Thank you to Quill Tree Books for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review.
In this tender, nuanced coming-of-age love story, two boys—one who is cis and one who is trans—have been guarding their hearts to protect themselves, until their feelings for each other give them a reason to stand up to their fears. Two boys are starting at a new school. Jules is just figuring out what it means to be gay and hasn’t totally decided whether he wants to be out at his new school. His parents and friends have all kinds of opinions, but for his part, Jules just wants to make the basketball team and keep his head down. Jack is trying to start over after a best friend break-up. He followed his actor father clear across the country to LA, but he’s also totally ready to leave his past behind. Maybe this new school where no one knows him is exactly what he needs. When the two boys meet, the sparks are undeniable. But then a video surfaces linking Jack to a pair of popular transgender vloggers, and the revelations about Jack’s past thrust both Jack and Jules into the spotlight they’ve been trying to avoid. Suddenly both boys have a choice to make—between lying low where it’s easier or following their hearts. Honestly, I have mixed opinions about this book. On one hand, It’s a sweet coming-of-age story about two boys falling in love while figuring out what queerness means to them. On the other hand, the prose didn’t quite sell it for me. A few scenes felt more like telling than showing, and a lot of the backstory was told through blog posts that I felt could have come together more clearly to share that part of the narrative in a more efficient way. The thing I enjoyed most about this novel is the clear role of the parents in these characters’ lives. The contrast between having supportive parents and absent or openly homophobic & transphobic parents makes for such a difference in a queer teen’s life. There are a variety of parenting styles exhibited in this novel—Jules has a controlling mom and absent dad, whereas Jack has a very supportive set mom and a dad who is mildly selfish but ultimately trying his best. The impact of each of these relationships on the teens is felt throughout the story. I think it’s extremely important for queer readers to possibly see their lived experiences echoed this way, and for straight readers to understand the ways that queer people’s lives are impacted by their family relationships. I'm giving All Kinds of Other 4/5 stars. One small note: I don’t like it when readers dictate who is allowed to tell what stories, especially when it comes to queer YA. Authors are not obligated to reveal their personal identities and experiences in order to write, however I feel that it is important for me to note that this story has not been labeled by the publisher as an own-voices story in that the author is gay but not trans. If reading stories by out trans authors is important for you, here are several as a start: The (Un)popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez, Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith, Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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