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A review by leahsbooks
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed the Christina Lauren book I read for an adult audience, but I wasn't sure how their talents would translate to the YA market. Turns out I had no cause for concern, because this was knocked out of the park. I was a bit confused at first, since there were two narrators listed, but the second didn't appear until close to the end of the book.
The characters were all so well-crafted, and it was easy to feel connected to them. Tanner, Autumn, Sebastian, and even the side characters felt as though they could easily be real people. The connections between the main characters were so poignant, and I loved how they supported each other. For people who don't get the support they need from birth family, friends become found family, the way they do in this book.
Although I know very little about the Mormon religion and the people who practice it, this book went a long way to break down the stereotypes surrounding them in a sensitive way. I learned a lot more about the practices, especially the emphasis on service, and not just the proselytizing and homophobia that is more well-known. It broke my heart to see how the church and people who belong to it views being gay as more of a choice, and is so willing to shun members, or even people in their family for being gay. It especially hit hard when it was contrasted to Tanner's incredibly supportive family.
This story was incredibly moving, and I loved how it incorporated school, friendship, family relationships, with the added complexity of religion and being LGBT. This is such an important story to tell, and I'm glad that it was done so beautifully. This is one of my favorite Pride Month books, and I'm so grateful that my library highlighted it so that I came across it.
The characters were all so well-crafted, and it was easy to feel connected to them. Tanner, Autumn, Sebastian, and even the side characters felt as though they could easily be real people. The connections between the main characters were so poignant, and I loved how they supported each other. For people who don't get the support they need from birth family, friends become found family, the way they do in this book.
Although I know very little about the Mormon religion and the people who practice it, this book went a long way to break down the stereotypes surrounding them in a sensitive way. I learned a lot more about the practices, especially the emphasis on service, and not just the proselytizing and homophobia that is more well-known. It broke my heart to see how the church and people who belong to it views being gay as more of a choice, and is so willing to shun members, or even people in their family for being gay. It especially hit hard when it was contrasted to Tanner's incredibly supportive family.
This story was incredibly moving, and I loved how it incorporated school, friendship, family relationships, with the added complexity of religion and being LGBT. This is such an important story to tell, and I'm glad that it was done so beautifully. This is one of my favorite Pride Month books, and I'm so grateful that my library highlighted it so that I came across it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry