WOW....I mean WOW. This story was so heart wrenching. I don't even really know how to explain the feeling that I have right now regarding this book. I was so enraged, and sad, and disgusted with human indecency during this book. I was also totally and fully overwhelmed by the compassion I felt for the MC. She was so "real" to me in this book.
Being a teenager is hard enough. I cannot even grasp how hard it would be to find out that you were intersex and that the whole school found out about it. Why is it when people are so threatened by what they don't know. Why can't teenagers grasp that when someone finds out something so devastating to them it would be easier to just accept and support them, rather than to discard and ridicule them. This is where the human indecency was just too much for me to handle sometimes.
Kristen's whole world was turned upside down. As if her life hadn't been hard enough loosing her mother to cancer, but then she finds out that she is intersex. She has some male chromosomes. Her boyfriends first reaction is to throw her to the curb....Because he thinks it makes HIM looks bad. Seriously. That is the first time I cried in this book. I knew that this girls life was going to be put under a microscope, and torn apart by here peers.
Thankfully there are a few who stand by her and try to help her though it. This book made me realize that I hope I am teaching my kids that no matter what people matter. Their sex, their sexual preference, their color, race, religion anything, doesn't matter. They are human beings. A child of God. Nothing else should ever matter. Love is accepting all people no matter their circumstance.
Kristen's struggle through this book felt so raw, and so real. My heart ached during this book. Until a few people...not very many, but a few people finally made Kristen realize she is still loved no matter what. It helped redeem some of the human indecency in this book. She wanted to be accepted and loved. Just like ever other teenager in the world. I am not saying all teenagers are easy to love...hehe. Kristen was though. She had a great heart, was a loyal friend, and just so happened to be dealt a different card than her peers.
Her struggle to accept who she was made my tears flow freely. I think there are so many great lessons to be learned from this book. Awareness, being the most important. When people understand things they fear them a lot less. Even so, it is never okay to make another human feel as though they don't belong. Ever.
I think that every child and parent should read this book. It does have some language in it, and I never condone teenage sex, so it totally would have been a 6 star book for me if there wasn't, but even with that I think it is an important book to read. It's a work of fiction, but it doesn't matter. There is such a gripping message to this story, in my opinion. Even the authors notes, and suggestions at the end of the book were so fantastic. Touched me more than I can even explain in words.
Source: I bought this book for myself. I was not compensated in any way for this review. These are my own PERSONAL feelings about the book.
Content: There is a little descriptive sex scenes, but not too graphic, and there is language.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Reviews with images
Pretty Problematic
This book had some good moments, some questionable moments, and some moments that failed to get me to connect to the characters. This was the first book I've read about being intersex, and while I recognize the book was well-researched, I felt that this approachable YA written by a founder of the We Need More Diverse Books group had too many faults to be completely enjoyable.I can only imagine (poorly) what it would be like to discover you have AIS well into your teens. It may be confusing, scary at first, worrisome, and cause you to feel a loss of a sense of identity or secure sense of self for some. That is exactly what the character felt. I felt that this part was portrayed well. I also liked that the author wasn't afraid to use the word "hermaphrodite" in the story along with portraying the real stigma, ignorance, and even violence people have in this area. Finally, the betrayal, sense of abandonment, and shift in support system also packed a punch. All of this made the story more real-to-life and taught me so much about the kind of adversity intersex people (along with many others who are queer) face.Unfortunately, all of these realistic, heartbreaking moments were trampled over by all of the tone deaf and unchecked sexism in the book. I would understand sexism and other forms of gender discrimination being a part of the story arch for the main character and how she and those around her view herself and our gender norms overtime, but this was completely lacking.Not only did the character obsess over if she was a girl or not (which may very well be accurate for many with this experience) but she constantly assigned and pigeon-holed people into gender stereotypes throughout the novel. Her dad likes to cook brunch on Sundays? Well, he has to be dubbed "Mr. Mom" during those moments. Her friend who is handling everything poorly is a "bitch," her dad who is new at running but trying for his daughter who feels lost at the moment "runs like a girl."Phrases like these peppered every other page and went unchecked and unchanged. For a novel that blatantly wanted to cover the gray areas of gender identity and went out of its way to correctly state that sex chromosomes and genitalia, gender identity, and sexuality are all separate things and that gender is a social construct, it did a poor job of bringing these points home. I was just disappointed and uncomfortable with the ignorance that even the main character stubbornly portrayed. Maybe, though, others will find this slow-to-learn narrative realistic and relatable and thus powerful.There were a lot of heavy topics covered in this book, but I felt a lot of it was thrown in there for padding, brownie points, or entertainment rather than contributing to the discussion. I prefer to read books that tackle all the hard subjects brought up since it was a deliberate choice by the author and can be triggering or therapeutic for some readers and thus should be given proper attention and closure. I don't believe this was done well for the mother's cancer and resulting grief of the family, a character's bisexual dad, and the bigotted bullying and attempted hate crime/sexual assault. This last event really had me fuming as it was not only completely unnecessary to the narrative, but actually served as a catalyst for the character to "pull herself together" as her "friends" tell her to do. Real life doesn't always have happy endings, supportive friends, or resolutions, but a book that is trying to provide solace to a marginalized group of people should try.Don't get me wrong, I like that the book ended open-ended and hopeful (I actually love these endings), I just wanted some of the loose ends for the side characters to be tied up some so that their struggles didn't feel diminished to entertainment and plot conveniences.I spent a lot of time explaining the weaker, negative points of the story because it's important to discuss how to be better, which also includes me. I'd be glad for anyone to call me out on things that rubbed them the wrong way in my review or where I completely missed the mark. I completely understand that my perspective and opinion isn't the only one out there and want to learn from others. Reading books like this, even if they didn't hit me as hard as I wanted them to, help me grow and learn.Overall, this was a fast read with diverse (though tokenized) characters (Asian side character, single and widowed father, side character with bisexual dad, lesbian side characters) that was well-researched and well-intentioned. For those that have read it, it acts as a great jumping off point for more reads like this. In fact, one of the things I appreciated about this book is the author's note that illustrates how well researched the book is, gives readers links to resources, and lists other books (both fiction and non-fiction) to read more about this experience. For those that haven't read it and younger, sensitive, and/or less discerning readers, I wouldn't recommend it. I think it brings up more problematic things than it challenges.TW: loss of a parent from cancer (told not depicted), grief, attempted suicide (depicted), struggle with identity, cyberbullying, hate crime/attempted assault, depression
Top reviews from other countries
S. Corrance
Speedy delivery, great condition. A++
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2022
Helen W
An interesting read on a little understood topic. Recommended.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 2, 2016
Lauras_Book_Addiction
Lauras_Book_Addiction
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2017