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nibs's review against another edition
- 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 didn't know what to expect, but this book blew any expectations out of the water. I thought I had aged out of YA as a genre, but this book pulled me back in. Its characters and themes are real and complex, and are relatable as parts of a wider world, not just for teenagers.
I would say this book is at the level of my other queer & trans YA fave, Felix Ever After. The characters are very flawed but relatable, trying to figure themselves out and work out how to get through the world. It is also such a queer book - touching on identity & found family, but also hard things like isolation & homelessness, while offering hope for the way things can be better.
Also intersectionality is a core aspect of this book. Race, class and queerness and so other areas play a role in the character's lives.
The Truth Is I am going to be reccing this book a lot, it was amazing.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Animal death, Self harm, and Sexual assault
myhomextheroad's review
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Blood
cheye13's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"The truth is, loving myself is not a given. It's hard work sometimes."
15yo Verdad is struggling with her best friend's death, navigating a complicated family life, and exploring who she is. This journey leads her to a group of queer teens, and through helping her new friends heal, she begins her own healing process.
The first thing that caught me was the realism; how genuinely young the narrator sounds, how tumultous and intense high school is, how nebulous questioning one's identity gets. I've never read a more authentic depiction of intersectionality in action.
The second thing that caught my attention, buried a little behind Verdad's abrasively honest youth, was the beauty of the writing. There is poetry on every page and a thread of magical realism throughout and the stream of consciousness style seamlessly immerses readers in Verdad's mind.
This book was a hidden gem that I would've been too scared to pick up had I known what heavy subject matter it addresses. For those afraid for the same reasons, I think it's important to know that the end
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Blood
The story focuses mostly on healing in the aftermath of the characters' traumas, so a lot of these topics are discussed as past events rather than directly depicted.