Scan barcode
A review by penandswordinn
Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe by Lindsay S. Zrull
4.0
What can I say about Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe? This book is for lovers of fandom, artistry, and those who have a history with the foster care system.
Our protagonist Jess has been a foster care kid for some years, so she is ready to not get attached to her new foster mom or the kids at her school. Her mother's mental illness haunts her and leaves her worrying that one day her own mind will fight her for control. Then she meets a group of cosplayers who plan on going to New York, right to where her bio mom is waiting for her.
This book held a lot of conversations about mental illness, the foster care system, and being a nerd. For a lot of young people, all three of those can reflect on their own life and experiences. It is especially scary for those who have a history of schizophrenia in the family because the idea of genetically inheriting the illness is very true and relevant to their lives.
I was kind of surprised how the group was made fun of for dressing up as their favorite characters. I know high school is full of mean teenagers, but it seems like a more accepted thing nowadays to be into nerdy things such as this.
I think Jess' relationship with her bio mom was very realistic for a foster kid, especially one her age. Even though she would have conversations with herself about her mother's mental health and how it was deteriorating, she still held out hope that her mom would be fine and better and that the two could be a family again. The real image she gets of her mother is heartbreaking but it's a heartbreak she needed to finally move forward.
Overall, I enjoyed this read and think any kid can benefit from picking it up!
Our protagonist Jess has been a foster care kid for some years, so she is ready to not get attached to her new foster mom or the kids at her school. Her mother's mental illness haunts her and leaves her worrying that one day her own mind will fight her for control. Then she meets a group of cosplayers who plan on going to New York, right to where her bio mom is waiting for her.
This book held a lot of conversations about mental illness, the foster care system, and being a nerd. For a lot of young people, all three of those can reflect on their own life and experiences. It is especially scary for those who have a history of schizophrenia in the family because the idea of genetically inheriting the illness is very true and relevant to their lives.
I was kind of surprised how the group was made fun of for dressing up as their favorite characters. I know high school is full of mean teenagers, but it seems like a more accepted thing nowadays to be into nerdy things such as this.
I think Jess' relationship with her bio mom was very realistic for a foster kid, especially one her age. Even though she would have conversations with herself about her mother's mental health and how it was deteriorating, she still held out hope that her mom would be fine and better and that the two could be a family again. The real image she gets of her mother is heartbreaking but it's a heartbreak she needed to finally move forward.
Overall, I enjoyed this read and think any kid can benefit from picking it up!