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A review by spearly
May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the eARC for review!
Do not let this incredible cover fool you. This is not a fluffy, easy story.
TW: Transphobia, dead naming, misogyny, bullying, attempted sexual assault, harassment, violence, homophobia, ableism
Exes Jeremy and Lukas have a lot on the line with the Homecoming king title. For Lukas, it means stepping out of his late brother's shadow and earning a sure acceptance into one of the ivy leagues that would finally make his parent's proud. For Jeremy, it means everyone has finally accepted what he's always known: he is a guy, and he's not gonna let his pseudo-progressive school and some transphobic classmates stand in his way. But before he came out, Jeremy used to be Lukas's girlfriend, and Lukas never understood why he ended things. Competition heats up as the two vie for the crown, and neither of them seem to care who they hurt in the process.
First and foremost, the audiobook was great. I did end up listening to it in 1.25 speed, but I loved the narrator, Avi Roque, and found the voices of all the characters easy enough to follow. I'm also very happy Avi is a member of the LGBTQ+ community themself. They were a great fit, and really brought the book to life!
Lets start with the good: I feel like I am better for having read this story. Ellor goes very into depth on several trans issues, and even though I wasn't a huge fan of Jeremy's character, I really understood where he was coming from. He has a truly great arc in the book, and his chapters definitely opened my eyes more to the trans experience. Ellor also delved into ableist issues with our other lead, Lukas, who is neuro-divergent. His chapters stuck out to me; Lukas's voice was so raw, so needing, so lost. I wanted to give him a big hug.
We also have a great cast of side characters, all of whom felt distinct and fleshed out, and all of whom had their own issues going on outside the main conflicts of the story. Ellor's diversity extended well beyond the two white male leads, and I was happy to see issues of race and the gender spectrum talked about as well.
All that said, I found the book a bit tough to get through because, obviously, it deals with some heavy themes. But more so because I really didn't enjoy Jeremy's character. Like I mentioned, I understand why he is the way he is. He's a small guy struggling to be seen in the world as he sees himself, constantly having to remind others of his gender identity and queerness. Fighting against transphobia, both overt and unconscious. So I get it. But like... he is also kind of an asshole. I won't go too much into detail (you'll have to read it for yourself!), but let's just say his arc is one of the most dramatic in the book.
Lukas. My sweet bb Lukas. I love that kid. An angel who just wants to keep his family together. A kid who struggles with social cues and nuance and has no idea why the guy he loves dumped him out of no-where before coming out. A boy who wants to be homecoming king so he can get into an ivy school and finally fill the shoes left behind by his perfect brother. I'm a bit bias... he's definitely not perfect. He makes mistakes. He takes things too far in his competition for the crown.
Complicated characters. Deep themes, troubling to some. Lots of ups and downs. A very relevant story in today's day and age; even as progressive as someone might think they are, there will always be things that cishet people can never understand. Thankfully we have people like Z.R. Ellor to tell the stories we need to hear.
Do not let this incredible cover fool you. This is not a fluffy, easy story.
TW: Transphobia, dead naming, misogyny, bullying, attempted sexual assault, harassment, violence, homophobia, ableism
Exes Jeremy and Lukas have a lot on the line with the Homecoming king title. For Lukas, it means stepping out of his late brother's shadow and earning a sure acceptance into one of the ivy leagues that would finally make his parent's proud. For Jeremy, it means everyone has finally accepted what he's always known: he is a guy, and he's not gonna let his pseudo-progressive school and some transphobic classmates stand in his way. But before he came out, Jeremy used to be Lukas's girlfriend, and Lukas never understood why he ended things. Competition heats up as the two vie for the crown, and neither of them seem to care who they hurt in the process.
First and foremost, the audiobook was great. I did end up listening to it in 1.25 speed, but I loved the narrator, Avi Roque, and found the voices of all the characters easy enough to follow. I'm also very happy Avi is a member of the LGBTQ+ community themself. They were a great fit, and really brought the book to life!
Lets start with the good: I feel like I am better for having read this story. Ellor goes very into depth on several trans issues, and even though I wasn't a huge fan of Jeremy's character, I really understood where he was coming from. He has a truly great arc in the book, and his chapters definitely opened my eyes more to the trans experience. Ellor also delved into ableist issues with our other lead, Lukas, who is neuro-divergent. His chapters stuck out to me; Lukas's voice was so raw, so needing, so lost. I wanted to give him a big hug.
We also have a great cast of side characters, all of whom felt distinct and fleshed out, and all of whom had their own issues going on outside the main conflicts of the story. Ellor's diversity extended well beyond the two white male leads, and I was happy to see issues of race and the gender spectrum talked about as well.
All that said, I found the book a bit tough to get through because, obviously, it deals with some heavy themes. But more so because I really didn't enjoy Jeremy's character. Like I mentioned, I understand why he is the way he is. He's a small guy struggling to be seen in the world as he sees himself, constantly having to remind others of his gender identity and queerness. Fighting against transphobia, both overt and unconscious. So I get it. But like... he is also kind of an asshole. I won't go too much into detail (you'll have to read it for yourself!), but let's just say his arc is one of the most dramatic in the book.
Lukas. My sweet bb Lukas. I love that kid. An angel who just wants to keep his family together. A kid who struggles with social cues and nuance and has no idea why the guy he loves dumped him out of no-where before coming out. A boy who wants to be homecoming king so he can get into an ivy school and finally fill the shoes left behind by his perfect brother. I'm a bit bias... he's definitely not perfect. He makes mistakes. He takes things too far in his competition for the crown.
Complicated characters. Deep themes, troubling to some. Lots of ups and downs. A very relevant story in today's day and age; even as progressive as someone might think they are, there will always be things that cishet people can never understand. Thankfully we have people like Z.R. Ellor to tell the stories we need to hear.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Bullying, Homophobia, Deadnaming, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Cursing, Body shaming, Ableism, and Hate crime
Moderate: Misogyny and Blood
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, Biphobia, and Suicidal thoughts