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evanthebooknerd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit and Car accident
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: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Blood, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Medical content, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
utopiastateofmind's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
May the Best Man Win is a case of Dual POV done so well. The audiobook narrator brings both of these POVs to life as we are able to witness a case of best intentions not gone to plan. There’s so much space between the things we intend and what can happen. All the layers of miscommunication and misinterpretation. Ellor’s characters have open narration that leaves their vulnerabilities on the page.
With a fantastic set up of exes competing against each other for Homecoming King, May the Best Man Win is a nuanced look at past mistakes haunting us, and our decision about who to be for the future. While it seems totally like a light and fluffy contemporary, May the Best Man Win is gritty, emotional, and intense. It was hard for me to pick a favorite main character because even in their mistakes and flaws, we can see all the ways they’re trying, hurting, and loving. The ways that Jeremy doesn’t always succeed as a friend. Or how he feels like he cannot be who he wants to be, even out as trans, because of him trying to be more “manly” for their respect.
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Self harm
maisierosereads'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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings: transphobia, misgendering, bullying, homophobia, anti-autistic ableism, violence, hate crime, sexism, threats of sexual assault, underage drinking, past domestic abuse/physical abuse of child, toxic relationship, infidelity, grief (past death of loved one/car accident), drug use, threats of knife crime
I loved the premise of this book when I first heard about it – a YA lovers-to-rivals-to-lovers romance between a 17 year old trans boy (Jeremy) and an 18 year old autistic boy (Lukas) is right up my street! I was also drawn to the gorgeous cover art by J. Yang, “a transmasc illustrator in a penguin onesie”. The audiobook is narrated by Avi Roque, who did a great job narrating both of Aiden Thomas’ audiobooks – it’s great to see that books like this one are creating work for other trans artists in addition to the authors!
To start by clearing up a little misinterpretation I had: I was under the impression before starting this book that it was a romcom, but I would say it’s more of a drama than a comedy.
The main characters are both morally-grey disasters who make more than their fair share of bad decisions. They’re not exactly loveable at the start of the book – Jeremy in particular comes across as very self-centred. The success of series like The Foxhole Court (with its infamously messy main characters) implies this won’t be an issue for many readers, but it might be a turn-off for others. The characters did undergo a degree of development by the end of the book and recognise that they should have acted differently in the past, and seem to want to do better moving forward.
I could empathise with Lukas feeling that he had to mask his autistic traits, and struggling to ask for the accomodations he needed from teachers with inaccessible teaching styles. However, I would have loved to have seen a little more positivity around him being autistic, perhaps as part of his character development or through more neurodivergent side characters.
Speaking of side characters – my favourite character of the whole book was probably Sol, a nonbinary Latine computer nerd in the school year below Jeremy and Lukas. While they also made some poor decisions, as teenagers are likely to, I found them much more loveable than the main characters and would love to know more about them and their story.
The rest of the cast of characters includes some definite antagonists, and others whose motivations are more complex. I don’t know how realistic the school’s policies on e.g. bullying and harrassment are, since I went to and work in English secondary schools where the antagonist’s actions would easily be grounds for exclusion, but I’m glad that this “outdated administration” was challenged by many of the characters.
One issue which went unchallenged and which I would like to highlight is the arguably lesbophobic description of TERFs (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists) given by one of the side characters, who says that a lot of TERFs are lesbians who “hate trans people because they like to claim they’re the most oppressed queers in existence”. I really hope this was edited for the final copy. While I don’t disagree that the queer community needs to reflect on its own transphobia, I think this line is a dangerous oversimplification when many young adults who will read this book may not have encountered this term before; after all, people of all sexualities are TERFs, and their transphobia is not because of any discrimination they may receive for other marginalised identities. Reinforcing the association between lesbians and transphobia will not help anyone.
Some scenes and details which I did enjoy included Jeremy’s fabulous outfit for the last day of homecoming week, a review of scented candles, the use of the song “Holding Out For a Hero” (yes, the one from Shrek; and yes, it was stuck in my head for days afterwards), and the people elected as homecoming king and queen.
Overall, if you like a dramatic contemporary romance with imperfect characters? Definitely give this one a try!
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, and Physical abuse
Minor: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Car accident
xoodlebooks'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Biphobia, Cursing, Infidelity, and Blood
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Medical content