Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez

13 reviews

stacy837's review

challenging hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Bullying

Moderate: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Cursing

Minor: Alcohol and Religious bigotry

elliizzzabeth's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.5

I'm not someone who is into politics (especially American politics) but for some reason this book drew me to it and I was not disappointed! Despite it being about a political campaign it didn't make the narrative boring and all of the characters made it interesting. It was what Ryan Murphy's 'The Politician' wanted to be. 
Benji was definitely the stand out, especially in the audiobook where you get to hear his southern twang. It was also a very authentic look at the trans experience and made it a part of the plot without making it tragic or too sensationalised. Also the relationship was predictable but very cute. 
I did have a few issues, mostly that there seemed to be some weird vendetta against the GSA, constantly saying it was 'only full of straight people' but never went to the GSA so how does he know? He says there are hardly any out gay people in the school but how do you know they are not only out to the GSA? I'm not American so maybe that's just a stereotype about them but it seemed a bit sort of gatekeep-y like saying they were the 'real queers'. Also annoyed that

jenny gets mad at Mark for not reading her mind? Like don't tell someone you want to give in and then get mad that they let you

But overall it was a very good read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Alcohol, Bullying, Deadnaming, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Hate crime, Grief, Racism, and Acephobia/Arophobia

Minor: Terminal illness and Dysphoria

imstephtacular's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Violence, Classism, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Grief, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Drug use, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Outing, Racism, Sexual content, Abandonment, and Blood

ritareadstrash's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, and Transphobia

Moderate: Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry

criticalbooks's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Misogyny, Bullying, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Violence, Deadnaming, and Dysphoria

alwaysshure's review

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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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Violence

alyshkalia's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Deadnaming, Bullying, Violence, and Homophobia

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Grief, Death of parent, and Blood

There is a LOT of deadnaming and transphobia from Mark's father.

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

dogbuttsandbooks's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Moderate: Bullying and Death of parent

Minor: Violence and Antisemitism