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A review by inhonoredglory
Stranger Things: Rebel Robin by A.R. Capetta
5.0
This was really well-written for an official fanfic-type book. First and foremost, I appreciate the fact that Capetta is a non-binary author and brings an authentic voice to Robin’s queer experience. As an asexual, I cheered for Robin’s confusion over the dating scene and her longing for an honest-to-God opposite-sex best friend. As a sheltered kid, I related a lot to Robin’s balancing game in her household: “Maybe this is the true curse of being smart… knowing all the ways your bravery might go wrong.” I love Robin’s electric wit, her intelligence, her grounded wisdom about the world, and her dual belief that even though some parts of the world suck (high school, her peers, the accepted “normal”), there are others that are hopeful (Mr. Hauser, Tam, Europe in general, the world itself).
I really found one of the book’s guiding sentiments intriguing: that the deep thinkers of the peer groups are the ones who don’t belong and thus look at life critically and develop a keener intelligence than the average teenager. Mr Hauser identified it as being queer. I always found that attitude as something akin to my Tumblr peers––a mix of being emotionally astute, sharply intelligent, compassionate, sarcastically wise, convicted in their beliefs, sensitive and ofttimes damaged, and identifying with the misfits and oddballs of the world. Are those the qualities of queer culture? Perhaps. I hope so. (A huge amount of grassroots sexuality discourse occurred on Tumblr, circa 2010s.) Mr Hauser reminded me of my favorite English teacher (*wistful*), and I’m really happy Capetta included a representation of the modern-day Safe Space for LGBT+ teens through his character.
All in all, a beautifully-written expansion of the Stranger Things universe, and a lovely deep-dive into Robin Buckley.
I really found one of the book’s guiding sentiments intriguing: that the deep thinkers of the peer groups are the ones who don’t belong and thus look at life critically and develop a keener intelligence than the average teenager. Mr Hauser identified it as being queer. I always found that attitude as something akin to my Tumblr peers––a mix of being emotionally astute, sharply intelligent, compassionate, sarcastically wise, convicted in their beliefs, sensitive and ofttimes damaged, and identifying with the misfits and oddballs of the world. Are those the qualities of queer culture? Perhaps. I hope so. (A huge amount of grassroots sexuality discourse occurred on Tumblr, circa 2010s.) Mr Hauser reminded me of my favorite English teacher (*wistful*), and I’m really happy Capetta included a representation of the modern-day Safe Space for LGBT+ teens through his character.
All in all, a beautifully-written expansion of the Stranger Things universe, and a lovely deep-dive into Robin Buckley.