Reviews with content warning for Cursing - Felix Ever After

But creating our own world, not just for ourselves in our bubble, but one that can spread to those who need it most—one filled with our stories, our history, our love and pride—that’s just as beautiful. That’s just as necessary. Without that, we forget ourselves

When Felix, a trans boy, steps into his school lobby one day, he is shocked to see a galley - of photos stolen from his instagram archive, photos of him before his transition, and his dead name plastered on the wall. Suspecting his rival classmate Declan, he creates a fake instagram account to catfish him and hopefully learn some of his secrets, too, so he can get his revenge.

Queer romance? Check. Great characters? Check. Unexpected attraction? We love to see it.

But it’s not all fluff. Felix Ever After deals with some deep issues, issues that may even be triggering to some, issues like transphobia, deadnaming, homophobia. Felix, despite knowing he’s definitely not the gender he was born, still doesn’t feel like a guy all the time, and struggles to find an identity that fits him. He has to work on his relationship with his father who, despite paying for her gender-confirmation surgery and hormones, still calls him kid instead of his true name, Felix. He has insecurities about whether he is worthy of love, whether he’s even allowed to still be questioning his identity after all that he’s done to prove to the world he is a guy.

This book told a great story, but… personally, everything felt very on the nose; long speeches about privilege, about trans acceptance, about transphobia and racism within the gay community. Of course, these are all things that need to be addressed, especially in this story, but I would have preferred not to have the messages of the book spelled out for readers in paragraphs of dialogue.

There were also some editing things I noticed that made this book feel a little unpolished for me. For instance:

It’s easier, I think, to love someone you know won’t love you—to chase them, knowing they won’t feel the same way—than to love someone who might love you back. To risk loving each other and losing it all.

Is virtually the same thing Felix’s dad says a few chapters later:

It can be easier, sometimes, to choose to love someone you know won’t return your feelings. At least you know how that will end. It’s easier to accept hurt and pain, sometimes, than love and acceptance. It’s the real, loving relationships that can be the scariest.

Or when Felix is worried Declan will recognize his voice after speaking to him on the phone as his catfish persona:

Declan stares straight ahead, listening to Jill. I’m almost too afraid to answer Marisol. If I speak and he hears me, will he suddenly recognize my voice—realize that I’m Lucky?

But then a few pages later, we get this line:

And it hits me—of course, only now does it hit me—that if I speak, he might just recognize my voice.

It’s like Callender forgot they’d already written those specific passages a few pages / chapters before, and added them again. I guess I just feel the novel could have used a few more pass-throughs with an editor.

In any case, I still loved the characters. I loved Felix’s dad, how much he so clearly loved his son and just wanted to get things right for him. I loved Ezra and his fierce defence of Felix against ANYONE who wronged him, I loved Leah and her quiet loyalty, I even enjoyed Declan and his frosty exterior (and his grandpa <3) There were so much more to these characters than meets the eye.

I was especially happy with the turn this love story took! I can honestly say, I was not expecting it. I’m a huge enemies-to-lovers fan, but there was so much more to it than that.

Thank you, Kacen Callender, for bringing me on this journey with Felix.

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triptych_turning's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

5.0

I loved this book! The writing was witty and engaging, the story was amazing, and all of the characters have found a special place in my heart. Even as someone who isn't big into romance, I found this book to be fun and interesting, and I definitely recommend it to everyone.

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wanderingtales's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

4.5

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massivepizzacrust's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

Hm, a very tough one to review and a very emotional read. I loved Felix and wanted to shout at him, and the other characters. In ways a very realistic portrait of what it's like to be a teenager (though most teenagers don't have to deal with the terrible act Felix has committed against him at the start of the book, or one of their parents abandoning them). I, very personally and subjectively, disagree with who he ends up with and was more interested in the other love interest (very personal opinion). But I also find it very believable. This book touches on so many topics in gender, identity, hate, growing up and finding out who you want to be, I think it could be a life-changing read for someone out there. I, like Felix, don't enjoy pride parades that much, but I almost cried during that whole scene.

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aubreydelammermore's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny medium-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

3.5

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spiritedfaraway's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

“For trans and nonbinary youth: You’re beautiful. You’re important. You’re valid. You’re perfect.”

I have so many feelings, I was going to drag reading this out even longer because I absolutely fell in love with Kacen Callender’s writing, but I just blew through the last hundred pages. I’ll write a longer review later, just know that I love this.

“I’m not flaunting anything. I’m just existing. This is me. I can’t hide myself. I can’t disappear. And even if I could, I don’t fucking want to. I have the same right to be here. I have the same right to exist.”

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booknerdnative's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This story got me in the feels way more than I thought it would! I am absolutely in love with this story and these characters. Great conversation starters for teens, and great discussions within the text that I think are really important for YA readers. There's also a really sweet romance, and a lovely story arc of Felix finding joy in his journey. Highly recommend!

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