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A review by bookstolivewith
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I do not know why it took me so long to read Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender but it might be my favorite book of the year! Felix and Ezra (and Leah! love her too) are fun, warm and loving characters who I want to befriend and hang out with every single day. (TW: transphobia, sexism and homophobia.)
It was such a big book in so many ways, dealing with really heavy topics such as sexuality and gender identity, but it’s still so incredibly relatable, light-hearted and fun. It’s a YA book but that just makes it stronger to me — because it’s not adults who are set in their ways having to push against boundaries, it’s about modern (but still flawed and biased) teenagers who are dealing, changing and growing constantly just like all teenagers ever since the history of time. Felix Ever After is the kind of book that would’ve totally changed my worldview in high school.
I love how art and specifically self-portrait plays a role in this story. It draws on so many literary themes, used by famous authors of yore, and yet turns them on their head as well. I’m particularly drawn to a comparison between this and The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, as both are about art, power and self-representation. I really want to write that essay (tbh, sometimes you just can’t leave the English major behind).
If you haven’t read Felix Ever After, please do so! I think it’s a great beginner read for learning more about trans individuals, since it’s highly readable and the information is digestible because it’s written for a younger audience, but it’s also just a delightful YA romance that gave me butterflies multiple times and lowkey made me wish I was a teen at a summer program in NYC. Callender has a fan for life, and I can’t wait to see what they put out next!
It was such a big book in so many ways, dealing with really heavy topics such as sexuality and gender identity, but it’s still so incredibly relatable, light-hearted and fun. It’s a YA book but that just makes it stronger to me — because it’s not adults who are set in their ways having to push against boundaries, it’s about modern (but still flawed and biased) teenagers who are dealing, changing and growing constantly just like all teenagers ever since the history of time. Felix Ever After is the kind of book that would’ve totally changed my worldview in high school.
I love how art and specifically self-portrait plays a role in this story. It draws on so many literary themes, used by famous authors of yore, and yet turns them on their head as well. I’m particularly drawn to a comparison between this and The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, as both are about art, power and self-representation. I really want to write that essay (tbh, sometimes you just can’t leave the English major behind).
If you haven’t read Felix Ever After, please do so! I think it’s a great beginner read for learning more about trans individuals, since it’s highly readable and the information is digestible because it’s written for a younger audience, but it’s also just a delightful YA romance that gave me butterflies multiple times and lowkey made me wish I was a teen at a summer program in NYC. Callender has a fan for life, and I can’t wait to see what they put out next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism