None of the Above, by IW Gregorio: Kristin has a secret, but one that Nature has hidden from her. It is only when, as Homecoming Queen, her attention turns more seriously to her boyfriend, that the truth reveals itself.
What follows is a story of what-not-to-do when you discover you are intersex (or gay or transgender) and of how the world will react to you. The breaking news of her discovery spreads like wildfire and turns people against her through ignorance, misunderstandings and the often judgemental nature of teenagers. Kristin's struggle to come to terms with her identity against that antagonistic backdrop is the real strength of this novel.
Gregorio, who has first hand experience in treating similar cases, weaves a high school story that is engaging, if slightly prescriptive. The usual emotional suspects are rounded up: a tested love interest, betrayal by BFFs and an overlooked friend who comes to her rescue. No emotional box is left unticked - as though the author were anxious to fill the pages with illustration rather than integrity. Despite that, it is a real page-turner and it's easy reading that would suit any age from mid-teen upward.
It may lack the emotional intensity of a John Green novel, but its message is the same: we all struggle to find a place in the world and those trials, no matter what their cause, make us human.
1 comment:
I fear that the modern trend in new words to describe conditions I wot not of has left me at a bit of a disadvantage.
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