Felix Ever After

Felix Ever After is as beautiful a story as its cover. Felix is a trans artist who lives in New York City. More than anything, he wants to get into Brown. But deep down he worries that he isn't good enough. And not just for Brown; for a lot of things. Fundamentally, Felix feels undeserving. He's unsure of his talent, unsure of his worth, and more and more, unsure of his identity. Right after he thought he finally had it figured out. This book is as relatable as it is unique. Blessedly, and this is rarer in YA than you might think, the characters talk how young people talk. The pop culture references aren't grating or obtrusive. The funny parts are funny without the author having to identify them as such. Callender describes complex topics in an enlightening way without being too formal or preachy. Instead of Felix teaching the reader, we learn and grow with him. Here's a handful of points Callender makes:-Sometimes parents let their kids down when they need them most-Transphobia can fester even in the most “liberal” and “diverse” environments-Trauma can both impulsively fling you into conflict and make you immediately crumble-A disconnect can form between what you believe in general or for everyone else, and the grace and advocacy you apply to yourself-Wealth determines how easy it is to escape consequences for your actions, but coming from wealth does not guarantee support, material or otherwise-When you're unsure of your identity and self-worth, nothing is more jarring than someone so confident and absolute in their declaration of your wrongness-Sometimes when people are hateful towards you, you feel the shame that belongs to them. You shoulder the weight of what they did, and they count on that. As long as you stay down, they escape accountability-Stories about queerness are not always about shifting from one identity to another and then planting there forever. In Felix's case, transitioning itself is not resolution. Queerness includes questioning, fluidity, and being able to change your mind (or never make it up). You don't have to be sure of yourself to accept yourself.Try Felix Ever After if you like [b:Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda 19547856 Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Simonverse, #1) Becky Albertalli https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1402915678l/19547856.SY75.jpg 27679579], [b:Radio Silence 30653843 Radio Silence Alice Oseman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1467051579l/30653843.SY75.jpg 45055773], [b:Red, White & Royal Blue 41150487 Red, White & Royal Blue Casey McQuiston https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566742512l/41150487.SY75.jpg 61657690], or [b:Eliza and Her Monsters 31931941 Eliza and Her Monsters Francesca Zappia https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476994065l/31931941.SY75.jpg 52586056].