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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Dysphoria
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Outing
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
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
I wanted to read at least one trans book during the trans rights read-a-thon. Going to try to fit a couple more in if I have time in the week, but if I only manage one within the actual week, I'm so happy I grabbed this one.
THIS BOOK! This cover, this growth arc, this story. Miles is a newly out trans boy fighting to not let his life fall apart in the aftermath. So on New Years, he sets two resolutions: that he'll get his boyfriend back, who broke up with him after he came out, and that he'll win the state piano competition. But as the year progresses, and with the help of his friends, a new piano teacher, and the new guy in school who sees Miles for who he is, and just might like him for all of it, Miles slowly starts to reassess how important those resolutions are, and who he truly wants to be.
This was so good!!!! I gobbled it up in a few hours (was not the intention, I had plans this afternoon, but we're here now). Miles' growth through the book is expectedly messy, considering he's a 16 year old kid, famously a complicated time to be figuring out who you are, and then adding on coming out to his family, friends, and everyone in his life. Eric and Stefania are undeniably the breakout stars of the book, I'm convinced if everyone had one of each in their lives, there would be no problems left in the world. I didn't LOVE the drama the author went with in terms of Miles' friends, and then even when it was happening, it felt like it was setting something up that never happened. But I'll take one subpar B-plot when everything else was stellar.
Note that there are instances of both past and present transphobia, homophobia, queerphobia, racism, sexism, all the things. They are, imo, handled in a way that kept them grounded in reality without making them the focal point of the story, and as the author says in his introduction, the story is all about trans/queer joy, and does deliver its happy ending.
THIS BOOK! This cover, this growth arc, this story. Miles is a newly out trans boy fighting to not let his life fall apart in the aftermath. So on New Years, he sets two resolutions: that he'll get his boyfriend back, who broke up with him after he came out, and that he'll win the state piano competition. But as the year progresses, and with the help of his friends, a new piano teacher, and the new guy in school who sees Miles for who he is, and just might like him for all of it, Miles slowly starts to reassess how important those resolutions are, and who he truly wants to be.
This was so good!!!! I gobbled it up in a few hours (was not the intention, I had plans this afternoon, but we're here now). Miles' growth through the book is expectedly messy, considering he's a 16 year old kid, famously a complicated time to be figuring out who you are, and then adding on coming out to his family, friends, and everyone in his life. Eric and Stefania are undeniably the breakout stars of the book, I'm convinced if everyone had one of each in their lives, there would be no problems left in the world. I didn't LOVE the drama the author went with in terms of Miles' friends, and then even when it was happening, it felt like it was setting something up that never happened.
Spoiler
I didn't see the purpose in making Paige cheat on Rachel, it seemed super out of place to me. And then once I came to terms with it, I had this whole headcanon that the relevant reason was because Josie (the new gf) was friends with Sophie (someone from their school who was dating Cameron, the piano arch-nemesis), and that it could lead to a whole thing. And it almost played out how I thought it would, Paige and Josie came to the piano competition, but for some reason Sophie wasn't there? Despite the fact she was dating Cameron and seemed to be all about the relationship. I had in my head that during the inevitable confrontation with Cameron after the results (straight white men and their emotional outbursts, am I right), that Sophie would've seen it all happen because she was talking to Paige/Josie, realize Cameron was a creep, and dump him. It would've been everything. But then she wasn't even mentioned as being at the competition, and now I don't know what the point was in having Sophie date Cameron, or in having Paige's new gf be someone who's friends with Sophie. None of those plot lines really went anywhere for me.Note that there are instances of both past and present transphobia, homophobia, queerphobia, racism, sexism, all the things. They are, imo, handled in a way that kept them grounded in reality without making them the focal point of the story, and as the author says in his introduction, the story is all about trans/queer joy, and does deliver its happy ending.