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athan_kogaan's review
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.75
Fun and easy to read. Short and sweet story, but I will say that the supernatural part surprised me. I wasn't expecting it and it tooo me a while to get used to. Overall a good time was had.
definitely_human's review
hopeful
mysterious
fast-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
inthebelljar's review
4.0
I loved this story.
A fairy-tale-like romance between two trans boys - one not out yet, the other passing - with a very sweet ending. The mix between magic and reality was done so well.
One thing that I really like is stories about depressed kids/teenagers who are not 100% agreeable, who are angry and bitter and frustrated (think A Monster Calls). Avi Cantor is all of these things, and he is also kind and a good kid. And I really, really liked that. Depression can be angry, and this is especially common in adolescents. I like that Avi is allowed to hate those that hurt him and bully him.
I also really liked that Avi and Ian both have such different experiences as trans guys, with their families and with their classmates, and how that is explored.
I also really loved a sympathetic demon character, who is more complex than just an agent of evil.
The ending felt a little too simple in some ways, hence the 4 stars, but I might bump that up because I really was glad that Avi and Ian got their happy ending.
A fairy-tale-like romance between two trans boys - one not out yet, the other passing - with a very sweet ending. The mix between magic and reality was done so well.
One thing that I really like is stories about depressed kids/teenagers who are not 100% agreeable, who are angry and bitter and frustrated (think A Monster Calls). Avi Cantor is all of these things, and he is also kind and a good kid. And I really, really liked that. Depression can be angry, and this is especially common in adolescents. I like that Avi is allowed to hate those that hurt him and bully him.
I also really liked that Avi and Ian both have such different experiences as trans guys, with their families and with their classmates, and how that is explored.
The ending felt a little too simple in some ways, hence the 4 stars, but I might bump that up because I really was glad that Avi and Ian got their happy ending.
crackedspines_'s review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
If you’re looking for fairytale vibes, as it’s marketed, this is definitely not the book for you. I didn’t enjoy it as much as most people seemed to and I definitely did not get the fairytale vibes I was looking for. I guess one could argue it was a dark fairytale but it still didn’t hit that mark for me. It was decent, and I enjoyed the rep, but solidly okay, not great.
**Please don’t rely on my content warnings!! I read this all in one night two months ago and didn’t write the review until now; I’m confident I missed a few.**
**Please don’t rely on my content warnings!! I read this all in one night two months ago and didn’t write the review until now; I’m confident I missed a few.**
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia, and Deadnaming
hanshailmary's review
3.0
I think that the writing was very good. I just didn't really build a connection with either of the MC's or the magic.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
Avi Cantor Has Six Months to Live is exactly what’s written on the high school bathroom mirror in this novella from Sacha Lamb. Yet Avi doesn’t think anyone but him knows that name yet. As a trans boy, most of his schoolmates think he’s a lesbian or just weird. The message in the mirror leads to a knew friendship and the discovery of something more supernatural. I really liked this short novella and I loved the resolution.
tani's review
5.0
This was absolutely lovely. Read for free here.
I loved this for a couple of reasons. The biggest was the very strong emotional connection that I felt with Avi, almost from the very first sentence of the story. He's a very wounded character, and for me, that always make me want to wrap that character up in a blanket and soothe them. Since I can't actually do that, I am left with simply reading obsessively.
The second big draw for me ended up being the romance. I thought it was incredibly sweet, and it just gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Neither Avi nor Ian was perfect, but they were lovely together.
The magical realism element was another draw for me, surprisingly. Magical realism isn't usually my thing, but in this case, it added the perfect note to the story.
Lastly, I actually really liked the way that faith was such an important part of Avi's life. I felt like it added a lot of depth to his character, and was just a nice touch. I don't really see a lot of religion in my reading, probably because of my emphasis on fantasy, and I enjoyed it a lot.
I loved this for a couple of reasons. The biggest was the very strong emotional connection that I felt with Avi, almost from the very first sentence of the story. He's a very wounded character, and for me, that always make me want to wrap that character up in a blanket and soothe them. Since I can't actually do that, I am left with simply reading obsessively.
The second big draw for me ended up being the romance. I thought it was incredibly sweet, and it just gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Neither Avi nor Ian was perfect, but they were lovely together.
The magical realism element was another draw for me, surprisingly. Magical realism isn't usually my thing, but in this case, it added the perfect note to the story.
Lastly, I actually really liked the way that faith was such an important part of Avi's life. I felt like it added a lot of depth to his character, and was just a nice touch. I don't really see a lot of religion in my reading, probably because of my emphasis on fantasy, and I enjoyed it a lot.
magenta_menace's review
4.75
a trans magical realism treat that packs a huge punch in a small package. avi and ian are such interesting characters, and lamb manages to craft such complex demonology and lore in so few pages. i found myself so immersed in the world, where tender trans boyhood is not infantilized, where queerness and religion can coexist, where assigned gender can be both a curse and a blessing. my only complaint is that i would love to see this novella expanded into a longer work, but that’s not to say that this book didn’t meet expectations despite its short length. nothing but lauding words for this novella!
azu's review
4.0
It is soft and queer and it has magical realism elements in it. I read it when sick as hell and it was the best thing ever.
amaldae's review
3.5
Lovely, understated sadness, a strong voice, gently insightful prose. The beginning and end with their quick progression and simple resolution rang a little false to me, but the trans representation here is so strong and elegantly multi-faceted I will likely return to this one at some point. More please. 3.5★