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A review by sasinshort
The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez
5.0
Disclaimer: While I hope this review is helpful, I should mention Jasper is one of my best friends, so I am not the most impartial reader.
In his acknowledgements, Jasper talks about writing this book for his past self, but also for the readers of today, to stay with them and hopefully inspire them. I would have loved to have this book as a questioning queer teen, but I'm so lucky to have it now. To learn and grow from its optimistic but never naïve politics, and feel empowered and comforted by its sense of queer love and community.
This book is challenging. It contains complex ideas and historical and political references, yes, but above all it challenges the reader to reimagine the possibilities society presents for political action, at both the local and national level. It asks probing questions about the limits of aspects of modern feminism, liberal politics, and a “gay” rights movement that elides the full spectrum of queer identities and lives. These teens are a lot smarter than I was in high school, and may talk about theory and complex concepts, but I believe that teens today are a lot smarter than my peers and I were in HS. They have so many sources and outlets for political expression and ways to learn about the world, and to learn how to change it.
I have to mention, however, that this book is also fun, and funny, and full of vibrant characters. I loved getting to spend time with Mark and his friends, not just on the campaign trail but also at open mic nights and birthday sleepovers. I wasn’t out, even to myself, in high school, and it is so wonderful to see queer teens open and joyful with one another.
Take my (biased, but honest) advice: pick up this book. Read it, laugh and cry and cheer. Let it inspire you to take a little more action, ask the harder questions of society, and believe that we will make things better.
In his acknowledgements, Jasper talks about writing this book for his past self, but also for the readers of today, to stay with them and hopefully inspire them. I would have loved to have this book as a questioning queer teen, but I'm so lucky to have it now. To learn and grow from its optimistic but never naïve politics, and feel empowered and comforted by its sense of queer love and community.
This book is challenging. It contains complex ideas and historical and political references, yes, but above all it challenges the reader to reimagine the possibilities society presents for political action, at both the local and national level. It asks probing questions about the limits of aspects of modern feminism, liberal politics, and a “gay” rights movement that elides the full spectrum of queer identities and lives. These teens are a lot smarter than I was in high school, and may talk about theory and complex concepts, but I believe that teens today are a lot smarter than my peers and I were in HS. They have so many sources and outlets for political expression and ways to learn about the world, and to learn how to change it.
I have to mention, however, that this book is also fun, and funny, and full of vibrant characters. I loved getting to spend time with Mark and his friends, not just on the campaign trail but also at open mic nights and birthday sleepovers. I wasn’t out, even to myself, in high school, and it is so wonderful to see queer teens open and joyful with one another.
Take my (biased, but honest) advice: pick up this book. Read it, laugh and cry and cheer. Let it inspire you to take a little more action, ask the harder questions of society, and believe that we will make things better.