Scan barcode
bookalchemist's review against another edition
2.0
I was really intrigued that someone was writing about this experience, and in a verse novel. I was disappointed. The usage of different font styles, word choices (sexual instead of gender, lack of pronoun changes), and stereotyping of several characters made me feel like this was written in 2000, not 2013. I saw someone say they thought this was written to educate cis people, but it won't even do a good job of that, partially because it's outdated now and partially because it just didn't do a great job of getting inside the head of someone who might be nonbinary, genderfluid, or trans. I do not recommend this for anyone interested in those topics. Sadly, there are so few books that have characters in the nonbinary/genderfluid spectrum that I don't have alternative suggestions. If someone else does, I'd love to hear them!
bequibuho's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first book I have read that was told in verse. It was a bit confusing to read at first, it took me a little while to get used to the rhythm. I liked that this book was told through multiple POVs.
We learn about Angel. A transwoman working at an LGBT center. We learned about her home life and how she struggled for years. We also see Brendan’s girlfriend’s POV as well. Vanessa turned to be a more of a complex character than I initially gave her credit for. That being said she wasn’t my favorite character and I mostly found her to be self-centered and insecure.
My heart broke for Brendan. He was struggling to come to terms with how he felt. He was constantly tormented by his teammates and coach. When he was called girl’s names or had his manhood questioned, he internalized all those emotions. He didn’t know what to do about his wishing to be more feminine.
I really liked how the book focused on Brendan finding the name for how he feels and being able to voice it. It isn’t a perfect book but it captured Brendan’s fears and insecurities in a way that would resonate with all readers.
I give this book a B.
We learn about Angel. A transwoman working at an LGBT center. We learned about her home life and how she struggled for years. We also see Brendan’s girlfriend’s POV as well. Vanessa turned to be a more of a complex character than I initially gave her credit for. That being said she wasn’t my favorite character and I mostly found her to be self-centered and insecure.
My heart broke for Brendan. He was struggling to come to terms with how he felt. He was constantly tormented by his teammates and coach. When he was called girl’s names or had his manhood questioned, he internalized all those emotions. He didn’t know what to do about his wishing to be more feminine.
I really liked how the book focused on Brendan finding the name for how he feels and being able to voice it. It isn’t a perfect book but it captured Brendan’s fears and insecurities in a way that would resonate with all readers.
I give this book a B.
addymcgee's review against another edition
2.0
Part of this book is exactly what we need in the LGBTQIA community, but mostly this book just left me realizing how far we need to go to get more representation in written form.
I was excited to jump into this book about Brendan, a gender fluid teenager. But, for me, this book fell short of my expectations.
In the first part of this novel I hurt along with Brendan. Okay, wait - I hurt for Brendan throughout this whole book. I wanted to be the friend that would sit on the couch and let Brendan talk until there were no more words about how he was feeling. All I felt throughout this book was pain. Yep, there are feel good moments, but mostly you’re feeling the sting of the homophobic words and actions. <— this part of the book is very true to real life.
So, what’s the problem? It’s great that I connected with the main character, Brendan, right? Yeah. Sure. But here we are in 2019 and all we are seeing is the darkness of coming out(or being pushed out) into the LGBTQIA community. Where’s the resolution? Where’s our beacon of light and hope? Basically, why are we left with this sadness and hurt? Why couldn’t we see a little beyond where the author left us to remind us that “IT GETS BETTER”?
As I said, this was a book that we needed. A book we need in the community, but I don’t feel like it hit the nail on the head. Although I feel like this was the book we needed, I don’t feel like it was told in the way we needed it.
All of this being said, Kudos for writing about something that needs to be talked about a whole helluva lot more.
I was excited to jump into this book about Brendan, a gender fluid teenager. But, for me, this book fell short of my expectations.
In the first part of this novel I hurt along with Brendan. Okay, wait - I hurt for Brendan throughout this whole book. I wanted to be the friend that would sit on the couch and let Brendan talk until there were no more words about how he was feeling. All I felt throughout this book was pain. Yep, there are feel good moments, but mostly you’re feeling the sting of the homophobic words and actions. <— this part of the book is very true to real life.
So, what’s the problem? It’s great that I connected with the main character, Brendan, right? Yeah. Sure. But here we are in 2019 and all we are seeing is the darkness of coming out(or being pushed out) into the LGBTQIA community. Where’s the resolution? Where’s our beacon of light and hope? Basically, why are we left with this sadness and hurt? Why couldn’t we see a little beyond where the author left us to remind us that “IT GETS BETTER”?
As I said, this was a book that we needed. A book we need in the community, but I don’t feel like it hit the nail on the head. Although I feel like this was the book we needed, I don’t feel like it was told in the way we needed it.
All of this being said, Kudos for writing about something that needs to be talked about a whole helluva lot more.
jamielynnlano's review against another edition
3.0
I was surprised to open this book and see poetry. An entire book written in prose was definitely new to me.
It was surprisingly easy to get into the book, and a lot of thought obviously went into it, as it's thoughtful and well-written. I don't think I would knowingly choose to read another novel written in prose, however. Maybe someday I'll be proven wrong.
Because of this, at least it's a quick read. It was interesting to see a novel written from the POV of a transgender teen as he arrives at the realization that he's in the wrong body. The novel itself, though, was not much more than that. Very simple, a quick hour or two's read.
I would rather see books featuring transgender teens as normal parts of society, but I understand that these types of books do have their place and will definitely help teens and adults alike that might be struggling with the same issues.
It was surprisingly easy to get into the book, and a lot of thought obviously went into it, as it's thoughtful and well-written. I don't think I would knowingly choose to read another novel written in prose, however. Maybe someday I'll be proven wrong.
Because of this, at least it's a quick read. It was interesting to see a novel written from the POV of a transgender teen as he arrives at the realization that he's in the wrong body. The novel itself, though, was not much more than that. Very simple, a quick hour or two's read.
I would rather see books featuring transgender teens as normal parts of society, but I understand that these types of books do have their place and will definitely help teens and adults alike that might be struggling with the same issues.
kyleg99's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
The first half is very boring to read but it definitely picks up in the second half.
Review to come in a little while.
*as a sidenote, I do see how Clark's writing could be compared to Ellen Hopkins's, although this didn't bother me too much since I love Ellen's writing, although I do hope that the more works she publishes, the more distinct her own voice will become.
The first half is very boring to read but it definitely picks up in the second half.
Review to come in a little while.
*as a sidenote, I do see how Clark's writing could be compared to Ellen Hopkins's, although this didn't bother me too much since I love Ellen's writing, although I do hope that the more works she publishes, the more distinct her own voice will become.
urmomsgooch's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.25
weiiird format for the story and it didn’t add anything tbh
dabieyo's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this! I think it opened my mind on new topics I'd never thought about! I totally recommend it!
danibooksandtea's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn’t sure if I would like this book once I realized it was written in verse but it really took me by surprise. I genuinely enjoyed reading about Brendan and Angel and to a lesser extent Vanessa. I think that the subject is really important and that the author did a good job at addressing different struggles involved with gender identity. The only thing I had a problem with is that because it was written in verse I felt that we didn’t get as much character development and details about what was happening as we could have.
chwaters's review against another edition
3.0
This novel-in-verse rotates through three different perspectives. First, there are the high school kids, Brendan and Vanessa. Brendan and Vanessa have been a couple for a long time. They're both fairly popular and are athletes. Vanessa is a fairly normal girl, with the exception being that her sport of choice is wrestling. Brendan is the star of the wrestling team, so the two spend a lot of time together. On the surface, their relationship is perfect, but under the surface, they've got some serious issues that neither one wants to talk about. Vanessa has thrown everything she is into this relationship, to the point where she is in danger of losing the few female friends she has left. Brendan is secretly questioning his gender identity. He can't understand why he sometimes feels as though he would rather be his girlfriend than be with her. When he learns the word "transgender", it sends shock-waves through the core of his being. Deep down, he realizes this is a word that might apply to him. In a fit of confused angst, he throws a rock through the window of a local GLBTQ teen center where our third narrator, Angel, works. Angel is a male-to-female transgendered person who has seen some incredibly difficult times. As a result, Angel has found a calling in helping young people come to terms with their sexual orientation and identities. Can Angel help Brendan, even if Brendan isn't really sure who he is?
Freakboy takes on a whole host of issues, though the transgender one obviously takes front and center. Brendan and Vanessa's relationship issues are painfully realistic. Vanessa has clear self-esteem issues and frequently misinterprets Brendan's actions. She defines herself through having a boyfriend and, while she's obsessed with her relationship, she remains surprisingly self-absorbed. Brendan is by far the most well-developed character in the book; he's not the type of person who definitively knew his identity from a young age and he doesn't always hate being a boy. Angel, on the other hand, seems like she's there to provide the reader with a more traditional transformation story or to show how an adult might handle being trans rather than contributing to the overall plot. Angel is a great character, but her integration into the narrative feels rough and somewhat forced.
Overall, a decent, if heavy-handed, tale of teenagers dealing with a tough and under-addressed issue.
Freakboy takes on a whole host of issues, though the transgender one obviously takes front and center. Brendan and Vanessa's relationship issues are painfully realistic. Vanessa has clear self-esteem issues and frequently misinterprets Brendan's actions. She defines herself through having a boyfriend and, while she's obsessed with her relationship, she remains surprisingly self-absorbed. Brendan is by far the most well-developed character in the book; he's not the type of person who definitively knew his identity from a young age and he doesn't always hate being a boy. Angel, on the other hand, seems like she's there to provide the reader with a more traditional transformation story or to show how an adult might handle being trans rather than contributing to the overall plot. Angel is a great character, but her integration into the narrative feels rough and somewhat forced.
Overall, a decent, if heavy-handed, tale of teenagers dealing with a tough and under-addressed issue.
artransvet's review against another edition
5.0
A great teenage book about being transgender. I'm glad there are books out there like this that might be able to help someone who is struggling with these issues at a young age. Bravo.