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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
coming of age story about a trans girl phoebe starting over at a new school. in a style very a la clueless, she gets immediately taken in by the resident Cool Girl mackenzie to get a classic teen montage makeover.
it handles the difficulties of friendship and femininity under the standards of patriarchy with the additional layers and complications of trans identity. i thought it explored some more subtle manifestations of transphobia and fetishization/exploitation in ways we don't often see in media when it's focused on the more severe end of the spectrum.
i love her surfing journey and prefer that it doesn't end with her with some prince charming. work on urself first girl <3
it handles the difficulties of friendship and femininity under the standards of patriarchy with the additional layers and complications of trans identity. i thought it explored some more subtle manifestations of transphobia and fetishization/exploitation in ways we don't often see in media when it's focused on the more severe end of the spectrum.
i love her surfing journey and prefer that it doesn't end with her with some prince charming. work on urself first girl <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Sexism, Lesbophobia
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
idk I kinda feel like ALL the characters, Phoebe included, were being shitty friends, and the way the narrative decided who was worthy of forgiveness felt arbritrary. But ALSO this has some of the best depictions I've seen of subtle, microagression-tier transphobia that occurs in "progressive" spaces. I want to like it more than I do for that alone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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:
Complicated
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
No notes 10/10 perfect! I've never gotten into graphic novels before despite multiple tries, but this one hooked me and didn't let go - it really felt like the format of the graphic novel was essential to the story it was telling, which I really enjoyed.
A metric I always try to think about when judging books/media is whether it achieves what it is TRYING to do. Girlmode did a fantastic job of feeling like a teen coming of age movie-turned-novel about a trans girl and the various friends/not-so-friends she might make.
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
a new spin on the hot new girl story!
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
I don't care how corny it was, I love when authors insert other media into the narrative as symbolic messaging to the characters and for the readers. Visaggio is kind of a genius for using Jane Eyre AND Little Shop of Horrors to represent Phoebe's and Mackenzie's character arc. As a literary, musical theater nerd, I have never felt so seen.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Dysphoria