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marypaz13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The first time I read it (Sometime in 2023):
- Literally for the cover, it gave me Hunger Game vibes
- It was being contested in my state (Oklahoma, USA)
- I speed read it, but even then I didn't think of a reason for it to be contested
2nd read through:
- It was a bookclub book for my Banned Book Club
- Besides the obvious, I noticed a lot more this time around:
--> Mental health issues: Depression, Anxiety
--> Domestic Abuse
--> growing up too soon
--> societal/religious pressures
--> colors, well mainly read and orange
I don't understand how a book that represents realistic issues, realistic emotions, and realistic circumstances to be contested or banned. Is that not the goal of books? To be inclusive? To make one's story relatable to their audience?
Graphic: Bullying, Blood, and Cursing
Moderate: Violence and Suicide attempt
Minor: Domestic abuse
woodiefrog's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, and Homophobia
Moderate: Suicide attempt
gold_star_reader's review against another edition
- 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
That is a quote on the cover of this book from Jarrett Krosoczka and is a very apt description. Aiden is struggling to find what being a boy/man means while at scouting camp. He finds solace in his pen pal and is nervous about the start of a new school in the fall. He's hoping for a fresh start and to escape his tormentors who constantly call him guy. But he's pretty sure he isn't gay. Probably.
This book covers bullying and self harm and homophbia and fatshaming in a confused early teenaged boy's life. The use of color is dramatic and poignant in this graphic novel with lots of metaphoric imagery.
Best for a high school library with swearing, sex jokes, and self harm topics.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Homophobia
Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, Bullying, and Fatphobia
Minor: Body shaming
bickie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
While there is a fair amount of crude language, cursing, and gross locker room-type behavior, this book would be great for any middle schooler boy who does not feel entirely comfortable with hyper- and toxic masculinity.
There is crude language, including curse words, primarily but not exclusively spoken by the bullies. A lot of it is homophobic, such as making innuendoes about hot dogs and buns. There is one scene where Aiden enters a tent where the boys are hanging out "taking care of business" and realizes that they are masturbating into a soda bottle one by one. If one of them doesn't contribute any "cum," he has to drink it.
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Fatphobia, Cursing, Body shaming, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying
Moderate: Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
kittyonfire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Racism, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Bullying
sunshinemonarch's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Bullying, Body shaming, Homophobia, Antisemitism, and Outing
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
maeve_littooij's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Bullying, and Body shaming
Moderate: Outing, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
hdunscombe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Violence, Body shaming, and Domestic abuse
samburkhouse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Bullying, and Sexual content
chelsealeem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Cursing, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Homophobia
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Self harm