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aspencross's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Naomi and Ben also deserved better and both deserved to be homecoming king and queen.
-Jeremy is an asshole who’s only consequence is getting punched by a bully when he is such a shit friend to everybody
- the boy also complains about not wanting to be a victim and then victimizes himself all the time
- Jeremy does so much shit in this book and we’re told that he’s popular and was popular before he transitioned and I do not understand how when he’s so insufferable
- I was on Lukas’s side until
- I have never rooted for 2 characters to never get together as much as Jeremy and Lukas
- The ending was horrible because there’s so many plot points that are left unopened like
Side note: the author has also apparently done some shit and is lesphobic. This Reddit post has links and more information https://www.reddit.com/r/HobbyDrama/s/JuVfSwXcrt
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Infidelity, Grief, Homophobia, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
rallly'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: Bullying and Transphobia
Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Cursing, Homophobia, Dysphoria, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Death, Sexual harassment, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
imandubose's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Transphobia, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Bullying, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Hate crime
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Sexual assault
fanboyriot's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Bullying, Ableism, Hate crime, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Violence, Deadnaming, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Cursing, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual assault, Body shaming, Infidelity, Mental illness, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Medical content, Racism, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Drug use, Blood, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
piperclover'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
3.5
I desperately wish that we had seen more of Jeremy and Lukas as an actual couple so that we could understand their chemistry and the depth of their feelings because right now I understand that they want to get back together but I don't feel like I've seen enough to root for them as a couple. If this had 2 or 3 chapters exploring the beginning of their relationship after they get back together, I would've rated it higher.
As for the representation, I thought it was great. Theres a ton of discussion and portrayal of how society and men tell boys to act and how that's detrimental. Jeremy's anger at his difficult transition festers until it boils over and he lashes out, effectively ruining all his relationships for a while. We see his inner turmoil and fear for his safety. We see Lukas struggle to feel wanted in his family and how his diagnosis impacts his self esteem and confidence people will still see him as a man.
Theres also such good commentary about how Jeremy's mother is a hardcore liberal feminist but she feels disconnected from Jeremy as her son rather than as her daughter. Its a really great representation of how the mother is a good person and does fight for equality but she's spent so long fighting for women's rights, she's at a loss for how to fight for trans rights. She's not perfect but she does love Jeremy.
Similarly, one of the classmates Debbie is a terf, so she doesn't think Jeremy's experiences matter bc he's trans. She discounts his experience living as a girl for 16 years because she thinks Jeremy is a traitor for "switching sides" Another classmate Connor says that Jeremy will never be a real man or a real gay because he lived as a girl for so long so he can't just swoop in and start acting like he is part of the gay male community. I was so thrilled to see both of these characters say these things because they're such prominent ideas within the LGBTQ+ community but not discussed enough.
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
shays's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
https://shayshortt.com/2023/06/27/mini-reviews-lgbtqia-ya-sports-romances/
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Transphobia
Moderate: Alcohol
While characters do deadname Jeremy in this book, the author elides it from the dialogue, so the reader never learns Jeremy's deadname.adamparrishlover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Dysphoria, Transphobia, Hate crime, Deadnaming, Ableism, Misogyny, Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexism
Moderate: Grief
dyamonddd's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
0.5
what i got was literally the most INSUFFERABLE main characters ever — actually, pretty much everyone in this book is SHIT — and a half assed plot that literally went into like 400 different other things and was just a mess. a mess! this also has lots of problematic elements like, it was just really jarring for this to be like a YA type of story for there to be like INSANE dark elements and animosity and like everyone in this story is just so unnecessarily ugly to each other, it’s just awful.
ALSO: the romance literally is kinda shoved down your throat, like throughout this whole thing there is NOOOOO basis for them to be together at all but somehow its just quickly made to happen at the tail end like???? i DONT UNDERSTAND.
the way i will never get my fucking two days back that i spent reading this is SAD. TRAGIC. HEARTBREAKING. i wanted to dnf so many times just spare yourselves if you’re thinking of reading it, i literally think finishing it has made me lose many brain cells and i’m so sad. it’s only getting a star for sol and another quarter bc of philip’s downfall, and even that wasn’t satisfying bc of all the other bullshit in this book.
Graphic: Transphobia and Homophobia
Moderate: Dysphoria, Bullying, and Toxic friendship
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is also about the shitty things people will do to each other, and the importance of learning and making amends. There's a wide span of friendship issues, family issues, and high school administration issues. I liked that the major subplot of fighting to amend the Code of Conduct to include verbal bullying and harrassment was given a lot of page time. I also love how the whole Homecoming Court vote shook out.
Graphic: Transphobia, Bullying, and Homophobia
Moderate: Racism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Violence, Deadnaming, and Grief
Minor: Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Death, and Car accident
dylansday_'s review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Dysphoria, Transphobia, Bullying, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death