Felix Ever After
Summary:
From Stonewall and Lambda Award–winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.
Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.
When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle....
But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.
“Felix Ever After” is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
This book was fantastic. The beginning is frankly tough because there are so many choices that make you cringe and remember all of your high school insecurities. Felix is feeling all of the emotions and it definitely requires being open and willing to process them with him. What makes the book perfect is that it’s YA without the full all out idealization that makes it unrealistic. Some parts are messy, some parts are so relatable regardless of your background, and some parts will make you cry for the man that Felix will be one day as he struggles in his new reality.
The book had so much hype, but I was so relieved that it wasn’t unfulfilled. One aspect that I think was undervalued in other reviews was how Felix developed his relationship with his father and how despite being extremely supportive also couldn’t quite get it right so many times. Love in the reality of everyone’s imperfections. For anyone questioning their identify, looking for a feel good read coming of age or just wants a happy romance - pick this one up!
Warning: Contains some transphobia and homophobia, references to parental abuse, drug and alcohol use.
Rating: 5 stars!
Who should read it? Honestly I think it’d be valuable to everyone who wants to learn more as to what a trans and high school experience is like.