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queenoflexis's review
5.0
Reviewed at: https://queenofteenfiction.blogspot.com
This story was everything I wanted it to be and more. Heart-breaking, heart-warming, and completely beautiful, I know Peyton’s journey will stay with me for a long time.
I was immediately interested in reading this book. It’s not often that I come across a story in YA that follows a transgender protagonist. I hope that in the future, it won’t be uncommon to find these stories. This book comes at such a prominent time after heart-breaking stories of real-life transgender teens have been in the media.
A Boy Like Me follows Peyton’s journey through high school as a boy trapped inside a growing woman’s body. He is confused and frustrated by emotions he can’t explain to himself. His mother wants the perfect daughter that he will never be, and their relationship falls more and more apart as the story progresses.
The relationship between Peyton and his mother is an important one. Reading it, you can’t help but feel desperate for him to get the acceptance he deserves from her, but it’s also a good way to show that he can be stronger and overcome it.
The scenes Peyton shared with his uncle RB added some well-needed warmth to the story. He was so supportive throughout and was one of the few characters that made sure Peyton knew he was loved regardless.
The relationship with Tara was beautifully written. This was also a new and confusing journey for her, and I loved how believable she was. She truly cared about Peyton and wanted him to be happy, and she was willing to learn how to make that happen.
The scene in which Peyton first learns about the term ‘transgender’ was both beautiful and heart-wrenching to read. It helps us to understand a little bit about what going through that sort of situation must be like, knowing that after feeling so much isolation he’s not alone and there are other people out there just like him.
What I really love about this story is how genuine it is. It doesn’t feel like the author is simply force-feeding information about transgender issues to the reader. It takes you on a boy’s personal journey and allows you to feel as though you are living alongside it, being a part of it and observing everything. It gives us a glimpse into what life must be like for someone who feels they don’t belong in the clothes they’re expected to wear, someone who feels like their own reflection is a stranger. Most importantly, it teaches us to accept who we are, and not to judge others for how they see themselves.
This story was everything I wanted it to be and more. Heart-breaking, heart-warming, and completely beautiful, I know Peyton’s journey will stay with me for a long time.
I was immediately interested in reading this book. It’s not often that I come across a story in YA that follows a transgender protagonist. I hope that in the future, it won’t be uncommon to find these stories. This book comes at such a prominent time after heart-breaking stories of real-life transgender teens have been in the media.
A Boy Like Me follows Peyton’s journey through high school as a boy trapped inside a growing woman’s body. He is confused and frustrated by emotions he can’t explain to himself. His mother wants the perfect daughter that he will never be, and their relationship falls more and more apart as the story progresses.
The relationship between Peyton and his mother is an important one. Reading it, you can’t help but feel desperate for him to get the acceptance he deserves from her, but it’s also a good way to show that he can be stronger and overcome it.
The scenes Peyton shared with his uncle RB added some well-needed warmth to the story. He was so supportive throughout and was one of the few characters that made sure Peyton knew he was loved regardless.
The relationship with Tara was beautifully written. This was also a new and confusing journey for her, and I loved how believable she was. She truly cared about Peyton and wanted him to be happy, and she was willing to learn how to make that happen.
The scene in which Peyton first learns about the term ‘transgender’ was both beautiful and heart-wrenching to read. It helps us to understand a little bit about what going through that sort of situation must be like, knowing that after feeling so much isolation he’s not alone and there are other people out there just like him.
What I really love about this story is how genuine it is. It doesn’t feel like the author is simply force-feeding information about transgender issues to the reader. It takes you on a boy’s personal journey and allows you to feel as though you are living alongside it, being a part of it and observing everything. It gives us a glimpse into what life must be like for someone who feels they don’t belong in the clothes they’re expected to wear, someone who feels like their own reflection is a stranger. Most importantly, it teaches us to accept who we are, and not to judge others for how they see themselves.
drlisak's review
5.0
I love any story that brings me into an unfamiliar world and makes me stay there. I love any story that makes me truly care about the characters even when they have flaws, because all humans do. I love a story that makes me want to keep reading because I don't have any clue what will happen, since there are so many possibilities. This book does that and more. Through the voice of Peyton Honeycott, born a girl but discovering himself as a boy, we go through more than just a coming-of-age story, but begin to understand the complexities of living in a world where nothing can be dictated by societal norms, whatever "normal" may be. I highly recommend this, as an entertaining and thoughtful read.
mattyjax's review
emotional
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? No
5.0
Realistic transgender first person narrative
amberunmasked's review
5.0
It is a rare occurrence for me to pick up a book and not want to put it down. I was never that way with any of the Harry Potters or even my favorite mysteries. I tend to find a comfort zone of reading 20-35 pages in a sitting and don't read every day. But those precious times when a book flows so incredibly well from chapter to chapter, I've managed to read a whole novel in only a couple of days. This was the experience I had reading my friend Jennie Wood's first YA novel, A BOY LIKE ME.
If you're interested in the writing process, Jennie has been on my podcast, Vodka O'Clock, to talk about what it was like for her to create the book. We explored as much as possible from the cover design to how delicately she handled the story of a transgendered protagonist when she herself isn't.
A BOY LIKE ME comes in around 300 pages and covers the teen years of Katharine "Peyton" Honeycutt. Throughout most of the novel, Peyton is unaware of his gender identity and struggles every day feeling like there's something wrong with his female body. The book boldly starts off with an 8th grade girl getting her first period at school while wearing a dress and fancy shoes her mother insisted on. She meets a new girl at school, Tara Parks, who convinces her to swap outfits for the day. Tara's body confidence and go-getter personality were as foreign to Katharine as her own female body felt. This is where the young romance story begins. It's Tara who gives Katharine the new name Peyton and I actually don't think there's ever an instance where Tara needs to choose either "he" or "she"; I'm pretty sure I only remember Tara saying "Peyton," "you," "we" or "us."
The reason Peyton's life is relatable as a character even for a reader who is cisgendered, is that so many people of any gender go through times hating their bodies and feeling that deep desire to be someone else. There's a seed in our guts that gets planted somewhere along the way as we grow up that germinates into a hologram making us believe we would only be happy if... if we could have that other person's life. It's not a trans-exclusive struggle but their inability to disguise their misidentified bodies is uniquely theirs and something cis- people should learn about to gain a bit of understanding.
Jennie puts Peyton through a series of obstacles as the character moves through high school. He's athletic but gets placed on the girls' teams. He changes for gym class in a stall instead of the locker area where all the girls are comfortable in front of each other. He moves through this life with a religiously misguided and oppressive mother who lays all excuses for her failures on Peyton's father leaving them. Luckily, readers get the reprieve on their hearts every time Peyton's fantastic Uncle RB is around; he is the best father figure possible and completely supportive without prying about what Peyton is going through. It's sort of a situation where certain people know Peyton is a male identity long before he does. The emotional roller coaster had me crying plenty of times. The love from Uncle RB was one thing but Peyton's relationship with Tara was constantly a battle until Peyton found his real self. The very real misconception many of the characters have towards Peyton is that "she's" a lesbian even though the word makes no sense to him since he feels like a boy in love with a girl. Even though Uncle RB is awesome about the whole thing, there are townsfolk and classmates who make it their mission to torment Tara and Peyton for being freaks and dykes.
What I liked about the writing style is that this is a story about regular people in a small town and Jennie Wood makes everyday moments into full chapters. It's a way of writing I'm not used to anymore. I think it's because so much of my reading material is unrealistic: funny murder mysteries, gruesome action-packed adventures, or characters with special powers. Sure, you can take super-powered characters and craft a very human story (as is prominently done in things like X-MEN) but it's never one hundred percent relatable. Spider-Man's Peter Parker might be considered one of the most "everyday" characters in comics, yet, he's a science genius in one of the largest cities in America. I can't relate to Peter Parker all that much. A scene of Spider-Man is not going to be like a scene from my life but a scene in A BOY LIKE ME easily can be. We have dive bars where bands play and that's pretty much the only thing to do if you aren't at a high school sports event. I haven't wanted to watch that since I was in the high school marching band so, no thanks, I'll stay home on Friday night. Otherwise, it's boring small town life with a movie theatre several miles away and shopping malls.
If you are willing to take on the emotions, I can't recommend A BOY LIKE ME highly enough. I read it in 2 days. I found myself wanting to finish whatever I was working on so I could get back to it as quickly as possible. Hopefully, anyone who reads my reviews understands that the Young Adult label is not a restriction on who would enjoy the book. It's more like a guide letting you know the main characters are young and that it's likely not appropriate for an 10 year old or younger. You should like what you like and don't let any loud mouth columnists make you feel bad for enjoying a YA book.
If you're interested in the writing process, Jennie has been on my podcast, Vodka O'Clock, to talk about what it was like for her to create the book. We explored as much as possible from the cover design to how delicately she handled the story of a transgendered protagonist when she herself isn't.
A BOY LIKE ME comes in around 300 pages and covers the teen years of Katharine "Peyton" Honeycutt. Throughout most of the novel, Peyton is unaware of his gender identity and struggles every day feeling like there's something wrong with his female body. The book boldly starts off with an 8th grade girl getting her first period at school while wearing a dress and fancy shoes her mother insisted on. She meets a new girl at school, Tara Parks, who convinces her to swap outfits for the day. Tara's body confidence and go-getter personality were as foreign to Katharine as her own female body felt. This is where the young romance story begins. It's Tara who gives Katharine the new name Peyton and I actually don't think there's ever an instance where Tara needs to choose either "he" or "she"; I'm pretty sure I only remember Tara saying "Peyton," "you," "we" or "us."
The reason Peyton's life is relatable as a character even for a reader who is cisgendered, is that so many people of any gender go through times hating their bodies and feeling that deep desire to be someone else. There's a seed in our guts that gets planted somewhere along the way as we grow up that germinates into a hologram making us believe we would only be happy if... if we could have that other person's life. It's not a trans-exclusive struggle but their inability to disguise their misidentified bodies is uniquely theirs and something cis- people should learn about to gain a bit of understanding.
Jennie puts Peyton through a series of obstacles as the character moves through high school. He's athletic but gets placed on the girls' teams. He changes for gym class in a stall instead of the locker area where all the girls are comfortable in front of each other. He moves through this life with a religiously misguided and oppressive mother who lays all excuses for her failures on Peyton's father leaving them. Luckily, readers get the reprieve on their hearts every time Peyton's fantastic Uncle RB is around; he is the best father figure possible and completely supportive without prying about what Peyton is going through. It's sort of a situation where certain people know Peyton is a male identity long before he does. The emotional roller coaster had me crying plenty of times. The love from Uncle RB was one thing but Peyton's relationship with Tara was constantly a battle until Peyton found his real self. The very real misconception many of the characters have towards Peyton is that "she's" a lesbian even though the word makes no sense to him since he feels like a boy in love with a girl. Even though Uncle RB is awesome about the whole thing, there are townsfolk and classmates who make it their mission to torment Tara and Peyton for being freaks and dykes.
What I liked about the writing style is that this is a story about regular people in a small town and Jennie Wood makes everyday moments into full chapters. It's a way of writing I'm not used to anymore. I think it's because so much of my reading material is unrealistic: funny murder mysteries, gruesome action-packed adventures, or characters with special powers. Sure, you can take super-powered characters and craft a very human story (as is prominently done in things like X-MEN) but it's never one hundred percent relatable. Spider-Man's Peter Parker might be considered one of the most "everyday" characters in comics, yet, he's a science genius in one of the largest cities in America. I can't relate to Peter Parker all that much. A scene of Spider-Man is not going to be like a scene from my life but a scene in A BOY LIKE ME easily can be. We have dive bars where bands play and that's pretty much the only thing to do if you aren't at a high school sports event. I haven't wanted to watch that since I was in the high school marching band so, no thanks, I'll stay home on Friday night. Otherwise, it's boring small town life with a movie theatre several miles away and shopping malls.
If you are willing to take on the emotions, I can't recommend A BOY LIKE ME highly enough. I read it in 2 days. I found myself wanting to finish whatever I was working on so I could get back to it as quickly as possible. Hopefully, anyone who reads my reviews understands that the Young Adult label is not a restriction on who would enjoy the book. It's more like a guide letting you know the main characters are young and that it's likely not appropriate for an 10 year old or younger. You should like what you like and don't let any loud mouth columnists make you feel bad for enjoying a YA book.
teagan105's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-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
4.0
this was a quick little read that i enjoyed. i liked how it went through the years and just thought it was cute
smc15's review
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.75
prettydemonboy's review
4.0
I was a little wary starting this book just because the writing seemed a little younger than I usually read, and the pacing was extremely fast. However, by the end I was pleasantly surprised because, well, Peyton ends up in a good place, with the girl he loves. That being said, I think this book could have spent a little more time on the main plot points. It all seems to happen so fast and before I knew it Peyton and Tara went from eighth graders to eighteen year olds, and that's not a small jump. I'm not sure how many other novels Wood has written but it might be that her experience with comics has led to this fast storytelling.
Despite a few minor things like that, I really enjoyed this book and I'm really happy that it exists because it gives other trans guys like me a feeling of hope.
Spoiler
Even through all the self-loathing he experiences, and all the doubts and insecurities that lead to him sabotaging his relationship with Tara, they end up together and that just makes me really happy. Literature, especially young adult literature, needs more narratives about LGBT+ Youth that end happily.Despite a few minor things like that, I really enjoyed this book and I'm really happy that it exists because it gives other trans guys like me a feeling of hope.
foreveryoungadult's review
Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Gimme a Head With Hair...
Drinking Buddy: One of the Guys
Testosterone Level: Impotent Rage
Talky Talk: The Ugly Truth
Bonus Factors: Awesome Uncle
Bromance Status: The Bud Who Outgrew Me
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Gimme a Head With Hair...
Drinking Buddy: One of the Guys
Testosterone Level: Impotent Rage
Talky Talk: The Ugly Truth
Bonus Factors: Awesome Uncle
Bromance Status: The Bud Who Outgrew Me
Read the full book report here.
leniiiii's review
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. Not many people are able to write a story and explain how it feels to be trans. But Jennie wood could do it in an amazing way. She didn’t only show how it feels to be trans, but also how difficult friendships can be as a teenager and how bad the situation can be for LGBT youth. And still, there is always a Solution and that’s what i liked most about this story.
apandor99's review
4.0
This was such a great book. It felt like a personal story rather than a textbook about what transgender is. I loved the romance as it has soulmates tropes it’s so nice. And also his friends trying to be educated was so sweet. I also loved how he had a support system and touched on the struggles people who havnt figured out who they are go through. I loved all of it