Reviews

Flamer by Mike Curato

meltrafford's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

nonikatoth's review

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emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

afondots's review

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challenging emotional hopeful 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

3.5

doll2021's review

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

hannahrose_99's review

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4.5

 
love a graphic novel about gay kids at a summer camp! this was so good and heartbreaking-trigger warning for suicide and homophobia! i thought this was so well written and had beautiful artwork, definitely something i'll be remembering and recommending to people!



meredith_summers's review

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

augustika13's review

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3.0

It was relatable with body dysmorphia, getting bullied and struggles with oneself but many things like slurs, jerking off scene etc was just uncomfortable ngl. Ik it is to show how it is for homosexual people but idk that isn’t for me

agmaynard's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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

4.0

Aiden usually looks forward (mostly) to scout camp because it's a bit better experience than the bullying he experiences in middle school.  Summer is still to be endured though, and an instance of near self-harm really brings it home.  But there's hope at the end.

singbaby16's review

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

3.5

wanderinglynn's review

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dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

4.0

I know I'm not gay. Gay boys like other boys. I HATE boys. They are mean and scary, and they're always destroying something or saying something dumb or both.

What a powerful GN. The use of black and white that is contrasted with orange and red really packs a punch. The thematic use of fire, along with the term ‘flamer,’ takes on a multitude of meanings throughout the story. 

I thought this GN accurately portrayed teenage boys from their use of rough language and slurs to the mental and physical abuse. I also thought Curato did a beautiful job showing Aiden's struggle with his internalized guilt taught by his Catholic upbringing, the outside world's often negative and limiting views as illustrated here by the Boy Scouts, the teenage angst and hormone craziness all when he's  trying to figure out who he is and how he fits into the world. It's a lot.

This story hits hard and strikes deep into your heart.