Author: Kirstin Cronn-Mills
What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Gabe, a senior in high school, knows he is really a boy even though was born with a girl's body. When he begins hosting a radio show on the public radio station, he attracts a following, even a couple of girls who are interested in him. But when some school bullies find out that Gabe is "Liz" in their high school, they threaten and become violent towards Gabe, his friends, and his family.
What I think: I really liked all of the music references in this story, and disagree with a colleague of mine who claims that Gabe knowing all this music is unrealistic. When I was in high school, I didn't listen to any music that was made after the 1980s, and I'm sure there are still high school students who like to listen to "vintage" music. I even collected vinyl albums for a time.
I was also impressed with myself that I knew most of the one-hit wonders that that Gabe mentions, even Mott the Hoople (maybe I should be embarrassed that I knew that?). I am actually listening to it right now.
Readers learn a lot of music trivia from Gabe, and I liked the characters of John and Paige, but I really wanted more character development from all of them, especially Gabe. Something about his narration seemed "off" to me; I agree with a reviewer that the book seemed to be more of an issue book than a character book.
For example, Gabe tells the readers that his parents have "always stressed the 'we're here for you' idea, so me not sharing is a huge deal" (hardback edition, pg. 158). I was surprised to read that because what we're shown (parents deadnaming Gabe or refusing to speak with him at all) is the opposite of what we're told. More character development or just a longer story in general might solve some of these issues.
I was also frustrated at some of the choices Gabe made. For example: he didn't seem to take the threats seriously at first. He should have told the police right away, even though (as predicted) the police didn't take him seriously at first.
In addtion, Gabe should have been honest with Mara when he [spoiler deleted].
But most importantly, Gabe should have harnessed the power of social media! He was on Facebook--he could have made the threats public, gained hundreds of followers, and had more people to support, and even people that would have been willing to walk with him to the car at the end of his radio shift so that he could have been safe.
However, I acknowledge that this could have caused more threats and that Gabe was not ready to be so public, but I think some media exposure could have helped him and his future radio career. I think not publicizing his show more via the Internet and not making his fans aware of the threats were mistakes.
I did find some parts of the book dated. I would think that even in 2013, a public radio station would not utilize CD players; even if they did, I would think that Gabe would have put the music selections on a computer or laptop anyway since one of the CD players always quit working.
And Prince was referred to in the present tense, which obviously is jarring. I wish that "Prince is amazingly erotic" was still the truth instead of "Prince was amazingly erotic." We lost Prince too soon. Now it is required that you listen to and/or watch some of Prince's greatest hits.
This book is on the 2013 Rainbow Book List.
My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer): I didn't like this book as much as I wanted to. I really needed more character development and more showing instead of telling. I like how the author did not downplay the threats and violence (even though Gabe himself didn't take them seriously enough). The ending seemed to be resolved too easily, almost a Deus ex machina.
The music trivia is the best part of the book. Read it to expand your musical horizons.
Memorable quotes/passages from the book:
- "My parents think I've gone crazy, and the rest of the world is happy to agree with them, but I know I'm right. I've been a boy my whole life. I wish I'd been born a vampire or a werewolf instead, or with a big red clown nose permanently stuck to my face, because that stuff would be easy. Having a brain that doesn't agree with your body is a much bigger pain in the a**" (pg. 8).
- "The strangest person I ever met was a sword-swallower. A guy with a coochie snorcher is nothing compared to a dude who puts sharp metal in his guts. Who'd want to do that? . . . You are you. That's all there is to it" (pg. 39).
- "Personally, I like my B side, which is tough, because everybody else likes my A side. But I'm sticking to it . . . And I played my B side for someone yesterday, and he was okay with it. No complaints, nothing. . . I'm tired of being someone else's idea of a hit record. How about you? I know this is a radical idea, but people should get to be who they want to be. If you're going for the top of the charts, all right. A side all the way, go for it. But if I want to play my B side, I should get to play my B side. And only the cool kids listen to B sides" (pg. 41).
- "'It's one thing to be Gabe when nobody can see you. It's totally different to be out in board daylight.'
'So Gabe's really a vampire? . . . You know, a trans vampire could probably make a lot of bank in films'" (pgs. 122-123).
Other reviews: The Book Smugglers and Lambda Literary
This book is available in the Greensboro Public Library.
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