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A review by nichollinlove
I'm a Gay Wizard by V.S. Santoni
2.0
I wanted to love this book. I'm hoping because this book is "Teen Fiction" as stated near the barcode and I am 33 (obviously NOT a teenager) forced me to like it less. I'd really like to give my copy to an actual teenager and hear their own unbiased feedback.
I think the characters themselves are wonderful, they are complex and in desperate need of representation in literature. They are completely relatable to your inner awkward teen self.
Johnny's dialect was confusing at times and made it hard to stay with him as he bounced back and forth between young and old. When I could hang with Johnny, his sweet and gentle soul was a pleasure to be with. Ali was endlessly witty and caring and strong, I really enjoyed her character. Blake, Hunter, Linh were all portrayed realistically to their ages as well.
The author gave insight to some experiences that are endured only by the LGBTQ community and I think he executed those moments well enough. While highlighting these horrible experiences is a necessary evil, I do wish there had been more on how they affected both Johnny and Ali's mental states.
I wasn't as moved by the "magic" aspect of the book. It just felt like it was reaching too much too fast. I couldn't keep the pace of the story under control. I also felt some of the information that supported the plot was flimsy and inconsistent at times. And it was hard to see the world with what I was given sometimes.
I would entertain the idea of reading the second one when it comes around but I am hesitant to be first on the list and will probably wait to see what kind of feedback it gets. I'd really love to see Johnny's future endeavors, but maybe with a more solid plot and voice.
I received this book through Goodreads giveaways and am offering my honest opinion of it. I will do my best to find a younger mind to share this book with and hope it finds them better than it did me.
I think the characters themselves are wonderful, they are complex and in desperate need of representation in literature. They are completely relatable to your inner awkward teen self.
Johnny's dialect was confusing at times and made it hard to stay with him as he bounced back and forth between young and old. When I could hang with Johnny, his sweet and gentle soul was a pleasure to be with. Ali was endlessly witty and caring and strong, I really enjoyed her character. Blake, Hunter, Linh were all portrayed realistically to their ages as well.
The author gave insight to some experiences that are endured only by the LGBTQ community and I think he executed those moments well enough. While highlighting these horrible experiences is a necessary evil, I do wish there had been more on how they affected both Johnny and Ali's mental states.
I wasn't as moved by the "magic" aspect of the book. It just felt like it was reaching too much too fast. I couldn't keep the pace of the story under control. I also felt some of the information that supported the plot was flimsy and inconsistent at times. And it was hard to see the world with what I was given sometimes.
I would entertain the idea of reading the second one when it comes around but I am hesitant to be first on the list and will probably wait to see what kind of feedback it gets. I'd really love to see Johnny's future endeavors, but maybe with a more solid plot and voice.
I received this book through Goodreads giveaways and am offering my honest opinion of it. I will do my best to find a younger mind to share this book with and hope it finds them better than it did me.