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A review by valereads
Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"The weeks stretch out in front of me, slow and hot, the finish line shimmering like a mirage. I don't know who I'll be when I cross over."
This heart-breaking and beautiful middle grade novel follows 11 year old Bug as they prepare to start middle school, grieve for their beloved uncle, and try to figure out who they are.
This story explores grief in a heartfelt and honest way. Specifically the grief for a death that was not sudden but expected and no less heart-breaking for it. It begins shortly after the death of Bug's uncle who was a parental figure in their life. We see how Bug deals with, and doesn't deal with their grief, throughout the beginning of the book.
It discusses feeling like you don't fit in and aren't able to be a proper "girl" in a way that seems to come easily to most of your peers - a feeling that was very familiar to me as a transgender man. It also features a trans character who didn't always know which is a common narrative that doesn't apply to many of us. Bug doesn't always know but when they figure out who they are everything else makes sense in hindsight.
Overall I felt this was an honest and heartful look at both grief and transgender identity that felt true to life and was beautifully written. I'd highly recommend it to children and adults alike.
Content warnings: grief, death, terminal illness, mentions of bullying, unintentional misgendering
"The weeks stretch out in front of me, slow and hot, the finish line shimmering like a mirage. I don't know who I'll be when I cross over."
This heart-breaking and beautiful middle grade novel follows 11 year old Bug as they prepare to start middle school, grieve for their beloved uncle, and try to figure out who they are.
This story explores grief in a heartfelt and honest way. Specifically the grief for a death that was not sudden but expected and no less heart-breaking for it. It begins shortly after the death of Bug's uncle who was a parental figure in their life. We see how Bug deals with, and doesn't deal with their grief, throughout the beginning of the book.
It discusses feeling like you don't fit in and aren't able to be a proper "girl" in a way that seems to come easily to most of your peers - a feeling that was very familiar to me as a transgender man. It also features a trans character who didn't always know which is a common narrative that doesn't apply to many of us. Bug doesn't always know but when they figure out who they are everything else makes sense in hindsight.
Overall I felt this was an honest and heartful look at both grief and transgender identity that felt true to life and was beautifully written. I'd highly recommend it to children and adults alike.
Content warnings: grief, death, terminal illness, mentions of bullying, unintentional misgendering
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, and Grief
Minor: Bullying, Death, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent