This was a groundbreaking book for me personally. From the cover, it seems more like a love story - but that’s a relatively small component of it. It’s really a story about the main character’s journey to love and accept themself as a non-binary person. .

It is definitely a queer narrative, but in a lot of ways, plot-wise, it’s pretty typical YA. The fact that this book achieved both of these - situating the queer experience in this way - is beautiful all by itself. There aren’t many books that center non-binary characters - and certainly fewer that represent them so well. Another book that I read recently did have a non-binary main character and I enjoyed it, but as well researched as it had been, there was still something out of place. And I thinks it’s because this book is #OwnVoices. It is smooth and really feels authentic.

I absolutely loved this book and felt so incredibly seen in a way that I’ve never experienced before in fiction. Ben’s story is not mine, but I still see so much of myself in their character. I have liked and identified with so many characters before, but this was the first time I’ve ever cried because I’ve been able to really see myself in a fictional character so well. I was so impressed with how well they described gender dysphoria in a way that (to me) seemed to transcend AGAB in some scenes.

From the cover, you know that Ben deals with some negativity because of their identity because of familial rejection, but there is a lot internally as well. Deaver handles it in a way that was realistic without being overwhelmingly sad. the way that their internal dialogue is really hit home to me and Deaver managed to balance that well with some of the external positives. 

I am absolutely in love with this book and would recommend it - especially to nonbinary people who have a hard time finding themselves in literature.