A review by peytonsreads
Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

dark emotional funny 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

ahhh, i adored this. as a cis person, it is really important to read diversely and learn about trans people’s experiences. i think the story of pony was a perfect read. 

stay gold does not shy away from the difficult parts of being trans. i found myself feeling upset, distraught, and angry for our main character. in a world where transphobia surrounds him and all he wants to be is //normal//, we see how truly difficult and exhausting that can be. pony’s character is a fantastic representation of how hard it is to live as a trans individual. 

i also really loved the side characters. georgia especially. while there were several points in the book where i was so angry with her, i think that her learning experience can be a model to those of us who aren’t trans. georgia shows us how easy acceptance really is in the end. she is imperfect, but she takes the initiative to learn, which is a really important lesson.

i think stay gold is a fantastic story that teenagers and adults could benefit from, learning how to support the trans people in your life while also gaining insight to the harsh realities of being trans in america. 
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