A review by loveana
May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor

3.0

i get that teenagers can be shit human beings but i didn't realise this was that kind of a book

TW: transphobia, homophobia, death of a loved one, bullying, ableism, slurs, sexual and physical assault

I'll level with you. I'm a pretty uncomplicated reader. I read for the simple pleasure of escapism from the morbid ordeal the world brings with every sunrise. Meaning that generally, I don't pick up something on the more serious note - not even for pride month.



I want those cute gays, those spicy lesbians, those feel-good stories where everything works out. That's what I want as a gay living in Russia ya feel me.

This was decidedly not that.

The characters were massively unlikable - BUT LIKE I GET WHY THAT WAS.

The book dealt with a whole heap of issues - WHICH ISN'T BAD.

It was at times very depressing - ONCE AGAIN LIKE I GET WHERE AND WHY.

This is a simple matter of my depressed pea brain not wanting to think too much.

On what I liked:

The rep was snazzy but I would definitely read more reviews from trans folk and judge for yourself. Reading this review made me reconsider what I thought was good autism rep https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4008352303

There were some cute moments.

I love ambitious characters and there were moments where I really liked everyone from the crew.

All in all, I see what the author was trying to do. I respect it. It's just something I should have picked up in a different mind space (and country).