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divergentpixie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
TW: homophobia, transphobia, being abandoned
This book was stunning. Everything about it. It is so real.
The complexities of being a teen. The complexities of being black and queer.
Might be one of my favorite reads. I really related to some of Felix’s struggles. They really hit home. I haven’t cried reading a book in a while.
Felix is a really strong and forgiving person. I could never.
Honestly wish this book was polyamorous lol.
This book was stunning. Everything about it. It is so real.
The complexities of being a teen. The complexities of being black and queer.
Might be one of my favorite reads. I really related to some of Felix’s struggles. They really hit home. I haven’t cried reading a book in a while.
Felix is a really strong and forgiving person. I could never.
Honestly wish this book was polyamorous lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, and Transphobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Alcohol, and Cursing
Minor: Deadnaming
katrinadimick's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Medical content, Outing, Abandonment, and Bullying
Minor: Alcohol and Drug use
jamie_cruz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
5.0
This is such a beautiful story, and I truly hope many read this. It’s so inspiring and opens up your mind to more on people. I feel like I have so much to say, but there’s no words to describe how incredible this book is. 5 stars doesn’t even feel like enough to be able to express how much I love this piece
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Deadnaming, Outing, and Bullying
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Emotional abuse
epsilina's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
3.5
For the first few chapters, I did not think I would finish this book. However, I'm glad I committed to giving it a chance. Felix Ever After is ostensibly a fiction book, but at many times reads more as an educational text, which can be a bit awkward and hamfisted at times, but it comes from a place of heart. When the book allows itself to step away from societally contextual exposition, it finds a lot of heart and also a sweet love story.
A bit of background about myself: I am a queer adult who, coincidentally, often goes by the name of Felix. I am nonbinary, and I related heavily to many of the different feelings that Felix experiences, despite our many differences. Some of the things this book does really well is explore the many different ways there are to be queer, and shows that while we may be thought of as a community, we are not a monolith, and there is plenty of internal dispute, bigotry, and conflict. I haven't read many books that directly deal with transphobia within the queer community, so I appreciated that as it's realistic. The book reminds us that we can be better, that we can respect each other's differences and support those more marginalized than ourselves, rather than keeping them down to protect our own privileges. What this book struggles with is the need to cram so many lessons into the narrative. Felix often gives little internal history lessons, folks monolouge about queer theory. I think this book shined the most when it let us learn through Felix's experiences and feelings, rather than by explaining everything. However, I understand that this book is for teens and presumably the author wants to help teens find all the words they need, all the keywords to look more into. I'm sure it's effective, but it does make for a weird balance in the book and takes away from the real emotional moments at times.
Another thing I deeply appreciated about this book was the lesson that loving someone does not mean it's good to be in a relationship with someone. This is a hard learned lesson for so many of us, and it made me wonder if I had read this book when I was younger, would I have thought a little differently about some of the patterns I later fell into for years? I really respected that this was a main theme.
Lastly, I like that the book deals with the way that your gender can be a journey rather than a destination. I didn't have books like this as a teen, or even in my early twenties. Too many people feel shame for not being able to figure out their sexuality or gender, books like this are important.
Overall, I liked this book, but the strange balance between educating and telling a story brings it from a 4 or 4.25 star book down to a 3.5 star for me.
A bit of background about myself: I am a queer adult who, coincidentally, often goes by the name of Felix. I am nonbinary, and I related heavily to many of the different feelings that Felix experiences, despite our many differences. Some of the things this book does really well is explore the many different ways there are to be queer, and shows that while we may be thought of as a community, we are not a monolith, and there is plenty of internal dispute, bigotry, and conflict. I haven't read many books that directly deal with transphobia within the queer community, so I appreciated that as it's realistic. The book reminds us that we can be better, that we can respect each other's differences and support those more marginalized than ourselves, rather than keeping them down to protect our own privileges. What this book struggles with is the need to cram so many lessons into the narrative. Felix often gives little internal history lessons, folks monolouge about queer theory. I think this book shined the most when it let us learn through Felix's experiences and feelings, rather than by explaining everything. However, I understand that this book is for teens and presumably the author wants to help teens find all the words they need, all the keywords to look more into. I'm sure it's effective, but it does make for a weird balance in the book and takes away from the real emotional moments at times.
Another thing I deeply appreciated about this book was the lesson that loving someone does not mean it's good to be in a relationship with someone. This is a hard learned lesson for so many of us, and it made me wonder if I had read this book when I was younger, would I have thought a little differently about some of the patterns I later fell into for years? I really respected that this was a main theme.
Lastly, I like that the book deals with the way that your gender can be a journey rather than a destination. I didn't have books like this as a teen, or even in my early twenties. Too many people feel shame for not being able to figure out their sexuality or gender, books like this are important.
Overall, I liked this book, but the strange balance between educating and telling a story brings it from a 4 or 4.25 star book down to a 3.5 star for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Outing
ree_anna's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming, Alcohol, Bullying, Drug use, Homophobia, Outing, and Transphobia
f18's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
How do you put a paintbrush bristles first straight through a stretched canvas?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing and Transphobia
Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia, Deadnaming, and Racism
Throughout the book even though Felix is publicly outed and deadnamed, his birth name is never explicitly said in the text, and so he is never deadnamed to the reader. He is also misgendered and there are transphobic comments but I don't remember ever seeing him get actively misgendered in on the page dialogue (but I could be wrong on that one). Some underage drinking/drug use.cor_luz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Outing, and Transphobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Bullying
ophycore's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Outing, and Transphobia
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Drug abuse
yvo_about_books's review
4.0
Finished reading: October 3rd 2023
"It's easier to accept hurt and pain, sometimes, than love and acceptance."
I've been meaning to read Felix Ever After for quite some time now... When I needed a banned book for the POPSUGAR challenge, I decided to give in and finally read it. I know that I don't read a lot of YA anymore, but I would recommend this book for both teenagers and adults alike. The topic is such an important one, and it's an own voices story at that; there is no doubt that Felix Ever After has a big impact, and it really is an eye-opener. That said, I do have to say that there were certain aspects about the main character Felix that I didn't like as much. I get his struggles and they are both portrayed realistically and basically heartbreaking. BUT. He is also pretty selfish and vindictive, and the fact that others are hurting him is no excuse to do the same. I can't say that I was a fan of the whole love triangle vibe either, which kind of put a damper on things for me... In fact, I wasn't really a fan of the romance nor how it was developed and incorporated in general. I'm still giving this story four stars though just for its impact and how it can help people discover their identity and tribe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, Transphobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Outing, and Racism
booksandbesitos's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It was sweet most of the time. I wish we’d gotten to explore the relationship between Felix and his dad a little more though. But it was a sweet YA book with a satisfying ending.
I was a little bit nervous to pick it up because I’ve been told that Felix is a little whiny sometimes but it Really wasn’t that bad, I mean what high school student isn’t a little whiny.
But overall fun cast of characters, cute pride scenes and I’m a sucker for artists in love . I wish my younger self would’ve read this.
I was a little bit nervous to pick it up because I’ve been told that Felix is a little whiny sometimes but it Really wasn’t that bad, I mean what high school student isn’t a little whiny.
But overall fun cast of characters, cute pride scenes and I’m a sucker for artists in love . I wish my younger self would’ve read this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing, Deadnaming, and Abandonment