Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez

2 reviews

longlost's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"Sure," he scoffs. "What are you going to do about it?"
I don't know. I barely know why I said it. I meant it as a schoolyard jibe. I didn't expect to have to back it up. But if there's anything I've learned about masculinity, it's that you have to show bravado even when you've got nothing to back it up.
So I smile at him. Bare my teeth. And say, "I'm going to stop you, Henry. I'm going to make sure you lose the election." 

Another book where it's clear the author has so much affection for the characters he's created. Jasper Sanchez tells this story with so much power to the queer kids it's about, and as someone who was a closeted queer kid it just. It hits hard. 

The book dealt with some heavy topics; the scenes involving Mark and his father's transphobia were hard to read, but they helped show who Mark was and what drove him to fight for a better school. The unwavering support from his mother helped cushion against the pain of Mark's unaccepting father, and the scene where

Mark rejects the deal he made with his father and comes out to his friends was an emotional one.

Sanchez states in the Acknowledgements that he "wrote the story [he] needed when [he] was fourteen" - and it shows. Despite its trials, the book and its characters encourage so much hope. The final scenes with

Mark and Ralph repairing their relationship, and Mark's altering of the student presidential oath to be for the students

- they were so inspiring and it felt like that hope for change was in reach. 

While I don't have much more to say about it, this book is definitely worth the read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Drug use

Minor: Cancer

GRAPHIC: Deadnaming: Mark's father repeatedly deadnames him. Emotional abuse / child abuse / domestic abuse: The way Mark's father treats him definitely qualifies as abuse. Homophobia / bullying / hate crime: The book's inciting incident is a fight that takes place between one of Mark's friends and a group of bullies that results in the friend's suspension because he fought back against homophobic taunts. Violence: Regarding the fight at the start of the book, and

the fight Mark and Henry have in the school bathrooms.

MODERATE: Death of parent:

Ralph reveals that his father died of cancer prior to the book.

Drug use: During his first campaign tour, Mark smokes weed with some fellow students. Grief:

Ralph is grieving heavily for the death of his father.

MINOR: Cancer:

Ralph's father died of cancer prior to the book.

maple_dove's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring tense 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

4.0

I admit, it was hard to get through this book (personal issues likely affected this), but this book was so informative.  Please read this book sometime.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Bullying, and Islamophobia

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent