A review by obscurepages
Both Can Be True by Jules Machias

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 Wow wow wow.

This book is all kinds of beautiful and heartfelt. 🥺 From Ash's journey into accepting who they are, to discussions about gender and how people always unnecessarily gender things and even emotions, to asking for forgiveness, to seeing another point of view in someone else's shoes and understanding them, to themes of friendship and family, and more. Above all, this book is also a testament to how parents/adults have such a big impact on children, especially when it comes to their identity, their gender, their sexuality.

This is just so, so wonderful, and so damn relatable for me too (although, that is a story for another day, and a lot of self-reflection is needed 😂). Overall, this book is incredible, one that should be read by both kids and adults.

Thank you so much to Harper Collins/The Shelf Stuff for sending a copy my way! This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

CW: bullying, deadnaming, transphobia, animal deaths/injury 

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