Reviews

Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

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mothreadsbookssometimes's review against another edition

4.75

Dear Mothman is a novel in verse, told in letters to, you guessed it, Mothman. It’s a story of a trans boy, Noah, dealing with the grief of his friend, Lewis’s, death.
Don’t go into this book expecting a silly, goofy middle-grade time. This book was a gut-punch right out of the gate. It’s beautiful and personal, and I almost cried several times.
This book has romantic exploration (featuring bi-discovery), gender questioning, queer side characters, and a coming-out journey. The queerness is casual and sweet, but it also discusses the fear of coming out.
This book revolves almost entirely around grief. Lewis’s death is always at the forefront. What I liked most about this book was that even by the end of the story, Noah was still grieving and dealing with depression. It’s not a story about overcoming grief, it’s a story about living with it.

CW: death/grief; bullying; fear of trans/homophobia; deadnaming

miarconnell's review

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emotional lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

alexisss_'s review

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5.0

I listened to this book in audiobook form, but nonetheless it was an amazing and a bittersweet story. I really enjoyed how well developed the characters are and it felt like a child was writing the diary but not some author. At some moments the books left me sad but then so happy at the same time, it was pleasing to listen to it. I would say it's a bittersweet story and a heartening one at that too.