Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - The Insiders

It must have been a while since I’ve read middle grade, but the adults and Hector really frustrated me at times. That being said, Oshiro accurately depicted some real life situations for young folks. I also appreciated how colorful and detailed Oshiro’s descriptions were.

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pey333's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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dlrosebyh's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Despite being in the same state, Héctor Muoz believes San Francisco and Orangevale to be a million miles distant. Being gay didn't make one feel different at home. Héctor couldn't feel more alone at his new school.

Héctor simply wishes he could vanish most of the time. And he complies. The janitor's closet, of course. Héctor finds himself in a chamber that shouldn't be feasible one day when the door closes behind him. The door to a life-altering year full of friendship, adventure, and just a touch of magic is opened by a room that brings him together with two new friends from different regions of the nation.

I truly appreciated this book as a POC queer person. I wish I had read something similar when I was younger to reassure me that being gay is acceptable. Although it does use certain clichés, the writing style, tone, and relatability more than make up for it. I've read one book by Mark Oshiro and didn't enjoy it, so I didn't anticipate enjoying this one as much. It's outrageous how little is known about this book because it was like a warm hug.

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imstephtacular's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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nia_readsalot's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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karcitis's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Feel like the ending was a little bit confused theme-wise about the asking for help/needing to do it yourself dynamic.

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audreylee's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The author has created the perfect safe place for bullied kids. It would be lovely if all kids had this type of safe place. I appreciated the thoughtful, supportive adults and the relationships between the kids. This was just wonderful. The characters, other than Mike, were very fleshed out. I loved the imaginative magic room and how it was designed to meet each of the kids' needs. I wish there had been a bit more resolution and I would love to believe Mike and Ms. Heath would be held to account in real life but that is what fiction provides...a happy ending. I appreciate the nuance displayed by the author. I loved this one SO much. Definitely a favorite.

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greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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