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readershark's reviews
193 reviews
Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White
5.0
Perfectly paced, wonderfully developed, and effortlessly diverse, Hell Followed With Us is a book unafraid to be itself, even if it's monstrous. This book is a love letter to trans boys, monsters, and those of us who are both.
***
*ARC provided by NetGalley*
When I first saw the deal for this book, I ran towards it. It pulled me from every angle–trans, gay, dystopian, survivalist, monsters, literally just everything I could want in a book. I had high hopes for it and it absolutely delivers. This is my first five stars of 2022 and it feels joyous to find a book I love with my whole heart.
Despite being quite long for the genre, YA Horror/Dystopian, the book keeps pace. There's never a lagging moment, never something that feels too short or hurried, and despite the POV changes, nothing is confusing. Although I wasn't expecting the few scattered in, I do feel like they help enhance the story and the plot instead of just random changes. Structurally and technically, this book is sound and strong and I loved every second of it.
Benji is a fantastic main character. He's angry, he's frothing at the mouth, and he's going to do something about it. His rage is palpable, I can feel the heat simmering off the page. But he's also a kid, and insecure, and figuring himself out, and scared, and so, so brave. One thing I really loved is that Benji's trauma is not shed as he steps into ALC. It follows him, no pun intended, and it shapes who he is. He has to continually unlearn things shoved down his throat, he has doubts, he has things he is learning to cope with and overcome. It's part of the story and part of him, and I feel like overcoming trauma is something easily put aside in a lot of teen-based media, even when the kids in question have been through hell and back. I loved that this story confronts it. I also love that Benji is never made to forgive his abuser, even if she's family. I hate that trope!! Endlessly happy it was not present here.
The soft romance with Nick, the development of all the side characters and all of the identities of the ALC were so refreshing to see. This book is effortlessly diverse, just like life is, and I loved that. Also, for Calvin, iykyk, and it's so funny. Love it.
This book does important things, too. It addresses the toxicity amongst cis gays in the LGBT community. It doesn't shy away from it, and it warms my heart that this book is going to kids. Not only that, it discusses how dysphoria is different for everyone, that you don't have to hate yourself to the grave and back to be trans. My dysphoria is severe in that stereotypical type of way, but I know that's not the case for everyone, and my experience does not shape trans experiences as a whole. Benji talking about his own dysphoria, what parts of himself do and don't give it to him, and even talking about clothing the way this book does is so, so important. I am so glad trans kids will have something like this as they learn about the trans community and themselves. There's conversations in here for everyone, sure, but I also feel like there's nuggets of things in here that only trans readers will know 100%, and I love that.
There's a long running trope in trans media, which is likening transness, likening this thing inside us, to a monster. It's an age old metaphor for being trans, which is why you'll find trans people flocking to monster media and understanding shape-shifting monsters or shunned monsters, etc, etc. This book takes that trope and turns it on its head. Trans people are told again and again that our transness is monstrous, festering, evil and sinful. Benji is a monster, and his transness is the most holy thing about him. He is as much a monster as he is trans, and he is kind, he is loving, he is more humane than those who created him. To use this metaphor as a positive, to show that our monsters are beautiful and intrinsic, to take this narrative and tell us we are monsters and we are whole, we are monsters and we are good, after a lifetime of people demonizing me for it, yeah, it made me cry a little.
This book is everything I asked for and more. I love it so, so much and am so excited for it's formal release.
"It feels like there's something writhing in my gut and erupting into screaming fury. Six wings outstretched and crying HOLY, HOLY, HOLY."
***
*ARC provided by NetGalley*
When I first saw the deal for this book, I ran towards it. It pulled me from every angle–trans, gay, dystopian, survivalist, monsters, literally just everything I could want in a book. I had high hopes for it and it absolutely delivers. This is my first five stars of 2022 and it feels joyous to find a book I love with my whole heart.
Despite being quite long for the genre, YA Horror/Dystopian, the book keeps pace. There's never a lagging moment, never something that feels too short or hurried, and despite the POV changes, nothing is confusing. Although I wasn't expecting the few scattered in, I do feel like they help enhance the story and the plot instead of just random changes. Structurally and technically, this book is sound and strong and I loved every second of it.
Benji is a fantastic main character. He's angry, he's frothing at the mouth, and he's going to do something about it. His rage is palpable, I can feel the heat simmering off the page. But he's also a kid, and insecure, and figuring himself out, and scared, and so, so brave. One thing I really loved is that Benji's trauma is not shed as he steps into ALC. It follows him, no pun intended, and it shapes who he is. He has to continually unlearn things shoved down his throat, he has doubts, he has things he is learning to cope with and overcome. It's part of the story and part of him, and I feel like overcoming trauma is something easily put aside in a lot of teen-based media, even when the kids in question have been through hell and back. I loved that this story confronts it. I also love that Benji is never made to forgive his abuser, even if she's family. I hate that trope!! Endlessly happy it was not present here.
The soft romance with Nick, the development of all the side characters and all of the identities of the ALC were so refreshing to see. This book is effortlessly diverse, just like life is, and I loved that. Also, for Calvin, iykyk, and it's so funny. Love it.
This book does important things, too. It addresses the toxicity amongst cis gays in the LGBT community. It doesn't shy away from it, and it warms my heart that this book is going to kids. Not only that, it discusses how dysphoria is different for everyone, that you don't have to hate yourself to the grave and back to be trans. My dysphoria is severe in that stereotypical type of way, but I know that's not the case for everyone, and my experience does not shape trans experiences as a whole. Benji talking about his own dysphoria, what parts of himself do and don't give it to him, and even talking about clothing the way this book does is so, so important. I am so glad trans kids will have something like this as they learn about the trans community and themselves. There's conversations in here for everyone, sure, but I also feel like there's nuggets of things in here that only trans readers will know 100%, and I love that.
There's a long running trope in trans media, which is likening transness, likening this thing inside us, to a monster. It's an age old metaphor for being trans, which is why you'll find trans people flocking to monster media and understanding shape-shifting monsters or shunned monsters, etc, etc. This book takes that trope and turns it on its head. Trans people are told again and again that our transness is monstrous, festering, evil and sinful. Benji is a monster, and his transness is the most holy thing about him. He is as much a monster as he is trans, and he is kind, he is loving, he is more humane than those who created him. To use this metaphor as a positive, to show that our monsters are beautiful and intrinsic, to take this narrative and tell us we are monsters and we are whole, we are monsters and we are good, after a lifetime of people demonizing me for it, yeah, it made me cry a little.
This book is everything I asked for and more. I love it so, so much and am so excited for it's formal release.
"It feels like there's something writhing in my gut and erupting into screaming fury. Six wings outstretched and crying HOLY, HOLY, HOLY."