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A review by heykellyjensen
Just Happy to Be Here by Naomi Kanakia
Tara is an out trans girl at her private Virginia school. She's also a Brown girl, and she sees her marginalized statuses as "plus" marks to help her get into the Sybils, an elite group at the school. She doesn't want to have those as brownie points, but she's also not going to deny they might help her achieve what she desperately wants–even though she is perfectly capable on her own.
The problem is that the group is overseen by a woman who enjoys power. This all parallels the reality of Tara's life as a trans teen in Virginia. The laws there have made her living authentically illegal, and because of her parents' immigration status, while they are deeply supportive of her, they fear for what happens were she to stand out for any reason. And indeed, at one point in the story, Tara is sought out by the government. This is a key thread in the story, and it is the reality for so many of today's trans teens.
Although the secret society element didn't work for me (I was far more interested in the nuances of this group and its history, including its obsession with Greek women and I never quite felt like I got that in a way that was satisfying), I thought Tara was such a fantastic and compelling character. I loved seeing her discover what it is to be trans and what it is to trust herself through that process and all of its facets. Her parents are complex and well-drawn as well.
This book will be so meaningful to so many teens, trans and not. The author's note is a MUST read. It's frank and loving and holds so much space for all of the ways it is to be trans–even and especially in a culture where trans is seen as dangerous, wrong, illegal.
The problem is that the group is overseen by a woman who enjoys power. This all parallels the reality of Tara's life as a trans teen in Virginia. The laws there have made her living authentically illegal, and because of her parents' immigration status, while they are deeply supportive of her, they fear for what happens were she to stand out for any reason. And indeed, at one point in the story, Tara is sought out by the government. This is a key thread in the story, and it is the reality for so many of today's trans teens.
Although the secret society element didn't work for me (I was far more interested in the nuances of this group and its history, including its obsession with Greek women and I never quite felt like I got that in a way that was satisfying), I thought Tara was such a fantastic and compelling character. I loved seeing her discover what it is to be trans and what it is to trust herself through that process and all of its facets. Her parents are complex and well-drawn as well.
This book will be so meaningful to so many teens, trans and not. The author's note is a MUST read. It's frank and loving and holds so much space for all of the ways it is to be trans–even and especially in a culture where trans is seen as dangerous, wrong, illegal.