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The Flip Side
Do you know who you are? Easy question? Well, think again. Robert Hunt is one teenager who knows that there are a whole lot of people inside you, like a collection of masks. You change your mask according to the situation you find yourself in. A year ago Robert found himself in one pretty weird situation. He lost it for a while, and almost thought he was a psycho. So he wrote it all out in order to understand what happened to him and why. Believe it, don’t believe it–it’s up to you. Just remember this–whoever you choose to be, there is always a flip side.
- GenresYoung AdultLGBT
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
84 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Matthews
128 books24 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Andrew Matthews was born in South Glamorgan in 1948. Andrew taught English in Hampshire after which he became a full-time writer. He lives in Reading with his wife and their cats. Andrew's work has been widely translated and he has made numerous appearances at schools and libraries throughout the UK.
Source: United Agents.
Andrew Matthews was born in South Glamorgan in 1948. Andrew taught English in Hampshire after which he became a full-time writer. He lives in Reading with his wife and their cats. Andrew's work has been widely translated and he has made numerous appearances at schools and libraries throughout the UK.
Source: United Agents.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 3, 2012
Some spoilers.
Yay. I read a whole book in one day. True, it was only 147 pages with large print, but hey, I feel like I'm a GR contender.
This is a British YA number about a 15 year old boy, Robert, who, by being cast to play Rosalind in a scene from As You Like It in an English class, discovers he likes to dress as a girl. His inner Rosalind is nurtured by Milena, also searching for her identity, who helps with his clothes and make-up. They get something going but run into problems when Milena feels that Rob's Rosalind is more important to him than she is. Things are resolved and they get back together when he dresses like a real man and takes charge of the situation.
Despite the slightly weird ending, the novel is humane and reasonable about everything. But it was too short, the action too quickly advanced by Milena's uncanny maturity, which bypasses oceans of doubt, exploration and hard-won self-knowledge on Robert's part.
I love As You Like It, largely because of its gender-bending theme. I was hoping for something of the same thrill from this book, but it didn't really deliver, unfortunately.
Yay. I read a whole book in one day. True, it was only 147 pages with large print, but hey, I feel like I'm a GR contender.
This is a British YA number about a 15 year old boy, Robert, who, by being cast to play Rosalind in a scene from As You Like It in an English class, discovers he likes to dress as a girl. His inner Rosalind is nurtured by Milena, also searching for her identity, who helps with his clothes and make-up. They get something going but run into problems when Milena feels that Rob's Rosalind is more important to him than she is. Things are resolved and they get back together when he dresses like a real man and takes charge of the situation.
Despite the slightly weird ending, the novel is humane and reasonable about everything. But it was too short, the action too quickly advanced by Milena's uncanny maturity, which bypasses oceans of doubt, exploration and hard-won self-knowledge on Robert's part.
I love As You Like It, largely because of its gender-bending theme. I was hoping for something of the same thrill from this book, but it didn't really deliver, unfortunately.
March 24, 2012
When English school lad, Robert is cast in the role of Rosalind opposite the crush-worthy Milena, the appeal of dressing as a girl and using make-up, and the attention that it gets from Milena quickly has him confused and questioning his assumptions about gender and stereotypes.
This is an amazing read. While it first seemed to be over too quickly, it accomplished everything it ought to. Personally I've never really understood the allure of tranvestitism among straights but this little book made it credible.
For such a short book, it accomplishes much. You'll geniunely like these characters, enjoy spending time in their world, and perhaps gain a new perspective along the way. At 147 pages that's not bad! And in what other book can you catch a grade 10'er paraphrasing Kierkegaard?
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
― Søren Kierkegaard
This is an amazing read. While it first seemed to be over too quickly, it accomplished everything it ought to. Personally I've never really understood the allure of tranvestitism among straights but this little book made it credible.
For such a short book, it accomplishes much. You'll geniunely like these characters, enjoy spending time in their world, and perhaps gain a new perspective along the way. At 147 pages that's not bad! And in what other book can you catch a grade 10'er paraphrasing Kierkegaard?
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
― Søren Kierkegaard
September 22, 2018
I really liked this book. It was an interesting exploration into the teen psyche and sexuality in society and marketing.
August 22, 2010
Review from 2006:
Alrighty, another YA GSA book. But! This one I really liked. :) It still wasn't *amazing*, but I did really enjoy it and it kept me reading it very swiftly (and, it is a really short book to begin with.)
It's about Rob, a boy that plays the role of a girl in one of Shakespeare's play's to get the full effect or whatever. When he does, he realizes he likes dressing like a girl, etc.
For it's genre, I'd give it 4 stars I think. And the "about the author" section is great-if you get the chance to read the book, make sure you don't miss that part. :p
Alrighty, another YA GSA book. But! This one I really liked. :) It still wasn't *amazing*, but I did really enjoy it and it kept me reading it very swiftly (and, it is a really short book to begin with.)
It's about Rob, a boy that plays the role of a girl in one of Shakespeare's play's to get the full effect or whatever. When he does, he realizes he likes dressing like a girl, etc.
For it's genre, I'd give it 4 stars I think. And the "about the author" section is great-if you get the chance to read the book, make sure you don't miss that part. :p
Want to read
September 12, 2008Some YA Brit-fic about a genderbending Shakespeare performance in a contemporary British high school (whatever they call them there). In Shakespeare's day, the female roles were played by boys and men. It looks like in this book they have girls playing the male roles. We'll see. It's short--let's hope it's sweet.
October 8, 2013
Took me forever to find this book after I read it MONTHS AGO! Last school year! I really like how it was based through his life one way, and then it switched to how he kind of wanted his life to sort of be. Keeping everything inside basically made him not be able to be open and free with EVERYTHING, and the same goes for his friend. But I definitely enjoyed this book!!! :)
December 12, 2015
This book addressed a very controversial topic that may be a struggle for some students. It could be a good book for those who do struggle with this. However, it might be too controversial and confusing for those who do not struggle with these issues.
Read
June 2, 20171. I read the flip side because there are very few books like it in young adult literature. And that interested me.
2. The flip side is about a boy named Robert Hunt who onced dressed up like a girl for a shakespeare play at school. He discovered that he kind of liked being feminine. The girl who dressed as a guy for the same play, later on became his girlfriend. All while his bestfriend kevin was battling with his sexuallity.
3. I thought the book was cool because it explores a side of males that isn't seen often.
4. Yes i would recommend it. Id recommend it to anyone who loves a story about self identity.
2. The flip side is about a boy named Robert Hunt who onced dressed up like a girl for a shakespeare play at school. He discovered that he kind of liked being feminine. The girl who dressed as a guy for the same play, later on became his girlfriend. All while his bestfriend kevin was battling with his sexuallity.
3. I thought the book was cool because it explores a side of males that isn't seen often.
4. Yes i would recommend it. Id recommend it to anyone who loves a story about self identity.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews