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A review by writtenontheflyleaves
Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith π
πππβ¨
π The plot: Pony has just moved to a new school. All he wants is to be treated like just another guy, but since coming out as trans, he's felt like people are treating him differently. He's hoping to fly under the radar here, but on his first day, he meets Georgia - a pretty, popular cheerleader who's falling out of love with the rigid social rules she has to abide by. Falling for a cheerleader is not very low-key. Can they find a way to be themselves, together?
This was a sweet story that is optimistic without being fanciful. It gets you in the heart with both its wholesomeness and the heartbreaking things that Pony has to go through, and I really enjoyed it.
From the start, Pony is a hero you can root for, and I felt very protective of him as he navigated the difficulties of being misgendered, including by his own dad, rejected romantically for being transgender, experiencing dysmorphia and having to hear transphobic language from his friends. He deserves the world and is definitely the heart of this novel, which I thought explored the complexities of being a trans teen really powerfully.
I didn't think the other elements of the novel quite matched up to how real Pony felt - I liked the Evelyn Hugo-esque subplot where Pony gets to know a dying actor, and I thought that Georgia's perspective added a lot to the story the book was telling about self-acceptance, but they did feel less flesh-and-blood than Pony. But honestly, I didn't care that much! I really liked this!
π Read this if you want to read an LGBTQ twist on a classic high school trope, and if you want to read/learn more about the experience of being a trans teen, as McSmith writes this in a way that is really accessible.
π« Avoid it (or at least tread carefully) if you're sensitive to scenes of transphobia, particularly misgendering and deadnaming, including from family members; BIG tw for transphobic violence and suicidal thoughts; homophobia, forced outing and body dysmorphia. There are a lot of potential triggers in this book and there's a list inside the front cover, but personally I think these are balanced by a lot of affirming and uplifting moments!
πππβ¨
π The plot: Pony has just moved to a new school. All he wants is to be treated like just another guy, but since coming out as trans, he's felt like people are treating him differently. He's hoping to fly under the radar here, but on his first day, he meets Georgia - a pretty, popular cheerleader who's falling out of love with the rigid social rules she has to abide by. Falling for a cheerleader is not very low-key. Can they find a way to be themselves, together?
This was a sweet story that is optimistic without being fanciful. It gets you in the heart with both its wholesomeness and the heartbreaking things that Pony has to go through, and I really enjoyed it.
From the start, Pony is a hero you can root for, and I felt very protective of him as he navigated the difficulties of being misgendered, including by his own dad, rejected romantically for being transgender, experiencing dysmorphia and having to hear transphobic language from his friends. He deserves the world and is definitely the heart of this novel, which I thought explored the complexities of being a trans teen really powerfully.
I didn't think the other elements of the novel quite matched up to how real Pony felt - I liked the Evelyn Hugo-esque subplot where Pony gets to know a dying actor, and I thought that Georgia's perspective added a lot to the story the book was telling about self-acceptance, but they did feel less flesh-and-blood than Pony. But honestly, I didn't care that much! I really liked this!
π Read this if you want to read an LGBTQ twist on a classic high school trope, and if you want to read/learn more about the experience of being a trans teen, as McSmith writes this in a way that is really accessible.
π« Avoid it (or at least tread carefully) if you're sensitive to scenes of transphobia, particularly misgendering and deadnaming, including from family members; BIG tw for transphobic violence and suicidal thoughts; homophobia, forced outing and body dysmorphia. There are a lot of potential triggers in this book and there's a list inside the front cover, but personally I think these are balanced by a lot of affirming and uplifting moments!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Violence, and Dysphoria