Reviews with content warning for Violence - The (Un)Popular Vote

There are massive CWs for The (Un)Popular Vote, and I greatly appreciated Jasper Sanchez including a note in the front of the book, cautioning readers. While we are all well versed in looking up TWs and CWs, with this being a YA I’m not sure teens take the time to do the same.

This book focuses on Mark Adams, a trans teen, who ends up running for class president, after witnessing a friend getting bullied, and eventually suspended for the fight, for being queer. However, part of the agreement which allows Mark the freedom to transition in peace, away from his congressman father, is to stay under the radar. Running for office is definitely the opposite of that, and obviously things go awry.

Honestly, a lot of the messaging I felt, while reading, was about virtue signaling. Which is pretty relevant to the current use of social media during this current world of WTFs.

Mark’s dad is a walking TW you’d love to punt to the sun. He is an ally in name only, and dead names Mark every single time they talk. None of the CWs for this book are ones for me, but I found myself needing to pause at times because, as a parent, I cannot fathom treating my child, like he treats Mark.

But it’s not all heavy, I promise! I could easily read a book on Ralph and Benji being themselves. There is amazing rep for multiple aspects of LGBTQIAP+.There’s a lot of great banter amongst characters, and lots of pop culture nuggets. I think my favorite easter egg is the scene mirroring The West Wing Two Cathedrals episode, which is a cinematic masterpiece. I highly recommend this book, and watching that episode.

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criticalbooks's review

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adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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alwaysshure's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring

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

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heytherekaity's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

I LOVED this book so much!

**Themes**

On its surface, this book is about politics and queer kids. And while those are definitely big themes in *The [Un]Popular Vote*, I think it's arguably even **more** about privilege and intersectionality, about having faith in and hope for humanity.

**Characters**

My favorite character was Pablo! This will surprise absolutely no one when I tell you that Pablo is extremely laid back, asexual, biromantic, and fat. I also really loved Mark! He felt like a real person, and even when I didn't like what he was doing, I always understood it. Ralph was also adorable, and Nadia and Rachel and Jenny and Benji were all fantastic!

**All the Feels**

I laughed, I cried, at one point I wanted to straight up **MURDER** a fictional character. Basically, I felt ***ALL*** of the feels when I was reading this book. I think the best way to sum up how I feel about *The [Un]Popular Vote* is this quote from Ted Lasso's Dr. Sharon, ***"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off."***

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alyshkalia's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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longlost's review

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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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dogbuttsandbooks's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring slow-paced

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

4.25

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