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nytephoenyx's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
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
If you have ever been unsure of who you are or what love feels like, Felix Ever After is the book for you. If you’ve ever been bullied, felt like your parents didn’t understand you, said the wrong thing that did (or almost did) cost you a dear friend… you’ll find something to relate to in Felix Ever After. If you are anywhere in the LGBTQIAP+ community, Felix Ever After will make you feel seen. This book received a lot of hype when it was published in 2020. It deserved every bit of it.
I loved Felix Ever After because it made me cry. It dug into my heart. I loved Felix. I loved the complexity of the assembled cast. I loved the truth. And I loved the love. Kacen Callender built a collection of robust characters in this book that surprised you in ever scene. Many of the surprises were good… and many, many were disappointing, horrifying. Callender did an amazing job capturing the complexity of the human experience and conflict in the psyche while raising injustices and prejudices faced by the LGBTQIAP+ community. From outside and inside the community.
This book is about identity and learning to love yourself. It’s difficult – very difficult – when there are people telling you that you are not worth loving because of your identity. Felix faces this throughout his summer program at St. Catherine’s in New York. From an emotional perspective, Callender had me from the first chapter. I can’t emphasize enough how impactful this book is. From a technical perspective, I think Callender did an amazing job reflecting our world. There is joy and love, but there is also so much grief and self-hate and doubt. About so many things – not just identity. There are amazing conversations and horrible behavior is called out.
Which brings me to the warnings.
The protagonist is deadnamed publicly and by family. It is addressed in different ways through the book – transphobia and addressing it is a major theme. There’s transphobic bullying, conversations about invasion of privacy, cyberbullying, encouraging illegal activities (phone hacking), manipulation, disowning, abandonment, divorce, and I’m sure other triggers I missed. This book is filled with sensitive content and while there is so much good in it, readers should tread carefully.
Outside these warnings, Felix Ever After is a book I’d enthusiastically recommend to anyone. It has representation and messages that are so important, particularly for those still exploring their own identity – which is many adults who didn’t have the language when they were younger, as well as young adults. I wouldn’t recommend it to children because of the reading level … but everyone else. Everyone else. This book should be a library staple.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Body shaming, and Cursing
Moderate: Abandonment, Classism, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
Minor: Child abuse and Lesbophobia
kshertz's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
3.75
It’s a coming of age book in the new age. I love that Felix finds himself and so so young. But also, everyone in this book is a classic annoying teenager and it’s hard to not go into teacher mode and tell them all that most of what they are complaining about will not matter after they graduate. But once I got beyond that, I was able to enjoy the story more. Felix identifying as a demiboy and showing how many other identities there are out there I know is life changing for so many. It was wonderful to read this during pride in San Diego as it is set during Pride time in New York. It felt so wonderful to look around and see all the Felix and friends at Pride. I love seeing books like these and having them around for my high school kids when they ask for recommendations. More books like these please 🥰
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Deadnaming, Bullying, Sexism, Gaslighting, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, and Misogyny
chardovski's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? No
5.0
Very moving first person account on finding their authentic self and seeing multiple sides to the characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Hate crime, Abandonment, Gaslighting, and Outing
thebankofbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Transphobia, Outing, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Bullying, Abandonment, Homophobia, and Gaslighting
stwriter92's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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 was reading A Discovery of Witches but I needed to take a break from it and read something a bit more sugar sweet. Felix Ever After definitely fit the bill! I've always been a sucker for a good coming of age story and this one was absolutely what I needed. We originally got this book from our local library for my school's GSA. They have very kindly allowed us to borrow copies of LGBTQ+ young adult literature to read together and discuss and I am so glad that this was the first one we read!
The novel itself centers around a transgender man named Felix Love who is trying to navigate the perilous waters between the shallows of childhood and the uncharted seas of young adulthood. More than anything else, Felix wants to fall in love but feels deep down that he is undeserving of the experience. Sure, he has his best friend, but he is looking for a deeper connection. However, just as he is getting into the swing of things, his deadname and his old pictures pre-transition are posted up as a gallery without his permission by an anonymous bigot. On top of that, the creator of the gallery starts to send him transphobic messages on Instagram. Believing that he has found the perpetrator, he begins a quest for revenge that inadvertently lands him in a love triangle. Layered on top of this is Felix's quest inward, as well, as he questions his own identity both as an artist as well as in terms of his gender.
The novel itself was extremely sweet. I definitely had a huge grin on my face by the end! The characters were well thought out and the main characters had a good deal of depth. It was a privilege to see Felix grow as a person and begin to open up and allow himself to let go and truly be himself. Watching him peel off insecurity after insecurity and transform into a strong and confident demiboy was beautiful. I also absolutely loved that we, as the reader, never ever ever hear or discover Felix's deadname or hear about what he looked like pre-transition. I feel like that is something many trans individuals need to go through. People are always asking them about their deadnames or their lives pre-transition. They don't realize that a deadname is called a deadname for a reason. It's dead and gone. It's no longer in use. Knowing it is not necessary to knowing the individual. While I may not be a part of the trans community, a lot of my students are. Seeing them represented so honestly and beautifully was amazing!
At first, I was a little sad that we never got a resolution to the question of Felix's mother. She existed like a ghost. However, after finishing the book and truly reflecting on it, I realized that that was how it was meant to be. Not every thread of a story can be resolved. In life, there are many threads you just need to cut off and cast into the wind. The section where Felix deleted all the emails, he said "Something I'd been holding in my chest, anger and hurt and pain, starts to fade away. It wasn't anger and hurt and pain I'd had for my mom. Though I've got plenty of that, too, this was anger an dhurt and pain I'd had for myself, for writing all those fucking emails in the first place--for refusing to let go" (327). This catharsis of letting go, shedding dead weight, and making room for the things that matter was what this novel was building up to. The finale of him rushing off the pride to find Ezra and truly feeling for the first time unadulterated joy and acceptance and love was one of the most beautiful endings I have read in a while.
Whoever you are, wherever you are in your own journey, I believe that this should be read by everyone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Abandonment, Bullying, and Outing
Minor: Alcohol and Gaslighting
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Homophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism, Cursing, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Grief, Outing, and Transphobia
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
a story abt love, identity, friendship that's insightful, important and refreshingly queer. i wish i liked it more, but the writing and some parts of the story just didnt click w/ me.
there were abt a thousand 'i guess'-es in this book; it was annoying as hell and actually put me on edge lol.. and the teen characters all had the same voice, they didnt sound very distinct from one another. i also didnt feel like the declan-lucky subplot have a lot of plausibility; for someone supposedly very on guard, he was surprisingly--almost unrealistically--trusting of a random stranger on ig.
those were my two qualms, but felix ever after also had a plethora of positives: great depiction of the messiness of ppl's feelings and relationships; insightful and layered exploration of the issues around and w/in the lgbtqiap+ community esp in regards to the intersectionality of class, race, and gender, reinforcing that they're not a monolith; ezraaaa who's hands down my fav character--he was just so supportive and sweet but also complex; and ofc, prolly the best rep for a trans character ive ever read. felix's struggles were surprisingly relatable, and his questioning and inner thoughts were so insightful and revealing; i learned a lottt abt ftm trans folks from this book.
felix ever after might not have totally clicked w/ me, but it's a surpremely important book--esp an #ownvoices one--that i cant wait to reread for all the hints and clues.
there were abt a thousand 'i guess'-es in this book; it was annoying as hell and actually put me on edge lol.. and the teen characters all had the same voice, they didnt sound very distinct from one another. i also didnt feel like the declan-lucky subplot have a lot of plausibility; for someone supposedly very on guard, he was surprisingly--almost unrealistically--trusting of a random stranger on ig.
those were my two qualms, but felix ever after also had a plethora of positives: great depiction of the messiness of ppl's feelings and relationships; insightful and layered exploration of the issues around and w/in the lgbtqiap+ community esp in regards to the intersectionality of class, race, and gender, reinforcing that they're not a monolith; ezraaaa who's hands down my fav character--he was just so supportive and sweet but also complex; and ofc, prolly the best rep for a trans character ive ever read. felix's struggles were surprisingly relatable, and his questioning and inner thoughts were so insightful and revealing; i learned a lottt abt ftm trans folks from this book.
felix ever after might not have totally clicked w/ me, but it's a surpremely important book--esp an #ownvoices one--that i cant wait to reread for all the hints and clues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.0
This is a YA coming-of-age story about Felix, a Black, trans, queer teen who loves art and hanging out with his best friend. But when someone posts photos of him pre-transition and begins bullying him online, he decides to fight back by catfishing the person he thinks is responsible.
One of the main things I liked about this book is the way it portrays teenagers being messy and complicated, and gives them the space to grow and make mistakes. Felix's actions aren't always well-thought out or honorable, but they come from a place of wanting to stand up for injustices and defend himself.
Something else I loved about this book is the way the author encourages us, through the narrative, to be our authentic selves. Felix wants to be able to be his authentic self without worrying about prejudice but he fears that he's 'one label too many'. Throughout the story, we see him begin to accept every aspect of who he is, while also discovering new things about himself, like the fact that he's a demiboy.
The book also shows is the beauty of unconditional love from parents, even those who make mistakes. Felix's father makes a lot of missteps throughout the story (misgendering and deadnaming Felix) while he's trying to unpack his own internalised transphobia. This irritates Felix at first, but he begins to realise that his father is really trying and only wants him to be happy and loved.
Friends-to-lovers is so underrated (especially when it's childhood friends or they've been friends for YEARS) and Felix Ever After does it so well. The gradual realisation that Felix likes his best friend romantically is exciting because he has an inkling that those feelings are mutual. Plus, the two of them already know each other so well that Felix can envision how good they'd be together in a romantic relationship.
The only downsides to this book are that I think I lost some of my connection to the characters by listening to it on audio and there were also a lot of HP references that didn't really need to be there.
Other than that, this was a hopeful, uplifting story of love, friendship, and acceptance. It feels like a heart-felt love letter to trans and queer readers and teens saying, you're loved and you're enough.
Content warnings for transphobia and homophobia, outing, deadnaming (Felix's deadname is never mentioned on-page) and misgendering, bullying and cyber bullying, toxic friendships, absentee parent, casual use of drugs.
One of the main things I liked about this book is the way it portrays teenagers being messy and complicated, and gives them the space to grow and make mistakes. Felix's actions aren't always well-thought out or honorable, but they come from a place of wanting to stand up for injustices and defend himself.
Something else I loved about this book is the way the author encourages us, through the narrative, to be our authentic selves. Felix wants to be able to be his authentic self without worrying about prejudice but he fears that he's 'one label too many'. Throughout the story, we see him begin to accept every aspect of who he is, while also discovering new things about himself, like the fact that he's a demiboy.
The book also shows is the beauty of unconditional love from parents, even those who make mistakes. Felix's father makes a lot of missteps throughout the story (misgendering and deadnaming Felix) while he's trying to unpack his own internalised transphobia. This irritates Felix at first, but he begins to realise that his father is really trying and only wants him to be happy and loved.
Friends-to-lovers is so underrated (especially when it's childhood friends or they've been friends for YEARS) and Felix Ever After does it so well. The gradual realisation that Felix likes his best friend romantically is exciting because he has an inkling that those feelings are mutual. Plus, the two of them already know each other so well that Felix can envision how good they'd be together in a romantic relationship.
The only downsides to this book are that I think I lost some of my connection to the characters by listening to it on audio and there were also a lot of HP references that didn't really need to be there.
Other than that, this was a hopeful, uplifting story of love, friendship, and acceptance. It feels like a heart-felt love letter to trans and queer readers and teens saying, you're loved and you're enough.
Content warnings for transphobia and homophobia, outing, deadnaming (Felix's deadname is never mentioned on-page) and misgendering, bullying and cyber bullying, toxic friendships, absentee parent, casual use of drugs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Bullying
Moderate: Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Cursing, Outing, and Abandonment
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
fanboyriot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
This was such a good book!! The energy/vibe that Felix gives off is a mood, it was chapter one and I already knew I loved his character. Overall most of the characters and friendships were great, but I kinda would have liked to see more of Declan and Felix working out their problems more and being friends again, they have such a great dynamic.
As far as plot twists go it was well done, I didn't expect who did the gallery, but once it was revealed it made perfect sense. On that note, Leah is freaking awesome, I loved her character so much and when she went off on the person behind the gallery—I was so proud of her. Not to mention she was actually a decent person unlike some of Felix's "friends”.
The ending was really satisfying to read, it was nice to see Felix find himself a bit more and surround himself by better people and cut ties with the toxic ones. Super happy to have read this.
As far as plot twists go it was well done, I didn't expect who did the gallery, but once it was revealed it made perfect sense. On that note, Leah is freaking awesome, I loved her character so much and when she went off on the person behind the gallery—I was so proud of her. Not to mention she was actually a decent person unlike some of Felix's "friends”.
The ending was really satisfying to read, it was nice to see Felix find himself a bit more and surround himself by better people and cut ties with the toxic ones. Super happy to have read this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, and Transphobia
Minor: Dysphoria and Deadnaming
diana_raquel's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.0
*4.5 stars*
"It's easier to accept hurt and pain, sometimes, than love and acceptance."
Look at me! I'm late for the party! Again! Honestly, because of the hype that this book got when it let's try". Turns out I really liked this book. It has really good character development (especially when it comes to issues of identity). True, sometimes, Felix came across as a little whiny to me (look, I understand that a lot that happened in the book was horrible, and for the most part I was on team "Felix", but there were instances when I was rolling my eyes because I don't have patience for "teen/ schoolyard bullshit"), but I still was rooting for him and I really liked his development as a character because that development felt realistic and measured, not rushed.
Another thing that I really appreciated was the pacing. Things were not rushed and everything fell into place at the right time, giving time to the characters to digest everything good and bad that happened. It also gave time to the readers to get to know the major characters. Also, I couldn't figure out who was the one to outed Felix, and that's a thing that I liked about books that involved mysteries because it gets me engaged in the book.
I think that the only thing a little more negative that I have to say is that I don't agree with the end. Look, this has nothing to do with the book itself because the end actually makes a lot of sense, it just that the trope used its not my kind of trope. It's more of a "me thing" than a "book thing".
Overall, I really recommend this book. It's a solid story about discovering your identity, perfect for every lover of "YA" literature.
"It's easier to accept hurt and pain, sometimes, than love and acceptance."
Look at me! I'm late for the party! Again! Honestly, because of the hype that this book got when it let's try". Turns out I really liked this book. It has really good character development (especially when it comes to issues of identity). True, sometimes, Felix came across as a little whiny to me (look, I understand that a lot that happened in the book was horrible, and for the most part I was on team "Felix", but there were instances when I was rolling my eyes because I don't have patience for "teen/ schoolyard bullshit"), but I still was rooting for him and I really liked his development as a character because that development felt realistic and measured, not rushed.
Another thing that I really appreciated was the pacing. Things were not rushed and everything fell into place at the right time, giving time to the characters to digest everything good and bad that happened. It also gave time to the readers to get to know the major characters. Also, I couldn't figure out who was the one to outed Felix, and that's a thing that I liked about books that involved mysteries because it gets me engaged in the book.
I think that the only thing a little more negative that I have to say is that I don't agree with the end. Look, this has nothing to do with the book itself because the end actually makes a lot of sense
Spoiler
(but, I'm a sucker for the "enemies to lovers" trope and, because of that, I would prefer that Felix ended up with Declan instead of Ezra)Overall, I really recommend this book. It's a solid story about discovering your identity, perfect for every lover of "YA" literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Deadnaming, Outing, Racism, Sexism, Misogyny, and Transphobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Drug use, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Sexual content