Scan barcode
babytloves2read's review against another edition
5.0
I love all the themes this book explored: race, sexuality, adoption, uncertainty, beautiful friendships. This was a breath of fresh air from all the queer-tragedy storylines that plague the genre. I love Remy, I love Ian, I love Free, I love Brook, I love Mom and Dad and Willow. Wow. What a beautiful book.
misterintensity's review against another edition
4.0
There are a few truths about Remy: he’s black, adopted, gay, and he recently had his heartbroken. He’s pretty sure who is but when given an AP Literature assignment to write about himself, he starts to wonder if he’s just defined by labels. Also there’s a new guy who thinks he’s cute. This is a funny, earnest book about someone trying to figure out who he is for himself not for others. The characters are likeable and there are quite a few funny moments in the book. Besides the essay, Remy has to contend with a new boy he’s crushing on but he has sworn off dating and his crush is not ready to be out; a best friend whose obsession with learning the identity of a mysterious graffiti artist is affecting their friendship; and he learns something about his life that is shocking. Told from Remy’s point of view, the narrative may not feel earth shaking but it feels that way to him, which is of course the case for any teenager. Highly recommended for readers of The Field Guide to the North American Teenager and Simon Versus the Homo Sapiens Agenda.
nolemdaer's review against another edition
2.0
I read Julian Winters's sophomore novel recently, and while I wasn't impressed, there wasn't anything particularly "bad" with it. It was simply mediocre.
Nominally, the book is about the eponymous character Remy Cameron discovering who he is beyond the labels people (and he) have placed on him. In reality, it was somewhat less gripping.
First, I was a little thrown off immediately because I thought this book had a college setting. I was wrong; it was more typical high school fare. Second, while I did think the author has improved somewhat in terms of characterization and narration, I still found the writing plagued by tell-not-show, especially when it comes to character relationships. When introduced to the main character's (rather large and inconsequential) group of friends, it felt like we were speed dating or swiping through Tinder—we're given a name, ethnicity, sexuality, and a label or two that neatly sums the character up. The narration utilized the quick and easy labels that this book was supposed to cast aside rather than giving us any actual insight into how the peripheral characters act or interact.
Perhaps most heinously, I felt no "journey" at all. The entire premise of the story is Remy Cameron discovering who he is and rejecting his labels, but either that didn't happen or it was so vague and anticlimactic that it passed me by. Maybe the reason tell-not-show is used so much because any attempt at conveying messages without outright stating them would be ineffective.
And the characters weren't even likable! Most of that reason is because we barely get to meet to understand any character without the main character rattling off ten fast facts about them every time we see them, but a lot of them just seemed odd. The main character's parents, for example, were supposed to be "cool parents" but ended up weird and inappropriate.
In general, I'd say HTBRC shows improvement from Running with Lions (especially due to the less-isolated setting), but there's still plenty of room to improve.
P.S. I forgot to put the romance into this review at all, which should tell you how invested I was in it.
Nominally, the book is about the eponymous character Remy Cameron discovering who he is beyond the labels people (and he) have placed on him. In reality, it was somewhat less gripping.
First, I was a little thrown off immediately because I thought this book had a college setting. I was wrong; it was more typical high school fare. Second, while I did think the author has improved somewhat in terms of characterization and narration, I still found the writing plagued by tell-not-show, especially when it comes to character relationships. When introduced to the main character's (rather large and inconsequential) group of friends, it felt like we were speed dating or swiping through Tinder—we're given a name, ethnicity, sexuality, and a label or two that neatly sums the character up. The narration utilized the quick and easy labels that this book was supposed to cast aside rather than giving us any actual insight into how the peripheral characters act or interact.
Perhaps most heinously, I felt no "journey" at all. The entire premise of the story is Remy Cameron discovering who he is and rejecting his labels, but either that didn't happen or it was so vague and anticlimactic that it passed me by. Maybe the reason tell-not-show is used so much because any attempt at conveying messages without outright stating them would be ineffective.
And the characters weren't even likable! Most of that reason is because we barely get to meet to understand any character without the main character rattling off ten fast facts about them every time we see them, but a lot of them just seemed odd. The main character's parents, for example, were supposed to be "cool parents" but ended up weird and inappropriate.
In general, I'd say HTBRC shows improvement from Running with Lions (especially due to the less-isolated setting), but there's still plenty of room to improve.
P.S. I forgot to put the romance into this review at all, which should tell you how invested I was in it.
scrow1022's review against another edition
4.0
I like his prose, I feel with his characters, and I appreciate the "no easy solutions" of his books, the real considerations of race & ethnicity & gender & class.
storytimed's review
3.75
I went from a really great sublime complex YA book to a, you know, generally medium standard romcom YA book
I mean, it's cute! Remy Cameron is a transracial adoptee living in an Atlanta suburb. His love interest is a Korean-American not yet out guy in the same suburb. He's got some friend drama (his bff is mad bc he isn't telling her his secrets!!), some ex drama, some family drama
The family drama is once again the most compelling thread as Remy meets up with the sister from the bio family he never knew. The problem is that she is way more interesting than him LMFAO
I mean, it's cute! Remy Cameron is a transracial adoptee living in an Atlanta suburb. His love interest is a Korean-American not yet out guy in the same suburb. He's got some friend drama (his bff is mad bc he isn't telling her his secrets!!), some ex drama, some family drama
The family drama is once again the most compelling thread as Remy meets up with the sister from the bio family he never knew. The problem is that she is way more interesting than him LMFAO
briereads's review against another edition
lighthearted
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
3.0
heresthepencil's review against another edition
3.0
ARC provided by the publisher.
rep: Black gay mc, Korean American gay li
So many good concepts went into this book. It’s a patchwork of beautiful ideas, a warm & cozy blanket. It’s also made of wool, though, so I can’t touch it for too long.
Things I absolutely loved include: supportive parents who joke around with their kids and talk them through difficult situations; a gay character whose arc didn’t revolve around coming out; a whole pleiad of gay characters, actually, more or less secondary, but never stereotypical; that trope I adore and want to see more of where a person doesn’t forgive their parent just because of the (imagined) blood-tie, and more.
Like I said, all the ideas that this book is build of, are amazing. It’s full of positive energy, of love for the world & for people in it, of joy. It wants to share that joy with you, as you read on.
It’s just that while I can appreciate all that, I’m not the right kind of person to appreciate the writing itself, I’m afraid. I found it dry and a little bit boring at times, and cringy when it comes to dialogues. And let’s not even mention all those Harry Potter references… (I counted nine and I’m not sure if I didn’t miss a few.)
There were also those two instances of talking about homosexuality as if it’s all about a person’s sex life and the romantic attraction doesn’t play any role in it. I mean, come on! You’re gay even if you don’t have a sex life at all. Let’s not bring the split attraction model into books for teens (or any books, period).
In the end, How to Be Remy Cameron is a pretty cool book tackling a bunch of important issues in a respectful way. I just wish I could like the style of its prose more.
rep: Black gay mc, Korean American gay li
So many good concepts went into this book. It’s a patchwork of beautiful ideas, a warm & cozy blanket. It’s also made of wool, though, so I can’t touch it for too long.
Things I absolutely loved include: supportive parents who joke around with their kids and talk them through difficult situations; a gay character whose arc didn’t revolve around coming out; a whole pleiad of gay characters, actually, more or less secondary, but never stereotypical; that trope I adore and want to see more of where a person doesn’t forgive their parent just because of the (imagined) blood-tie, and more.
Like I said, all the ideas that this book is build of, are amazing. It’s full of positive energy, of love for the world & for people in it, of joy. It wants to share that joy with you, as you read on.
It’s just that while I can appreciate all that, I’m not the right kind of person to appreciate the writing itself, I’m afraid. I found it dry and a little bit boring at times, and cringy when it comes to dialogues. And let’s not even mention all those Harry Potter references… (I counted nine and I’m not sure if I didn’t miss a few.)
There were also those two instances of talking about homosexuality as if it’s all about a person’s sex life and the romantic attraction doesn’t play any role in it. I mean, come on! You’re gay even if you don’t have a sex life at all. Let’s not bring the split attraction model into books for teens (or any books, period).
In the end, How to Be Remy Cameron is a pretty cool book tackling a bunch of important issues in a respectful way. I just wish I could like the style of its prose more.
younglyricallit's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75