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lbarsk's review against another edition
4.0
So I actually thought this was a fun read - really inclusive in terms of characters with various marginalized identities, and it depicted Quidditch in such a way that I lowkey want to try it now? Plus the "Cinderella retold" aspect of it was cute. And the COOLEST little sister character, omg stan Yasmin.
What's tough for me is actually me giving this the "queer" label on my own shelves, which I've done because SO many of the secondary characters are queer. In fact, it seems like MOST of the characters in this book are queer in some way, WHICH OF COURSE I AM ALL HERE FOR, but the MC herself does not come out as queer on the pages of the book, and it's therefore not an explicitly queer romance. (Though I did read Nico as trans? Was I supposed to? Who knows.) Obviously not every book in my "queer" tag is an "explicitly queer romance" but like... ARGH! IDK! The MC multiple times is like, "wo I'm thinking about my gender... having gender thoughts... hmm GENDER... huh, gender" which I am glad to see - I appreciate discussions of working through queer and gender identities when they're done respectfully. But it was REALLY frustrating that such questioning actually did seem to be a throughline of Ellen's journey in this book, SO MUCH SO THAT IT'S LITERALLY A THROWAWAY LINE IN THE EPILOGUE, where Xiumiao is like "well if you're not gonna come out to your dad as gender questioning I'm not gonna come out to my parents as lesbian yet" and Ellen is like, "okay fair," AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A HUGE DETAIL FOR A THROWAWAY LINE?
In some sense I'd like a sequel where Meriano actually follows through on ~*~the gender of it all. Like, gosh, in a book that was so purposefully inclusive and about social justice and figuring yourself out, this Gender Sidelined Plot Situation kind of stung.
OTHERWISE THOUGH honestly would recommend for a fun, coming-of-age YA. Go Quidditch!
(Also if you're wondering the book is anti-TERF and anti-JKR.)
What's tough for me is actually me giving this the "queer" label on my own shelves, which I've done because SO many of the secondary characters are queer. In fact, it seems like MOST of the characters in this book are queer in some way, WHICH OF COURSE I AM ALL HERE FOR, but the MC herself does not come out as queer on the pages of the book, and it's therefore not an explicitly queer romance. (Though I did read Nico as trans? Was I supposed to? Who knows.) Obviously not every book in my "queer" tag is an "explicitly queer romance" but like... ARGH! IDK! The MC multiple times is like, "wo I'm thinking about my gender... having gender thoughts... hmm GENDER... huh, gender" which I am glad to see - I appreciate discussions of working through queer and gender identities when they're done respectfully. But it was REALLY frustrating that such questioning actually did seem to be a throughline of Ellen's journey in this book, SO MUCH SO THAT IT'S LITERALLY A THROWAWAY LINE IN THE EPILOGUE, where Xiumiao is like "well if you're not gonna come out to your dad as gender questioning I'm not gonna come out to my parents as lesbian yet" and Ellen is like, "okay fair," AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A HUGE DETAIL FOR A THROWAWAY LINE?
In some sense I'd like a sequel where Meriano actually follows through on ~*~the gender of it all. Like, gosh, in a book that was so purposefully inclusive and about social justice and figuring yourself out, this Gender Sidelined Plot Situation kind of stung.
OTHERWISE THOUGH honestly would recommend for a fun, coming-of-age YA. Go Quidditch!
(Also if you're wondering the book is anti-TERF and anti-JKR.)
chaosandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
An ode to people who love quidditch, this book hits all the right spots on friendships once high school ends and the anxiety that comes with separating from what is known and going into the unknown.
I haven't read a lot of sports novels, but I really liked this one for its uniqueness. The female main character isn't very athletic and is more interested in fandom and social justice. While this isn't a new concept, it is nice to see a book about athletics not focus on the competitiveness of the game and instead the community it brings among teammates.
Going back to social justice, the author manages to hit a variety of topics. Sometimes to the point it felt like she had a checklist, but I related to the main character's identity struggles the most. I thought they were very similar to my own growing up and appreciated that representation. She also makes mention of JKR, but always in a critical way of the damage done by the author's harmful views and separating the art from the artist. This is something I was worried wasn't going to be included when I picked up the book, but was glad to see tackled.
An overall light and fun read for people who love quidditch.
I haven't read a lot of sports novels, but I really liked this one for its uniqueness. The female main character isn't very athletic and is more interested in fandom and social justice. While this isn't a new concept, it is nice to see a book about athletics not focus on the competitiveness of the game and instead the community it brings among teammates.
Going back to social justice, the author manages to hit a variety of topics. Sometimes to the point it felt like she had a checklist, but I related to the main character's identity struggles the most. I thought they were very similar to my own growing up and appreciated that representation. She also makes mention of JKR, but always in a critical way of the damage done by the author's harmful views and separating the art from the artist. This is something I was worried wasn't going to be included when I picked up the book, but was glad to see tackled.
An overall light and fun read for people who love quidditch.
mvp815's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
3.5
maryamthehobbit's review
fast-paced
4.75
While not the focus of the book I really appreciated the character’s identity struggles, I resonated with them personally myself. It also made the character feel so much better rounded. Sometimes authors just give a character one focus point (like maybe they just have family issues) but this book did a much better job of showing the many directions a young adult can be pulled in from family, to transitioning to an adult, to cultural, gender, and sexuality concerns.
adrzeck's review against another edition
3.0
About HP, but not.
Everyone is quite aware of JKR's post HP comments. Focus on characters as they move onto college. That transition from HS friends to something else. Finding your place in the world. Diverse cast
Everyone is quite aware of JKR's post HP comments. Focus on characters as they move onto college. That transition from HS friends to something else. Finding your place in the world. Diverse cast
pantsreads's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5
I love the idea of a book about IRL Quidditch, but I struggled with disliking pretty much every character in this book—even the ones we were supposed to be rooting for.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
I love the idea of a book about IRL Quidditch, but I struggled with disliking pretty much every character in this book—even the ones we were supposed to be rooting for.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
jaydoesitup's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this book was a great break from the norm. I was really excited to see a book about quidditch, and all things nerdy. I definitely felt that at points this book was trying a little too hard, and the plot was a little stilted. But! I enjoyed it all the same.
I feel it made some great points and had some really fun moments. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who doesn’t fit in.
I feel it made some great points and had some really fun moments. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who doesn’t fit in.
katyrochelle's review against another edition
4.0
* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
From the beginning of "This Is How We Fly," Anna Meriano captures the struggles and joys of being a young woman trying to become an adult or at least “adult” more. Ellen is only seventeen, but she has the weight of the world on her shoulders as a vegan, feminist, and trying to balance that in-between age of being a teenager and a pre-college student. Her parents want her to be "normal", but like most teenagers, Ellen doesn't know that her interests and beliefs are anything but. Who she is sets the stage of who she will become. With different parts of her life taking off in various directions, only experience and time will help her along to fit all of the pieces together. As her life at home closes in around her, and the post-high school world of possibilities might be too big to venture with, Ellen’s journey is relatable as she takes chances, makes mistakes, and remains someone to root for.
The strong centerpiece of the book that tethers Ellen with the supporting characters and their conflicts is Quidditch. Fans within the Harry Potter community strive to make the fandom as welcoming as possible, and the use of Quidditch as a network of characters who help Ellen understand her gender, sexuality, and inner strength is satisfying as a fellow Harry Potter fan. As a general reader though, you don’t need to have followed Harry Potter to understand how the game is described. This makes the book accessible to fans and non-fans alike. The game is a jumping point to Ellen’s personal growth, and also offers a deeper sense of other characters such as her best friend Melissa, stepmom, step-sister, and a few possible love interests.
As endearing as Ellen and her journey of self-discovery is, where the book could’ve improved upon more was the exploration of Ellen’s identity. It was wonderful to see the diversity of characters, especially with the book led by a vegan feminist and second-generation Mexican American. And the range of her friends offer more diversity as well, so the book highlights a group of young adults who are finding their identities. However, it felt like some of these details could've been better cultivated into the actual story instead of coming across as 'statements.' This is somewhat in contrast to how seamless and descriptive Ellen’s voice is as she paints a picture of her self-doubts, participating in Quidditch, and feeling ostracized by her parents. Otherwise, Ellen is still a refreshing central character who can easily become a fan favorite for general readers and leave a lasting impression for Harry Potter fans.
“This Is How We Fly” is a charming coming-of-age tale that explores the traditional growing pains of life after high school. As the story unfolds around Ellen, it’s easy to get wrapped up in her world and finish the book feeling victorious like you caught the Golden Snitch.
From the beginning of "This Is How We Fly," Anna Meriano captures the struggles and joys of being a young woman trying to become an adult or at least “adult” more. Ellen is only seventeen, but she has the weight of the world on her shoulders as a vegan, feminist, and trying to balance that in-between age of being a teenager and a pre-college student. Her parents want her to be "normal", but like most teenagers, Ellen doesn't know that her interests and beliefs are anything but. Who she is sets the stage of who she will become. With different parts of her life taking off in various directions, only experience and time will help her along to fit all of the pieces together. As her life at home closes in around her, and the post-high school world of possibilities might be too big to venture with, Ellen’s journey is relatable as she takes chances, makes mistakes, and remains someone to root for.
The strong centerpiece of the book that tethers Ellen with the supporting characters and their conflicts is Quidditch. Fans within the Harry Potter community strive to make the fandom as welcoming as possible, and the use of Quidditch as a network of characters who help Ellen understand her gender, sexuality, and inner strength is satisfying as a fellow Harry Potter fan. As a general reader though, you don’t need to have followed Harry Potter to understand how the game is described. This makes the book accessible to fans and non-fans alike. The game is a jumping point to Ellen’s personal growth, and also offers a deeper sense of other characters such as her best friend Melissa, stepmom, step-sister, and a few possible love interests.
As endearing as Ellen and her journey of self-discovery is, where the book could’ve improved upon more was the exploration of Ellen’s identity. It was wonderful to see the diversity of characters, especially with the book led by a vegan feminist and second-generation Mexican American. And the range of her friends offer more diversity as well, so the book highlights a group of young adults who are finding their identities. However, it felt like some of these details could've been better cultivated into the actual story instead of coming across as 'statements.' This is somewhat in contrast to how seamless and descriptive Ellen’s voice is as she paints a picture of her self-doubts, participating in Quidditch, and feeling ostracized by her parents. Otherwise, Ellen is still a refreshing central character who can easily become a fan favorite for general readers and leave a lasting impression for Harry Potter fans.
“This Is How We Fly” is a charming coming-of-age tale that explores the traditional growing pains of life after high school. As the story unfolds around Ellen, it’s easy to get wrapped up in her world and finish the book feeling victorious like you caught the Golden Snitch.
lesbrary's review against another edition
4.0
If you still have complicated nostalgic feelings for Harry Potter, but you also want to read a book that says "Fuck TERFs" (literally--that's a direct quote), This is How You Fly is for you.
This is a story that's a little bit messy, which I loved. It deals with a lot. The dynamic between her and her family is complicated and feels realistic. Ellen is also a main character I don't see very much: she's a feminist teenager who is passionate about social justice. She is vegan and tries to call out people for casual sexism, racism, homophobia, ableism, etc, even if it's her friends or family. Usually those characters are dismissed as annoying or a joke, but I (unsurprisingly) felt very sympathetic for Ellen.
Although this book doesn't have a sapphic main character, there are multiple sapphic side characters, including one that is a major subplot. I'm going back and forth on whether naming it is a spoiler, because clearly the book means it to be a surprise, but a) identity is not a spoiler and b) I definitely saw it coming several hundred pages in advance. Suffice to say that there is significant F/F content, though not with the main character. Ellen is also questioning her gender and continues to do so by the end of the book. As for Ellen, I appreciated that her romances are also messy and complicated. It shows that you can be attracted to people you don't necessarily like, and it allows Ellen to explore her feelings and attractions.
I had a great time reading this book. Multiple times, I found myself staying up hours later than I meant to because I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this for former or conflicted current Harry Potter fans who denounce JK Rowling's transphobia or for anyone who is or was a loud-mouthed teenage feminists (I mean that as a sincere compliment).
My full review is at the Lesbrary.
This is a story that's a little bit messy, which I loved. It deals with a lot. The dynamic between her and her family is complicated and feels realistic. Ellen is also a main character I don't see very much: she's a feminist teenager who is passionate about social justice. She is vegan and tries to call out people for casual sexism, racism, homophobia, ableism, etc, even if it's her friends or family. Usually those characters are dismissed as annoying or a joke, but I (unsurprisingly) felt very sympathetic for Ellen.
Although this book doesn't have a sapphic main character, there are multiple sapphic side characters, including one that is a major subplot. I'm going back and forth on whether naming it is a spoiler, because clearly the book means it to be a surprise, but a) identity is not a spoiler and b) I definitely saw it coming several hundred pages in advance. Suffice to say that there is significant F/F content, though not with the main character. Ellen is also questioning her gender and continues to do so by the end of the book. As for Ellen, I appreciated that her romances are also messy and complicated. It shows that you can be attracted to people you don't necessarily like, and it allows Ellen to explore her feelings and attractions.
I had a great time reading this book. Multiple times, I found myself staying up hours later than I meant to because I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this for former or conflicted current Harry Potter fans who denounce JK Rowling's transphobia or for anyone who is or was a loud-mouthed teenage feminists (I mean that as a sincere compliment).
My full review is at the Lesbrary.
sophieroseobooks's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars mostly because I enjoyed the last part of the book. Most of the story was just moaning and angst and it got frustrating.