Wrong Answers Only

Wrong Answers Only

by Tobias Madden

Page Street YA, 2024. 384 pages. Young Adult

Marco should be at university, studying biomedicine. Instead, he’s been sent to live on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean with his estranged uncle, all because of a ‘blip’ everyone else is convinced was a panic attack. (Which it most definitely was not.) And even though Marco’s trip is supposed to provide answers – about himself, about his family – all he finds on board the Ocean Melody are more and more questions. But then his best friend CeCe proposes a new plan: for someone who has always done the right thing, in every possible way, it’s time for Marco to get a few things wrong.

It's no secret that I love to go on cruises, so the premise that this book is largely set aboard a cruise ship seemed like a perfect match. However, there was a considerable amount of suspension of disbelief required, and perhaps Madden went a bridge too far for my taste: Hunter's decision to engage in a sexual relationship with someone who is essentially a passenger would definitely have gotten him fired, full stop. It's worth noting that this work definitely doesn't classify as a romance; it's more closely a bildungsroman, and it focuses on Marco's sense of self (including a realistic depiction of grappling with anxiety), as well as his family and friend relationships. Madden also sheds light on generational differences regarding views on homosexuality, which definitely rings true.

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library

by Michiko Aoyama

Hanover Square, 2023. 304 pages. Realistic Fiction

What are you looking for?

This is the famous question routinely asked by Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. Like most librarians, Komachi has read every book lining her shelves—but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of her library guests. For anyone who walks through her door, Komachi can sense exactly what they’re looking for in life and provide just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it. Each visitor comes to her library from a different juncture in their careers and dreams, from the restless sales attendant who feels stuck at her job to the struggling working mother who longs to be a magazine editor. The conversation that they have with Sayuri Komachi—and the surprise book she lends each of them—will have life-altering consequences.

I may have a personal connection to this story in particular, since I am a librarian by profession. This brief book was lovely to read, with five separate yet interconnected stories who find inspiration and clarity in the library. I love when we see glimpses of the author's culture shine through the translation, as they did in this work. I do wish Aoyama had introduced us to Komachi and let us get to know her in a way beyond just her physical appearance. With its simple, digestible writing style, this made for a heartwarming and uplifting read that underscore the importance of libraries and literature.

How to Be Remy Cameron

How to Be Remy Cameron

by Julian Winters
Duet, 2019. 340 pages. Young Adult

Everyone on campus knows Remy Cameron. He's the out-and-gay, super-likable guy that people admire for his confidence. The only person who may not know Remy that well is Remy himself. So when he is assigned to write an essay describing himself, he goes on a journey to reconcile the labels that people have attached to him, and get to know the real Remy Cameron. 

I enjoyed how this book presented true-to-life depictions of queer adolescence (which, if you're a regular of this blog, you know that YA sometimes misses the mark for me in that regard). I also love how Remy refuses to let either his race or his sexuality be his sole defining characteristic, and Winters grapples with this important issue head on. This book is beautifully written, and there are passages and lines that really captivated me. This work is not so plot-driven and focuses more on introspection while maintaining a lighthearted and positive tone.

The God Box

The God Box

by Alex Sanchez
Simon & Schuster, 2007. 272 pages. Young Adult

Paul, a religious teen living in a small conservative town, finds his world turned upside down when he meets Manuel—a young man who says he’s both Christian and gay, two things that Paul didn’t think could coexist in one person. Doesn’t the Bible forbid homosexuality? As Paul struggles with Manuel’s interpretation of the Bible, thoughts that Paul has long tried to bury begin to surface, and he finds himself re-examining his whole life.

Honestly, this book was difficult to read because of how relatable it was. I also grew up religious in a Latinx family in a conservative town, and I struggled (and to a certain extent, still struggle) to reconcile my beliefs with my homosexuality. Sanchez raises some good points in regards to Christian beliefs and Biblical passages regarding homosexuality, like the needed "reformation" of "same-sex attracted" individuals into something less "sinful". While I'm unconvinced as to its efficacy as a tool for "converting" Christian readers into tolerance and acceptance, I don't think that was his goal to begin with. Understandably, some of the events (particularly towards the end of the work) are a bit dramatized and overexaggerated, and some plot elements are a bit predictable, but perhaps that's par for the course for a YA novel written in the mid-2000s. But notwithstanding, it reads as an authentic, believable story in terms of the experience as a homosexual Latino Christian.

The Guncle

The Guncle
by Steven Rowley
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2021. 326 pages. Realistic Fiction

When tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and their father has a health crisis of his own, their gay uncle Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian, despite the fact that he's been hiding out for years, dealing with his own personal grief. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

It can be difficult to address grief in fiction, particularly without being morose and heavy. Yet Rowley manages to do just that, tackling this serious subject with humor and warmth. The main focus of the book is on moving forward and making new relationships and friendships. Patrick and the children slowly realize that they need one another (I don't even think that's a spoiler), and that it's only through their shared bond that they can overcome the hardships in their lives.

Furia

Furia
by Yamile Saied Méndez
Algonquin Young Readers, 2020. 368 pages. Realistic Fiction

In Rosario, Argentina, Camila lives under her brother's shadow, her mother's expectations, and her father's abusive rule. But on the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, everything is set for her rise to greatness -- only her parents would never approve if they knew she was playing fútbol, and she'll need their permission to continue. As life becomes even more complicated, Camila faces her secrets and makes her way in a world with no place for a girl's dreams and ambitions. 

What's striking to me is how Camila never yields to her circumstances and difficulties. She lives a double life and has deep secrets, and Méndez effectively conveys the agony of concealing oneself and passions. We also feel the stigmatizing stereotypes regarding sports and gender in Latinx culture, as well as the (in some cases, toxic) family dynamics and friendships. The fact that this novel is set in my mother's hometown added an extra layer of personal interest and begged me to compare Camila to my own strong mother who also wasn't afraid to break the mold and be herself.

Hello, Universe

Hello, Universe
by Erin Estrada Kelly
Greenwillow, 2017. 320 pages. Realistic Fiction

In a single day, the lives of four children are woven together in unexpected ways. The shy Virgil Salinas  feels out of place in his loud and boisterous family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister Gen is always following her around. When the school bully pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well, it's up to Kaori, Gen, and Valencia to find him. Using luck, smarts, and bravery, a rescue is performed and friendship blooms.

Kelly's diverse characters surpass tokenism; their varying ethnic backgrounds (and Valencia’s disability) affect the characters’ lives without defining them. They are not diverse for diversity’s sake; their life experiences color their perceptions, as occurs in reality.

In her Newbery acceptance speech for Hello, Universe, Kelly said, “[T]he truth is, I write books for my characters…. Because I was – and still am – all of them.” She continues, “You have given me a tremendous honor tonight. And it’s my hope that you will remember, each day, how you honor the dreams of underdogs everywhere.” Kelly’s authenticity is born of lived experience, and she conveys it in a format that is easily digestible by tween readers. 

The Art of Being Normal

The Art of Being Normal
by Lisa Williamson
Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 2016. 334 pages. Realistic Fiction

David Piper has always been an outsider with a big secret: despite being assigned male at birth, David is actually a girl. New student Leo Denton has a secret of his own, and his goal of keeping a low profile starts to go south when he attracts the attention of the most beautiful girl in his class. When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But when David's secret gets out, things get very complicated for both of them. David struggles to find support as she prepares to come out and transition: to find a new name and begin living a truth that has been kept secret for too long.

I would highly recommend this uplifting coming-of-age novel to cisgender readers -- people who identify with the gender assigned to them at birth -- who want to learn more about gender identity and what it means to be transgender, as well as the unique challenges placed before trans youth. Williamson doesn't sugarcoat the harsh realities of being a trans teen, including internalized transphobia. However, the overall message is one of hope, with the feeling that even if you can’t get everything you want, you can get what you need.

*This blogpost first appeared on Provo City Library Staff Reviews blog.*