A review by readabookorfive
Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

4.0

trigger warning; transphobia, homophobia, suicidal thoughts, toxic parent, public outing, pressure to come out and violent transphobic attack

the world needs you. Stay gold when it’s hard. When it’s lonely. When it’s scary

This novel was just incredible.

I did have a massive issue with it though which was the fact characters told Pony, our main character, that he was lying because he didn’t tell them he was trans and another character told him he needed to publicly come out and I hated it. I’m sick of people telling others they’re lying because they don’t come out as trans/non binary straight away like no fuck you. Idc who you are, you never pressure someone to come out, they will do it when they are ready.

Apart from that, I thought this novel was so important and so emotional. I loved Pony so much as a main character and I cried for him multiple tones bc he deserved so much better than he was getting.

I also liked Georgia a lot. I had issues with how she treated Pony at some points in the book but she stood up in the end and I hope her and Pony move to New York and be happy together.

I think this is going to be so important for so many people and I hope it reaches them.

Also the ending made me absolutely SOB.