Reviews with content warning for Body shaming - Felix Ever After

This was really sweet and it made me so emotional. I couldn’t stand the love triangle (I did like both guys but the catfishing made me so anxious) but other than that and some things I found annoying in Felix I really enjoyed reading this . I loved most of the characters and I loved getting to read about Felix opening up to love and learning more about himself and his identity.

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emilyhv's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

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analenegrace's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was actually quite enjoyable until the end and i probably would have rated it higher had

Felix not ended up with Ezra instead of Declan.

I enjoyed the authors writing style and it felt like a very quick read even though it was not particularly short. Felix’s exploration of gender identity after initial transition was well-written (from a cis perspective) and their writing of the various characters and identities represented was well-done. I also enjoyed the ways Felix’s friends, for the most part, rallied around him and defended him.

i really enjoyed Declan’s character and i wish we had had more of him throughout, it felt like his character arc abruptly ended in favor of

Ezra’s crush on Felix, which he seemed to reciprocate out of nowhere.

Declan’s character felt the most complicated out of all of the characters, with everyone else being clearly written as good or bad

with exception of Austin’s twist of having done the gallery which made sense in terms of his character.

The Romance between Ezra and Felix is definitely where this book lost me, as i really did think up until that point that Declan and Felix were going to be together and even when they spent time with his grandfather, their chemistry was better than Felix’s with Ezra. Usually I root for a best friend to lovers plot, but the plot with Declan felt more genuine and earnest and like Felix chose to pursue Ezra because he felt like he didn’t have another option with Declan still angry with him over the catfishing.

I’d be interested in reading other things the author has written as I did still enjoy it!

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nemoslittlelibrary's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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nytephoenyx's review against another edition

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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.

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