simon's sisters, for example, aren't really developed, but we do hear how close Simon is to them but never see why. The relationship Simon has with Nick and Abby is also kind of light.
This isn't to say the book isn't worth one's time. I could see how a HS youth, especially someone wrestling with sexuality would find this book extremely helpful and uplifting. It has challenging situations that a HS youth would likely face and probably comes from the years of counseling youth by Albertalli. There is also a speech given by Simon to Martin that I thought was incredible and worth the price of the book by itself.
As I close, I want to return to my comparison with Will Grayson Will Grayson, as these are the only two YA books I have read in the last few months and both have a similar theme. The other troubling thing for me is in both, the parents of the gay youth, instantly love and accept them when they come out. I too have worked with many youth through the years and some have struggled with discovering their own sexuality. Sometimes it is an easy and loving conversation with parents as we see in both books, but I have met some youth who have had to leave their parents or been thrown out of their houses at too young of an age because their parents couldn't accept or love them anymore because they were LBGT. Where is that book? Where is that narrative for teen youth?
Overall, I gave Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda 3.5 stars. It is a book that can be very useful, but it could have been a bit deeper and explored some more complex issues. Blue is Jewish, as we learn, what if his father didn't accept him? What would Simon do? I would have loved that book.
I write this wondering if this is becoming a literary trope and wishing for a different and more difficult exploration.
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda is about Simon who is a gay HS youth who has not come out yet. He writes back and forth with Blue, another gay HS youth who goes to Simon's school. Neither are using their true names because neither is out yet.
The book opens with Simon being caught. Martin, another youth at his school, threatens to expose Simon to the HS via Tumblr, unless Simon helps Martin get together with Abby, one of Simon's best friends. Nick is Simon's other friend, who has been Simon's friend since childhood. There is also Leah who is new to his friendship circle, (very minor minor spoiler warning coming. Really minor) but becomes the first person Simon comes out to.
The question is what will Simon do? What will he do for Blue?
The book takes place through the span of a few months. We see Blue and Simon's relationship grow through email texts every other chapter. We also see Simon's family and friends though Christmas and finish with a play. Simon will learn who Blue is and his life will change.
The book is written for a young adult audience, so it reads very quickly and there is lots of drama throughout the book. Things blow up quickly and resolve themselves just as quickly. Some of the side plots too aren't explored very much in depth. Simon's sisters, for example, aren't really developed, but we do hear how close Simon is to them but never see why. The relationship Simon has with Nick and Abby is also kind of light.
This isn't to say the book isn't worth one's time. I could see how a HS youth, especially someone wrestling with sexuality would find this book extremely helpful and uplifting. It has challenging situations that a HS youth would likely face and probably comes from the years of counseling youth by Albertalli. There is also a speech given by Simon to Martin that I thought was incredible and worth the price of the book by itself.
As I close, I want to return to my comparison with Will Grayson Will Grayson, as these are the only two YA books I have read in the last few months and both have a similar theme. The other troubling thing for me is in both, the parents of the gay youth, instantly love and accept them when they come out. I too have worked with many youth through the years and some have struggled with discovering their own sexuality. Sometimes it is an easy and loving conversation with parents as we see in both books, but I have met some youth who have had to leave their parents or been thrown out of their houses at too young of an age because their parents couldn't accept or love them anymore because they were LBGT. Where is that book? Where is that narrative for teen youth?
Overall, I gave Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda 3.5 stars. It is a book that can be very useful, but it could have been a bit deeper and explored some more complex issues. Blue is Jewish, as we learn, what if his father didn't accept him? What would Simon do? I would have loved that book.
kaitp617's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Let's be very clear: this book is not just about Simon struggling with coming out or his secret admirer email pal. It's about the very realistic life of a teenager: conflicts with friends, trying to understand our family, dealing with embarrassment and anger and stress. I was blown away at how accurate Albertalli wrote teenagers. I feel like most books try TOO hard to relate to teenagers and just deduce us down to emoji-obsessed dramatic weirdos. However, Albertalli was spot-on in her characterization and I felt like I was right there with these characters.
The romance was undeniably adorable, but if you're not a fan of romance, I still suggest you read this. There is so much more to read about then Simon and his anon--there is the ridiculous truth of acceptance, betrayal, forgiveness, and stress.
I'm so mad I slept on this book for so long. Don't be like me: pick this up and read it ASAP.
Let's be very clear: this book is not just about Simon struggling with coming out or his secret admirer email pal. It's about the very realistic life of a teenager: conflicts with friends, trying to understand our family, dealing with embarrassment and anger and stress. I was blown away at how accurate Albertalli wrote teenagers. I feel like most books try TOO hard to relate to teenagers and just deduce us down to emoji-obsessed dramatic weirdos. However, Albertalli was spot-on in her characterization and I felt like I was right there with these characters.
The romance was undeniably adorable, but if you're not a fan of romance, I still suggest you read this. There is so much more to read about then Simon and his anon--there is the ridiculous truth of acceptance, betrayal, forgiveness, and stress.
I'm so mad I slept on this book for so long. Don't be like me: pick this up and read it ASAP.
juliterario's review against another edition
5.0
- SIN SPOILERS -
ESTE LIBRO FUE PERFECTO. LO AMÉ. También fue mi primer audiobook, así que es bastante increíble. Honestamente, no sé si hubiera apreciado esta novela como lo hice si la hubiera leído en vez de escuchado, y es una pena. Pero amé esto. Amé escuchar la voz de Simon por 6 horas y 40 minutos porque fue TAN real. Entendí a Simon. Entendí su historia y sus pensamientos y lo que él sentía y su forma de ver el mundo. ¿Quieren leer el libro más realista del mundo? Es este, gente. Es este. Su voz... Su voz fue tan como la mía la mayor parte del tiempo. Comparto tanto con Simon, chicos. Y eso me fascinó. Todo el mundo sigue haciendo como si los libros con diversidad o contenido LGBTQ+ tienen que ser una gran cosa, pero Simon pide que no lo sea. Esto es un libro, si, sobre un chico de diecisiete años que teme salir del closet. ¿Y? WHY DOES THAT HAVE TO BE A BIG DEAL, huh? ¿Por qué lo normativo tiene que ser necesariamente una cosa y no la otra? Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda es un libro que leería de nuevo y que sin duda me ha hecho pensar. Y no voy a parar de recomendárselo a todos.
“Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it shouldn't be this big awkward thing whether you're straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I'm just saying.”
Este libro es un espejo a la realidad de un adolescente. Me gustó mucho que se hablara de cosas como música, las redes sociales y la comida. Quiero decir, todo esto suele ser olvidado en los contemporáneos, pero este libro los resalta. Yo pienso en comida 90% del tiempo, ¿saben?, y esto con mi celular aún más y todas estas cosas forman parte de mi vida diaria. QUIERO MÁS LIBROS CON COMIDA XD.
Y el romance. AAYYY. Esta historia fue perfecta. NO. LES JURO QUE SIMPLEMENTE NO PUEDO DESCRIBIRLES MI AMOR POR ESTA NOVELA. NO PUEDO. El romance juvenil es embarazoso y torpe la mayoría del tiempo, ¿okay? Estoy cansada de esos personajes de diecisiete años que on expertos en el amor y saben justo qué decir y hacen todo súper cursi y profundo. El romance juvenil no es así. Es una mezcla de no saber qué decir y conocer al otro. Es torpe y embarazoso y extraño y difícil de definir.
No. LES JURO QUE NO SÉ CÓMO PONER MI AMOR POR ESTE LIBRO EN PALABRAS.
TODO.
TODO FUE PERFECTO.
“He talked about the ocean between people. And how the whole point of everything is to find a shore worth swimming to."
Sin duda uno de mis favoritos.
ESTE LIBRO FUE PERFECTO. LO AMÉ. También fue mi primer audiobook, así que es bastante increíble. Honestamente, no sé si hubiera apreciado esta novela como lo hice si la hubiera leído en vez de escuchado, y es una pena. Pero amé esto. Amé escuchar la voz de Simon por 6 horas y 40 minutos porque fue TAN real. Entendí a Simon. Entendí su historia y sus pensamientos y lo que él sentía y su forma de ver el mundo. ¿Quieren leer el libro más realista del mundo? Es este, gente. Es este. Su voz... Su voz fue tan como la mía la mayor parte del tiempo. Comparto tanto con Simon, chicos. Y eso me fascinó. Todo el mundo sigue haciendo como si los libros con diversidad o contenido LGBTQ+ tienen que ser una gran cosa, pero Simon pide que no lo sea. Esto es un libro, si, sobre un chico de diecisiete años que teme salir del closet. ¿Y? WHY DOES THAT HAVE TO BE A BIG DEAL, huh? ¿Por qué lo normativo tiene que ser necesariamente una cosa y no la otra? Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda es un libro que leería de nuevo y que sin duda me ha hecho pensar. Y no voy a parar de recomendárselo a todos.
“Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it shouldn't be this big awkward thing whether you're straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I'm just saying.”
Este libro es un espejo a la realidad de un adolescente. Me gustó mucho que se hablara de cosas como música, las redes sociales y la comida. Quiero decir, todo esto suele ser olvidado en los contemporáneos, pero este libro los resalta. Yo pienso en comida 90% del tiempo, ¿saben?, y esto con mi celular aún más y todas estas cosas forman parte de mi vida diaria. QUIERO MÁS LIBROS CON COMIDA XD.
Y el romance. AAYYY. Esta historia fue perfecta. NO. LES JURO QUE SIMPLEMENTE NO PUEDO DESCRIBIRLES MI AMOR POR ESTA NOVELA. NO PUEDO. El romance juvenil es embarazoso y torpe la mayoría del tiempo, ¿okay? Estoy cansada de esos personajes de diecisiete años que on expertos en el amor y saben justo qué decir y hacen todo súper cursi y profundo. El romance juvenil no es así. Es una mezcla de no saber qué decir y conocer al otro. Es torpe y embarazoso y extraño y difícil de definir.
No. LES JURO QUE NO SÉ CÓMO PONER MI AMOR POR ESTE LIBRO EN PALABRAS.
TODO.
TODO FUE PERFECTO.
“He talked about the ocean between people. And how the whole point of everything is to find a shore worth swimming to."
Sin duda uno de mis favoritos.
loriemegistus's review against another edition
4.0
Really loved this one! Very heartwarming and I loved the characters so much!
__gmike's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did, but wow was this cute.
devinelybookish's review against another edition
3.0
The story follows Simon, a male gay character who is anonymously emailing another gay student, under the alias of Blue, in his school.
When he leaves his email signed in, another student finds out and blackmails him, threatening to out him if he doesn't help him get with one of Simon's friends, Abby.
When he leaves his email signed in, another student finds out and blackmails him, threatening to out him if he doesn't help him get with one of Simon's friends, Abby.
zombiiex's review against another edition
5.0
Read : June 2015
Reread : December 2016
Reread : June 2017
Reread : June 2017
Reread : June 2023
THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL AND ADORABLE. PLEASE READ IT.
Reread : December 2016
Reread : June 2017
Reread : June 2017
Reread : June 2023
THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL AND ADORABLE. PLEASE READ IT.
lissajean7's review against another edition
3.0
It was cute. It started so slow that I almost put it down quite a few times. Like, down and done. It just wasn't all that interesting. But it got better and ended up cute. I'm just not sure I'm into this author's writing style; I wasn't a huge fan of the upside of unrequited either. This may be my last of hers. I'm glad this one ended cute though.