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A review by halliedb
Ciel by Sophie LaBelle
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really like #ownvoices books, especially for young readers. That is why I really wanted to love this book. It is clear that the author put a lot of heart in this book, especially with the protagonist, Ciel. I also loved their best friend, Stephie. However, there was not much of a plot at all to this story. I understand the author comes from a background of writing comics, and that makes a lot of sense when reading this. It probably would have made a very good weekly webcomic, seeing what Ciel is up to every week. However, as a novel, I feel it needed a tighter plot. Overall, I felt the representation was really good, and it might be a good way to teach younger readers about trans issues, but I am not sure how entertained an average kid would be by it. Also, it is great for younger trans readers who could see themselves in Ciel and the other trans characters in this book. I really wish the plot was better, because I feel like it had the potential to be a masterpiece.
I really like #ownvoices books, especially for young readers. That is why I really wanted to love this book. It is clear that the author put a lot of heart in this book, especially with the protagonist, Ciel. I also loved their best friend, Stephie. However, there was not much of a plot at all to this story. I understand the author comes from a background of writing comics, and that makes a lot of sense when reading this. It probably would have made a very good weekly webcomic, seeing what Ciel is up to every week. However, as a novel, I feel it needed a tighter plot. Overall, I felt the representation was really good, and it might be a good way to teach younger readers about trans issues, but I am not sure how entertained an average kid would be by it. Also, it is great for younger trans readers who could see themselves in Ciel and the other trans characters in this book. I really wish the plot was better, because I feel like it had the potential to be a masterpiece.