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sara11_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Ben has a lot of issues to deal with - being non-binary, having to come out to people, extreme anxiety, living with a sister he hasn't seen in 10 years, a new school and friends. I thought it was all handled really well. I didn't quite buy the romance between Nathan and Ben. I can see why Ben likes Nathan - he's great, but I'm not sure what Nathan gets from Ben. I feel with everything else Ben is dealing with, he frequently neglects his new friends, including Nathan.
okayymarianna's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? No
3.0
vivithefrog's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
caitvienthusiast's review against another edition
3.0
feel slightly biased because i saw the author on an alice oseman video call once and they seemed lovely but was not my favourite read but it might’ve just been because i listened to the audiobook and didn’t read it
ihateprozac's review against another edition
5.0
SO INCREDIBLE AAAAAAAAA. Genuinely furious at myself for not getting to this beautiful enby contemporary sooner ;____;
caitlinxx05's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.75
ceceewing_'s review against another edition
5.0
I am finally going to be able to read Mason’s book. CAN YOU BELIEVE??!
Update after reading - December 3rd, 2018
*4.5/5
This book has not been undersold in the least. It is heartfelt, loving, difficult, and wonderful in every way. Becky’s blurb isn’t lying - it is indeed quietly groundbreaking and will, without a doubt, save lives. Prepare yourselves for an incredible, beautiful debut in 2019, friends.
Update after reading - December 3rd, 2018
*4.5/5
This book has not been undersold in the least. It is heartfelt, loving, difficult, and wonderful in every way. Becky’s blurb isn’t lying - it is indeed quietly groundbreaking and will, without a doubt, save lives. Prepare yourselves for an incredible, beautiful debut in 2019, friends.
indiekay's review against another edition
4.0
The way I've seen other people talk about this book, I had such high hopes that it would be a new absolute favourite for me. Unfortunately, it didn't really hit that mark for me - it's still good! I still enjoyed it and see a lot of value in it and am glad it exists! But it didn't hit that that spot in me that had me crying or wishing it existed when I was younger the way my favourite YA books do (like Felix Ever After, Ander & Santi Were Here hit me).
And why is that? I really liked having non-binary representation, and I liked that Ben hit on some feelings of gender dysphoria, because you see that talked about more in trans stories and not as much in nonbinary stories - and nonbinary people can have some very conflicting, difficult feelings about gender. And I also loved the representation of anxiety and depression, and Ben going to therapy and taking medication. That was super important.
But I guess what I struggled with with this book is that Ben only ever has a chance to TOUCH on their nonbinary story, and there's not a lot of gender exploration happening in the book other than 1 scene where they get to try out nail polish for the first time. Ben doesn't have the cash to buy new clothes to try some stuff out. One of the main conflicts of the book is about Ben wanting to come out to their crush, and that only happens in like the second last chapter of the book! And then come out to their friends off-page in the epilogue. But I would have loved to have seen Ben do some gender exploration by, I dunno, changing up their hair style - maybe their sister braiding their hair for them or something - or maybe doing some self portrait artwork or doing gender exploration through their art.
And, okay, not all books about non-binary and trans people have to be ABOUT being nonbinary and trans! Yes, absolutely. But what does this book have going for it other than Ben's struggle with coming out? It's got a pretty big romance plot - but I am sooooo not a fan of romance books where the characters only actually get together in the very last chapter of a book. Like I have to wait for SO LONG for the characters to say they like each other and then they kiss and the book ends, full stop? UGH. PLEASE give me some time with the characters so I can see what their new relationship is like! I waited the eeeeentire book for Ben to tell Nathan that they're nonbinary and that they like him, and it happens and then curtains close, that's the end! (though AT LEAST there was an epilogue to tie all the lose ends together! If there hadn't been an epilogue I probably would have been so disappointed- like we also only actually find out Nathan's sexuality in the epilogue?? Surely we could have had that happen in the actual story!).
Ben's relationship with their parents and sister were a big element of the story, too - but after the art show, Ben's parents are basically never mentioned again? They aren't an ongoing conflict, they just kind of fade off into the background. And Ben's relationship with their sister is something I really enjoyed about the book too, but that after the two of them hash things out in front of the therapist Ben's sister hardly even makes an appearance in the book anymore.
Like, do you get what I mean? I didn't dislike this book, I'm glad it exists and I'm happy it's really important to a lot of people. But for me personally I just wish it had a little MORE to it. It was just missing that bit of spark for me personally.
(And hell, maybe if I'd read this like 2 years so before I'd read so much other trans and nonbinary books that have really spoiled me for choice, maybe I would have loved it a lot more! But this ebook and audiobook were only available for US markets for the longest friggen time and only became accessible to me this month (and this is the ONLY book of Mason Deaver's that has gotten a worldwide release, I still can't get my hands on their other stuff), so it wasn't accessible to me unless I pirated it, so like. It's not MY fault I could only read this now. But that's a little rant that's off topic of that actual plot of the book.)
And why is that? I really liked having non-binary representation, and I liked that Ben hit on some feelings of gender dysphoria, because you see that talked about more in trans stories and not as much in nonbinary stories - and nonbinary people can have some very conflicting, difficult feelings about gender. And I also loved the representation of anxiety and depression, and Ben going to therapy and taking medication. That was super important.
But I guess what I struggled with with this book is that Ben only ever has a chance to TOUCH on their nonbinary story, and there's not a lot of gender exploration happening in the book other than 1 scene where they get to try out nail polish for the first time. Ben doesn't have the cash to buy new clothes to try some stuff out. One of the main conflicts of the book is about Ben wanting to come out to their crush, and that only happens in like the second last chapter of the book! And then come out to their friends off-page in the epilogue. But I would have loved to have seen Ben do some gender exploration by, I dunno, changing up their hair style - maybe their sister braiding their hair for them or something - or maybe doing some self portrait artwork or doing gender exploration through their art.
And, okay, not all books about non-binary and trans people have to be ABOUT being nonbinary and trans! Yes, absolutely. But what does this book have going for it other than Ben's struggle with coming out? It's got a pretty big romance plot - but I am sooooo not a fan of romance books where the characters only actually get together in the very last chapter of a book. Like I have to wait for SO LONG for the characters to say they like each other and then they kiss and the book ends, full stop? UGH. PLEASE give me some time with the characters so I can see what their new relationship is like! I waited the eeeeentire book for Ben to tell Nathan that they're nonbinary and that they like him, and it happens and then curtains close, that's the end! (though AT LEAST there was an epilogue to tie all the lose ends together! If there hadn't been an epilogue I probably would have been so disappointed- like we also only actually find out Nathan's sexuality in the epilogue?? Surely we could have had that happen in the actual story!).
Ben's relationship with their parents and sister were a big element of the story, too - but after the art show, Ben's parents are basically never mentioned again? They aren't an ongoing conflict, they just kind of fade off into the background. And Ben's relationship with their sister is something I really enjoyed about the book too, but that after the two of them hash things out in front of the therapist Ben's sister hardly even makes an appearance in the book anymore.
Like, do you get what I mean? I didn't dislike this book, I'm glad it exists and I'm happy it's really important to a lot of people. But for me personally I just wish it had a little MORE to it. It was just missing that bit of spark for me personally.
(And hell, maybe if I'd read this like 2 years so before I'd read so much other trans and nonbinary books that have really spoiled me for choice, maybe I would have loved it a lot more! But this ebook and audiobook were only available for US markets for the longest friggen time and only became accessible to me this month (and this is the ONLY book of Mason Deaver's that has gotten a worldwide release, I still can't get my hands on their other stuff), so it wasn't accessible to me unless I pirated it, so like. It's not MY fault I could only read this now. But that's a little rant that's off topic of that actual plot of the book.)
krichardson's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not quite sure what fell flat here for me but something definitely did. I couldn't really get into the romance and most of the characters didn't really have personalities either. Some great stuff here too for sure but something just didn't click for me. I enjoyed the development of Ben and Hannah's relationship best and wish more time was spent on that.