janine1122 's review for:

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

5.0

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"[He] was right: people really are like houses with vast rooms and tiny windows. And maybe it's a good thing, the way we never stop surprising each other."

This was a great f***ing book. I raced through it, both wanting to see how everything turned out for Simon, and never wanting it to end.

There are so many really great things about this book, but it really succeeds because of its characters, who feel real - flaws and misunderstandings and all. Simon is such a fun character to spend time with -- he's both carefree and worried about those he cares about (most notably blue). He gives people the benefit of the doubt, most of the time, and has a sense of humor and adventure that is just fun. His being gay both defines him, and doesn't at all, and I really appreciated the way that was written. I loved the section of the book where he talks about how coming out should be a right of passage for everyone as they grow up. Straight people should have to deal with the hurdle of announcing they're straight just like gay people are expected to.

I also admired how the parents were written in the book, because parents being 1.) Present, and 2.) realistic is relatively rare in YA books. I always appreciate when parents are depicted in a way that kind of feels like parents. Trying to be cool, mostly embarrassing or awkward, and usually very loving. I loved not only Simon's parents, but his whole family. They're not perfect -- despite how close they are, they also compartmentalize into their individual lives -- and that's what makes them great.

Every character in this book was dealing with their own stuff, and I felt the insecurity and uncertainty of high school was handled well. High school friendships and daily life is rife with misunderstandings, misreadings, and insecurity. It was also nice to see, though, the way Simon's friendships held up under those pressures, and how the friends worked things out with one another.

Okay, okay, one last thing before I stop raving about this book. Yes, it's an LGBT book about a teenage boy coming out to his friends and family. And yes, it's a YA book, so there's conflict and drama. But what's really great about this book in particular is the way that, for the most part, Simon's coming out is just really no big deal. The conflict in the book doesn't stem from his big reveal, not really. It's just a thing that has to happen throughout the course of the story. As I discussed with a friend, the fact that it was handled in that way indicates the way we are progressing as a society.

I'm so sad to leave Simon behind. He was funny, and sweet, and just so lovable. I feel like I'll have to revisit him again one day.