A review by genny
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

3.5

I found this heartwarming and I really liked the characters (I didn't expect Julian to radiate such strong golden retriever energy!). However, the plot was very predictable, which did subtract from my personal enjoyment. It's easy to guess the perpetrator and their motive behind the attacks...and I'm someone who doesn't often pick up on obvious clues. The writing style wasn't my taste but I'm keeping the target demographic in mind; I do think younger readers would benefit from the clear, straightforward language used to discuss issues like transphobia and grief. The ending felt like that of a feel-good movie, which is a nice thing!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Murder

Yadriel gets deadnamed, though the name itself is never shown in the text. Though people in his family and community aren't actively hostile about his sexuality, some are still uncomfortable/confused and haven't fully accepted him. A character is described to have abusive parents. Some characters wake up in a hospital after being dealt with physical violence.