What do you think?
Rate this book
Ciel #1
Ciel
Ciel is excited to start high school. A gender non-conforming trans kid, Ciel has a YouTube channel and dreams of getting a better camera to really make a mark. Ciel can always rely on their best friend, Stephie, a trans girl who also happens to be a huge nerd, but their friendship begins to feel distant when Stephie makes it clear she wants the fact that she's trans to be more invisible in high school. While navigating this new friendship dynamic, Ciel is also trying to make a long-distance relationship work with their boyfriend Eirikur, who just moved back to Iceland. When Ciel befriends Liam, a new trans boy at school, things become more complicated by the minute.
Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2017
13 people are currently reading
451 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Labelle
58 books137 followersThe unique transgender cartoonist, the author of Assigned Male. She is from Montreal, Quebec. She is active in the transgender rights movement and speaks on the subjects of trans history and transfeminism.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
July 6, 2020
I've said this before and I'll say it again: it's really such a special thing to see your identity represented in middlegrade. I've read a few books with non-binary main characters so far, but never one in middlegrade, and it really means a lot. It's just such a healing experience.
This book did a really great job at finding a balance between showing the more subtle and heavier transphobia trans people deal with in their day-to-day lives while also showing the love and support and just the happy moments. In that way, it dealt with important and very real themes while being an inherently pretty uplifting and really empowering book. Ciel was a really lovely main character, and one I could really see myself in. And it was great to see multiple trans characters in one book as well, because it shows how there are so many different ways to be trans.
CWs: transphobia, misgendering
This book did a really great job at finding a balance between showing the more subtle and heavier transphobia trans people deal with in their day-to-day lives while also showing the love and support and just the happy moments. In that way, it dealt with important and very real themes while being an inherently pretty uplifting and really empowering book. Ciel was a really lovely main character, and one I could really see myself in. And it was great to see multiple trans characters in one book as well, because it shows how there are so many different ways to be trans.
CWs: transphobia, misgendering
March 10, 2021
J'aime beaucoup l'écriture, ça se lit vraiment très facilement.
L'aspect visuel est intéressant avec l'affiche, les échanges de textos et le courriel.
J'aime beaucoup la personnalité de Ciel. Son humour m'a fait rire. C'est super intéressant de suivre Ciel et d'avoir accès à ses pensées. C'est aussi super pertinent d'avoir la vision de son amie Stéphie pour constater les différences entre la manière qu'elles aimeraient vivre leur réalité de personnes trans.
Je me sens vraiment choyée d'avoir eu droit à cette part d'intimité de Ciel. J'aurais lu ce livre-là il y a 2 ans et j'aurais eu une grosse remise en question par rapport à mes réflexions et à mes agissements. Même si j'ai l'impression de ne plus être dans l'inconnu du vocabulaire et de certains concepts par rapport à la transidentité, le lire, ça rajoute vraiment quelque chose de plus.
J'ai été choquée de la quantité de commentaires désagréables/méchants que Ciel peut recevoir. C'est encore plus troublant lorsqu'on réalise qu'iel n'a que 12-13 ans. Quel poids sur ses épaules!
Le moment du "faux allié" m'a tellement fait mal ou devrais-je dire, les moments.
Une lecture ultra nécessaire c'est certain. Ce livre devrait être dans toutes les bibliothèques des classes de 5-6e année et début secondaire!
L'aspect visuel est intéressant avec l'affiche, les échanges de textos et le courriel.
J'aime beaucoup la personnalité de Ciel. Son humour m'a fait rire. C'est super intéressant de suivre Ciel et d'avoir accès à ses pensées. C'est aussi super pertinent d'avoir la vision de son amie Stéphie pour constater les différences entre la manière qu'elles aimeraient vivre leur réalité de personnes trans.
Je me sens vraiment choyée d'avoir eu droit à cette part d'intimité de Ciel. J'aurais lu ce livre-là il y a 2 ans et j'aurais eu une grosse remise en question par rapport à mes réflexions et à mes agissements. Même si j'ai l'impression de ne plus être dans l'inconnu du vocabulaire et de certains concepts par rapport à la transidentité, le lire, ça rajoute vraiment quelque chose de plus.
J'ai été choquée de la quantité de commentaires désagréables/méchants que Ciel peut recevoir. C'est encore plus troublant lorsqu'on réalise qu'iel n'a que 12-13 ans. Quel poids sur ses épaules!
Le moment du "faux allié" m'a tellement fait mal ou devrais-je dire, les moments.
Une lecture ultra nécessaire c'est certain. Ce livre devrait être dans toutes les bibliothèques des classes de 5-6e année et début secondaire!
September 16, 2020
September 16, 2020: This was so much fun to read for all the happiness it brought through a transgender's story that doesn't completely focus on transition or hardcore discrimination that transgenders experience. It's more about an individual non-conforming trans middle-grader's story as they start high school while being a popular Youtuber, best friends with someone who isn't as ready as Ciel to take on their trans identity in the school corridors, and in a long distance relationship with their boyfriend.
Not only is the book great for the under-represented sexual identity but but also features a young boy who loves to dress up as well as some realistic observations around how deeply rooted many are in the binary genders and the subtle yet horrific transphobic experiences. A definite recommendation for those who wish to read a story about a young transgender simply living and enjoying their life while also bringing light to unneeded yet inevitable struggles they always face.
The author is ownvoices for the transgender representation. However, I'm not an ownvoices reader so please pay heed of the more authentic reviews before mine. A digital review copy was received via Edelweiss.
Not only is the book great for the under-represented sexual identity but but also features a young boy who loves to dress up as well as some realistic observations around how deeply rooted many are in the binary genders and the subtle yet horrific transphobic experiences. A definite recommendation for those who wish to read a story about a young transgender simply living and enjoying their life while also bringing light to unneeded yet inevitable struggles they always face.
The author is ownvoices for the transgender representation. However, I'm not an ownvoices reader so please pay heed of the more authentic reviews before mine. A digital review copy was received via Edelweiss.
June 13, 2020
Leído gracias a Netgalley :D (English below!)
Me encantó este libro.
Amo la representación LGBTQIA+ en los libros, mucho más si son middle grade y AÚN MÁS si son own voices.
Ciel es une protagonista con mucha frescura, y sentí que tenía esa voz y mente de niñe que está pasando por ciertos cambios-- cortar con tu novie, el miedo a perder a tus amigues, no saber si vas a poder ser quien sos frente a extrañes.
De nuevo, me gustó mucho y creo que a les niñes también. La historia es tierna y no da golpes bajos. Ciel perdió a su madre no hace mucho, tiene que esconder el hecho de que su mejor amiga es trans y que está en una relación a distancia con un chico que no le trata como se merece.
Lo único que encontré medio meh fue que en sí no hubo un plot que conectara todo lo que va pasando en el libro-- el canal de Youtube, la relación a distancia, el chico trans nuevo en la escuela, el dramón con la otra youtuber trans... obvio está todo relacionado, pero creo que los finales de algunos capítulos quedaban abiertos a interpretación. O la constante amenaza (mencionada numerosas veces) de que su mejor amiga iba a encontrar nueves amigues, que siempre estaba presente pero, a la vez, no lo estaba. No sé si se entiende lo que quiero decir, pero es algo que sentí hasta el último capítulo.
IGUAL creo que es un libro HERMOSO, precioso y amable, que me hizo reír en voz alta un par de veces y que nos enseña que la aceptación, el verdadero amor y las buenas y leales amistades quizás conlleven un camino largo que no siempre será fácil, pero al final la felicidad y la emoción hacen que valga la pena ❤️
------✄------
I found this book really heartwarming.
I love LGBTQIA+ representation in books, MORE if they're middle grade and even MORE if they're written by own voices.
Ciel is a refreshing protagonist and I felt they really had that childlike voice and mind that's going through some changes-- a break up, the fear of losing friends, not knowing if you're able to be who you are in front of strangers.
Again, this was heartwarming and I think it'll be for kids as well. The story is cute and doesn't have any low blow. Ciel lost their mother kinda recently, they have to hide the fact that their best friend is trans and they're on a long distance relationship with a boy that doesn't treat them as he should.
The only thing I found quite meh was that there wasn't a plot connecting everything that's happening-- the Youtube channel, the long distance relationship, the new trans boy, the beef with the other youtuber... of course it's all related, but I found some of the chapter endings kinda open to interpretarion? Or like, the constant threat of their best friends finding new friends was always there and mentioned, but at the same time it wasn't. I don't think I'm making any sense now, but that's the perception I got at the end.
NEVERTHELESS, it was a GREAT, heartwarming, kind book, made me laugh out loud a couple of times and teaches us that self-acceptance and true love and good and loyal friendship it's a long journey that may not be easy, but in the end the happiness and excitement make it worthy of it all ❤️
Me encantó este libro.
Amo la representación LGBTQIA+ en los libros, mucho más si son middle grade y AÚN MÁS si son own voices.
Ciel es une protagonista con mucha frescura, y sentí que tenía esa voz y mente de niñe que está pasando por ciertos cambios-- cortar con tu novie, el miedo a perder a tus amigues, no saber si vas a poder ser quien sos frente a extrañes.
De nuevo, me gustó mucho y creo que a les niñes también. La historia es tierna y no da golpes bajos. Ciel perdió a su madre no hace mucho, tiene que esconder el hecho de que su mejor amiga es trans y que está en una relación a distancia con un chico que no le trata como se merece.
Lo único que encontré medio meh fue que en sí no hubo un plot que conectara todo lo que va pasando en el libro-- el canal de Youtube, la relación a distancia, el chico trans nuevo en la escuela, el dramón con la otra youtuber trans... obvio está todo relacionado, pero creo que los finales de algunos capítulos quedaban abiertos a interpretación. O la constante amenaza (mencionada numerosas veces) de que su mejor amiga iba a encontrar nueves amigues, que siempre estaba presente pero, a la vez, no lo estaba. No sé si se entiende lo que quiero decir, pero es algo que sentí hasta el último capítulo.
IGUAL creo que es un libro HERMOSO, precioso y amable, que me hizo reír en voz alta un par de veces y que nos enseña que la aceptación, el verdadero amor y las buenas y leales amistades quizás conlleven un camino largo que no siempre será fácil, pero al final la felicidad y la emoción hacen que valga la pena ❤️
------✄------
I found this book really heartwarming.
I love LGBTQIA+ representation in books, MORE if they're middle grade and even MORE if they're written by own voices.
Ciel is a refreshing protagonist and I felt they really had that childlike voice and mind that's going through some changes-- a break up, the fear of losing friends, not knowing if you're able to be who you are in front of strangers.
Again, this was heartwarming and I think it'll be for kids as well. The story is cute and doesn't have any low blow. Ciel lost their mother kinda recently, they have to hide the fact that their best friend is trans and they're on a long distance relationship with a boy that doesn't treat them as he should.
The only thing I found quite meh was that there wasn't a plot connecting everything that's happening-- the Youtube channel, the long distance relationship, the new trans boy, the beef with the other youtuber... of course it's all related, but I found some of the chapter endings kinda open to interpretarion? Or like, the constant threat of their best friends finding new friends was always there and mentioned, but at the same time it wasn't. I don't think I'm making any sense now, but that's the perception I got at the end.
NEVERTHELESS, it was a GREAT, heartwarming, kind book, made me laugh out loud a couple of times and teaches us that self-acceptance and true love and good and loyal friendship it's a long journey that may not be easy, but in the end the happiness and excitement make it worthy of it all ❤️
July 26, 2020
First, I want to thank NetGalley and Second Story Press for giving me early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
I greatly enjoyed this story. It is a very character driven story that follows the main character Ciel through the first few weeks of high school. The ending style was not at all what I normally except, especially for books aimed at younger readers, but, I think it was a perfect way to end this particular book. And while the ending doesn't suggest at a sequel, I do hope that Labelle will write about these characters again.
Many of the emotions and types of thoughts Ciel goes through are ones that anyone who is a teenager, or an adult who can remember what it was like to be a teenager, can relate to: how to make and keep friends, how much of your true self do you feel comfortable revealing to others, etc. Though, some of the specific things Ciel deals with are specific to those who identify as nonbinary or transgender.
Sometimes, in books that have a younger main character, they can come across as a child/teenager as imaged by an adult. However, I think Labelle did an excellent job capturing the voice of a teenager. Since Ciel is at that age when all people, even those who aren't exploring or questioning their gender identity, are still trying to learn and understand about themselves and others better, there is a decent amount of Ciel explaining about themselves and their identity. If they were an older character who already understood more about their identity, the time spent exploring Ciel's mind on identity might have made the book feel like it was aimed at a non-LGBTQ audience. But, considering the age group this book is aimed it, it feels more like it is a book that could help those who are trying to better understand their identity know that it's okay to question and that they aren't alone.
I greatly enjoyed this story. It is a very character driven story that follows the main character Ciel through the first few weeks of high school. The ending style was not at all what I normally except, especially for books aimed at younger readers, but, I think it was a perfect way to end this particular book. And while the ending doesn't suggest at a sequel, I do hope that Labelle will write about these characters again.
Many of the emotions and types of thoughts Ciel goes through are ones that anyone who is a teenager, or an adult who can remember what it was like to be a teenager, can relate to: how to make and keep friends, how much of your true self do you feel comfortable revealing to others, etc. Though, some of the specific things Ciel deals with are specific to those who identify as nonbinary or transgender.
Sometimes, in books that have a younger main character, they can come across as a child/teenager as imaged by an adult. However, I think Labelle did an excellent job capturing the voice of a teenager. Since Ciel is at that age when all people, even those who aren't exploring or questioning their gender identity, are still trying to learn and understand about themselves and others better, there is a decent amount of Ciel explaining about themselves and their identity. If they were an older character who already understood more about their identity, the time spent exploring Ciel's mind on identity might have made the book feel like it was aimed at a non-LGBTQ audience. But, considering the age group this book is aimed it, it feels more like it is a book that could help those who are trying to better understand their identity know that it's okay to question and that they aren't alone.
June 17, 2022
Fun fact: this is the second book in a row I read that has no middle or end. Just beginning all the way through. It didn’t help that the book was so short and full of background, making every page feel like the first one. Because of that and the fact that I somewhat enjoyed it, I will be reading the next.
December 20, 2020
(I received an ARC from NetGalley. Thank you!)
INCOMING: REVIEW BY ACTUAL NONBINARY BISEXUAL PERSON!
For the trans people who hate scrolling for hours trying to get a review from someone who knows what they're talking about. Also, very cool that there's a book out about a kid younger than I was when I realized I was bisexual... who already knows they're both bisexual and nonbinary.
My actual rating for this book is 3.5, and it was a hard one to come to. I thought this over for several days, because this book is so many things it's difficult to rate. I will definitely say that if the overall rating was at a 3, I would've rated at 4 on GR.
Firstly: trans book. It has to be said. There are precious few trans books out there, and rating them can be difficult because there's rarely something better. In terms of trans stuff, this book is great! I like that Ciel uses both she and they pronouns, which is rare to see. They're actually friends with fellow trans people, which is something I desperately want to see more of in books. They espouse a lot of beliefs I've had-- for example, that it would be so much easier if the whole school was trans. In terms of trans rep, I honestly don't think you can get much better than this.
Secondly: plot. Here's where I ran into some trouble. I couldn't tell you seriously what this book was majorly about, because it's about Ciel. There's no one big conflict. It's just slice of life Ciel going to school and making friends and doing their paper route. And in the end... well, that's fine. I was a little uninterested early on because there's no real 'hook', but as I kept reading I found it increasingly entertaining. So it's not boring by any means. You can tell I am still not sure what I thought! I need to get away from thinking only in terms of what's 'expected', I guess.
Thirdly: politics. This is not going to be like George or... struggles to think of another trans book. Well, a non-preachy trans book, anyway. And, honestly, I was fine with that. Ciel thinks about politics and policy and transphobia because they ARE trans, and though I'm sure some may take issue with the open political talk, it's nowhere near as overt as Assigned Male (which I will personally admit is quite soapboxy) and it fits in fairly well. It's mostly Ciel going "hey, why ARE cis people rude about that?!" in a very age-appropriate way. It's endearing.
I'm just going to get into everything else now, because I think those are the most important general thoughts I had, and you know I'm going to nitpick. (If I leave a review under 5 stars, I intend to tell the author why, so they can decide for themself what they want to do in future works.)
First, I want to list some things I really liked. Again, the amount of trans characters. It was wonderful to have a cast with this many trans people AND this many supportive cis people! It's also common for cis writers to go "there are two kinds of parents of trans kids: Pure Evil and Perfect Ally," which is obviously not true. It's refreshing to read a trans person's narrative because Labelle actually knows what this is like, and she's open with the differences in approaches by different parents. She's also able to maintain characters who may be misinformed, but not pure evil.
Stephie goes undercover, and Ciel struggles. They understand why Stephie wants to just act cis, but... they're nonbinary! What can they do? I actually wish that this was better summed-up, because it ends up kind of being a collection of 'moments' (eg not knowing what name to use for themself, pretending to be a cis lesbian (?) at the GSA to avoid coming out as nonbinary, etc) rather than a meditation on how this sort of issue might be handled. That said, it is a real problem for many-- so I'm glad just to see it addressed.
Ciel's little details are wonderful. The book opens telling us about how they always wake up two minutes before their alarm, and they continue to be quirky and adorable throughout. It's a wonderful touch for a middle grade book-- Ciel seems like a real kid, with real uniqueness. Their paper route and their Icelandic boyfriend and their emails are all great touches.
Okay now I nitpick.
My first odd little moment was having no idea how high school worked. When I was fifteen, I got my first partner, and it ended badly because I was fifteen. These kids have dated before? MULTIPLE TIMES? To be fair, I'm very out of touch with both the original comic and the Kids These Days, but... multiple boyfriends by the age of 15... I guess this is not a nitpick so much as a ?! moment. It's not necessarily unbelievable, just.... ?!. Especially because this is a middle grade book, so I went back and forth thinking "how is this romance they're just a boy and girl who are friends" and "well it's a middle-grade book what do I expect them to do." Also mildly odd that, well, I couldn't really get a handle on whether Stephie or Ciel were ever friends with guys. Each time either of them meets a guy, it is Romanceville. But why?! But again this is mostly ?! and has very little to do with my rating.
The translation is... odd. Or perhaps it's the phrasing. It just doesn't sound like an English-language middle grade book. Perhaps it is just the translation; it doesn't sound like a kid with their slang. Especially little things like "Stephie is eating with her girlfriends." Younger kids almost never say that, especially not now. You'd just say "Stephie is eating with her friends" or something to that effect. This doesn't ruin the book, but it affects one's reading experience.
My real issue, which cost this book about a star. The YouTube Channel. Why does Ciel, a freshman in high school, have a YouTube channel. Throughout the book, they run into trouble with it-- I'll put it under a spoiler bracket, but if you've ever so much as heard of YouTube, you can guess.
My question is... why do they keep this channel. It doesn't appear to actually do them any good, and especially with the problems Society At Large is having right now with famous children and famous children online specifically, one would think promoting seeking fame as a trans child would be avoided at all costs. But no. The book, despite presenting a hundred negative results of this channel, doesn't at all address the idea of... maybe not having it. Privating it. Having a series of videos for Ciel's friends to watch. Having the channel without comments on (permanently.) Having a channel monitored by their dad (who seems to have no idea about it.) This put a major dent in the book for me, because it's a kids' book. Kids are going to read this. I would not recommend any books promoting online drama or fame-seeking.
That said... I still read the book myself. And it was cute and it was good and I don't feel that I wasted my time or would've been better off reading something else. It was worth that read, even if I don't read it again, and if you're a trans book completionist... well, keep reading.
DO I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK?
To kids: probably not, for the aforementioned YouTube channel. I'm sorry. It squicks me out. I would not trust them to pick up on the nuance.
To adults: sure, if you like the comic; part of the reason I requested was that I know the comic. Otherwise, it's certainly written in a middle-grade style, so I'm (waves hand noncommittally) in terms of adult readers. Oh, and if you're looking for anything trans! That's definitely the main reason I read it, and I wasn't disappointed there. So, again, trans book completionists-- it's a great book if you're looking to read every well-written book about trans people.
INCOMING: REVIEW BY ACTUAL NONBINARY BISEXUAL PERSON!
For the trans people who hate scrolling for hours trying to get a review from someone who knows what they're talking about. Also, very cool that there's a book out about a kid younger than I was when I realized I was bisexual... who already knows they're both bisexual and nonbinary.
My actual rating for this book is 3.5, and it was a hard one to come to. I thought this over for several days, because this book is so many things it's difficult to rate. I will definitely say that if the overall rating was at a 3, I would've rated at 4 on GR.
Firstly: trans book. It has to be said. There are precious few trans books out there, and rating them can be difficult because there's rarely something better. In terms of trans stuff, this book is great! I like that Ciel uses both she and they pronouns, which is rare to see. They're actually friends with fellow trans people, which is something I desperately want to see more of in books. They espouse a lot of beliefs I've had-- for example, that it would be so much easier if the whole school was trans. In terms of trans rep, I honestly don't think you can get much better than this.
Secondly: plot. Here's where I ran into some trouble. I couldn't tell you seriously what this book was majorly about, because it's about Ciel. There's no one big conflict. It's just slice of life Ciel going to school and making friends and doing their paper route. And in the end... well, that's fine. I was a little uninterested early on because there's no real 'hook', but as I kept reading I found it increasingly entertaining. So it's not boring by any means. You can tell I am still not sure what I thought! I need to get away from thinking only in terms of what's 'expected', I guess.
Thirdly: politics. This is not going to be like George or... struggles to think of another trans book. Well, a non-preachy trans book, anyway. And, honestly, I was fine with that. Ciel thinks about politics and policy and transphobia because they ARE trans, and though I'm sure some may take issue with the open political talk, it's nowhere near as overt as Assigned Male (which I will personally admit is quite soapboxy) and it fits in fairly well. It's mostly Ciel going "hey, why ARE cis people rude about that?!" in a very age-appropriate way. It's endearing.
I'm just going to get into everything else now, because I think those are the most important general thoughts I had, and you know I'm going to nitpick. (If I leave a review under 5 stars, I intend to tell the author why, so they can decide for themself what they want to do in future works.)
First, I want to list some things I really liked. Again, the amount of trans characters. It was wonderful to have a cast with this many trans people AND this many supportive cis people! It's also common for cis writers to go "there are two kinds of parents of trans kids: Pure Evil and Perfect Ally," which is obviously not true. It's refreshing to read a trans person's narrative because Labelle actually knows what this is like, and she's open with the differences in approaches by different parents. She's also able to maintain characters who may be misinformed, but not pure evil.
Stephie goes undercover, and Ciel struggles. They understand why Stephie wants to just act cis, but... they're nonbinary! What can they do? I actually wish that this was better summed-up, because it ends up kind of being a collection of 'moments' (eg not knowing what name to use for themself, pretending to be a cis lesbian (?) at the GSA to avoid coming out as nonbinary, etc) rather than a meditation on how this sort of issue might be handled. That said, it is a real problem for many-- so I'm glad just to see it addressed.
Ciel's little details are wonderful. The book opens telling us about how they always wake up two minutes before their alarm, and they continue to be quirky and adorable throughout. It's a wonderful touch for a middle grade book-- Ciel seems like a real kid, with real uniqueness. Their paper route and their Icelandic boyfriend and their emails are all great touches.
Okay now I nitpick.
My first odd little moment was having no idea how high school worked. When I was fifteen, I got my first partner, and it ended badly because I was fifteen. These kids have dated before? MULTIPLE TIMES? To be fair, I'm very out of touch with both the original comic and the Kids These Days, but... multiple boyfriends by the age of 15... I guess this is not a nitpick so much as a ?! moment. It's not necessarily unbelievable, just.... ?!. Especially because this is a middle grade book, so I went back and forth thinking "how is this romance they're just a boy and girl who are friends" and "well it's a middle-grade book what do I expect them to do." Also mildly odd that, well, I couldn't really get a handle on whether Stephie or Ciel were ever friends with guys. Each time either of them meets a guy, it is Romanceville. But why?! But again this is mostly ?! and has very little to do with my rating.
The translation is... odd. Or perhaps it's the phrasing. It just doesn't sound like an English-language middle grade book. Perhaps it is just the translation; it doesn't sound like a kid with their slang. Especially little things like "Stephie is eating with her girlfriends." Younger kids almost never say that, especially not now. You'd just say "Stephie is eating with her friends" or something to that effect. This doesn't ruin the book, but it affects one's reading experience.
My real issue, which cost this book about a star. The YouTube Channel. Why does Ciel, a freshman in high school, have a YouTube channel. Throughout the book, they run into trouble with it-- I'll put it under a spoiler bracket, but if you've ever so much as heard of YouTube, you can guess.
My question is... why do they keep this channel. It doesn't appear to actually do them any good, and especially with the problems Society At Large is having right now with famous children and famous children online specifically, one would think promoting seeking fame as a trans child would be avoided at all costs. But no. The book, despite presenting a hundred negative results of this channel, doesn't at all address the idea of... maybe not having it. Privating it. Having a series of videos for Ciel's friends to watch. Having the channel without comments on (permanently.) Having a channel monitored by their dad (who seems to have no idea about it.) This put a major dent in the book for me, because it's a kids' book. Kids are going to read this. I would not recommend any books promoting online drama or fame-seeking.
That said... I still read the book myself. And it was cute and it was good and I don't feel that I wasted my time or would've been better off reading something else. It was worth that read, even if I don't read it again, and if you're a trans book completionist... well, keep reading.
DO I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK?
To kids: probably not, for the aforementioned YouTube channel. I'm sorry. It squicks me out. I would not trust them to pick up on the nuance.
To adults: sure, if you like the comic; part of the reason I requested was that I know the comic. Otherwise, it's certainly written in a middle-grade style, so I'm (waves hand noncommittally) in terms of adult readers. Oh, and if you're looking for anything trans! That's definitely the main reason I read it, and I wasn't disappointed there. So, again, trans book completionists-- it's a great book if you're looking to read every well-written book about trans people.
August 21, 2020
Review by Lisa Pineo
*I received this eARC from NetGalley and Edelweiss+ in return for an honest review.
My ratings: * I hated it ** It was okay *** I liked it **** Really good ***** Great
TW (trigger warnings): transphobia, misgendering
Ciel by Sophie Labelle is a contemporary middle grade/YA novel with great LGBTQ representation but a problematic story. 4 stars
Description from the publisher:
Ciel is excited to start high school. A gender non-conforming trans kid, Ciel has a YouTube channel and dreams of getting a better camera to really make their mark. Ciel can always rely on their best friend, Stephie, a trans girl who also happens to be a huge nerd. But their friendship begins to feel distant when Stephie makes it clear she wants the fact that she’s trans to be less visible now that they’re in high school. While navigating this new dynamic with Stephie, Ciel is also trying to make a long-distance relationship work with their boyfriend Eiríkur, who just moved back to Iceland. Add to the mix a cute swim star named Liam, and Ciel’s life is becoming more complicated by the minute!
I had high hopes for this book because I love Sophie Labelle's Assigned Male comics. For me, reading the whole book as one idea wasn't as satisfying as reading the comic strip online, or even a whole comic book. The narrator seemed like a tween (which she was) but was dealing with teen issues. The author had her starting high school which for some kids is at 13 (my kids go to elementary from age 5 to 12 and high school from 13 to 18, meaning they start high school in grade 8) but most kids have middle school. This, along with 12 year olds being in long term relationships, pre-teens having years of time on social media, and dealing with heartbreak, but then making childish comments about it being “unfair and selfish” of her boyfriend's parents to move back to their hometown and not consider her and her 12 year old BF's relationship, made the book jarring.
Things I did like: the main character is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, there are two other secondary trans kids as well as multiple other LGBTQ characters. Transphobia, misgendering, problems with using the school's gendered washrooms, having teachers use different names for Ciel (but not her chosen name), kids being at different levels of comfortableness with their identity and how many people know about it, are all dealt with realistically and I felt the authenticity of the situations as the author is transgender herself.
All in all, I did enjoy the book as there are only a few well written middle grade books with transgender characters and would recommend this novel to people looking for that specific genre.
*I received this eARC from NetGalley and Edelweiss+ in return for an honest review.
My ratings: * I hated it ** It was okay *** I liked it **** Really good ***** Great
TW (trigger warnings): transphobia, misgendering
Ciel by Sophie Labelle is a contemporary middle grade/YA novel with great LGBTQ representation but a problematic story. 4 stars
Description from the publisher:
Ciel is excited to start high school. A gender non-conforming trans kid, Ciel has a YouTube channel and dreams of getting a better camera to really make their mark. Ciel can always rely on their best friend, Stephie, a trans girl who also happens to be a huge nerd. But their friendship begins to feel distant when Stephie makes it clear she wants the fact that she’s trans to be less visible now that they’re in high school. While navigating this new dynamic with Stephie, Ciel is also trying to make a long-distance relationship work with their boyfriend Eiríkur, who just moved back to Iceland. Add to the mix a cute swim star named Liam, and Ciel’s life is becoming more complicated by the minute!
I had high hopes for this book because I love Sophie Labelle's Assigned Male comics. For me, reading the whole book as one idea wasn't as satisfying as reading the comic strip online, or even a whole comic book. The narrator seemed like a tween (which she was) but was dealing with teen issues. The author had her starting high school which for some kids is at 13 (my kids go to elementary from age 5 to 12 and high school from 13 to 18, meaning they start high school in grade 8) but most kids have middle school. This, along with 12 year olds being in long term relationships, pre-teens having years of time on social media, and dealing with heartbreak, but then making childish comments about it being “unfair and selfish” of her boyfriend's parents to move back to their hometown and not consider her and her 12 year old BF's relationship, made the book jarring.
Things I did like: the main character is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, there are two other secondary trans kids as well as multiple other LGBTQ characters. Transphobia, misgendering, problems with using the school's gendered washrooms, having teachers use different names for Ciel (but not her chosen name), kids being at different levels of comfortableness with their identity and how many people know about it, are all dealt with realistically and I felt the authenticity of the situations as the author is transgender herself.
All in all, I did enjoy the book as there are only a few well written middle grade books with transgender characters and would recommend this novel to people looking for that specific genre.
June 25, 2021
I love queer middle grade/early YA. They own a special piece of my heart and no one can deny that having on page queer rep and trans rep in teens books is essential and will absolutely make a difference to queer kids everywhere.
Now I'm calling this a middle grade/early YA because it read like a middle grade but the characters were technically starting high school (which would make them roughly 13-14). The character's dialogue, mannerisms, an actions all screamed middle grade to me. The writing at times wasn't my favorite, in that it almost felt perfunctory vs conversational, especially Ciel's attitudes towards her boyfriend.
My favorite part of this book was just the way it let Ciel and Stephie and Liam live. They all have different experiences as trans kids and showing them living their lives, doing every day regular things was great. There's also a good balance in addressing transphobia both within and outside the queer community throughout the book.
Not a whole lot happens in this book and it's very character based so be aware of that before starting, but as a queer middle grade I would recommend it over and over again. We absolutely need more trans and nonbinary rep in younger books and seeing this in a school library or classroom would be amazing.
rep: nonbinary MC, trans secondary characters, queer secondary characters, set in Canada
Now I'm calling this a middle grade/early YA because it read like a middle grade but the characters were technically starting high school (which would make them roughly 13-14). The character's dialogue, mannerisms, an actions all screamed middle grade to me. The writing at times wasn't my favorite, in that it almost felt perfunctory vs conversational, especially Ciel's attitudes towards her boyfriend.
My favorite part of this book was just the way it let Ciel and Stephie and Liam live. They all have different experiences as trans kids and showing them living their lives, doing every day regular things was great. There's also a good balance in addressing transphobia both within and outside the queer community throughout the book.
Not a whole lot happens in this book and it's very character based so be aware of that before starting, but as a queer middle grade I would recommend it over and over again. We absolutely need more trans and nonbinary rep in younger books and seeing this in a school library or classroom would be amazing.
rep: nonbinary MC, trans secondary characters, queer secondary characters, set in Canada
February 15, 2022
I was surprised to open the book and find that it was text, not a comic. No problem; I'll read anything by Sophie LaBelle. If you've read anything by Sophie, you know the two main characters.
Ciel is adorable. She narrates the book, in present tense. It's about the beginning of Ciel's and Steffi's first year in high school. I don't know how it reads in French, but the English translation is sweet. For their age, Ciel seems in some ways naïve and in some ways sophisticated. Ciel is a bit reserved, unlike outgoing Steffi. Ciel doesn't expect people to like them, is not good at face or name recognition, but is apparently pretty bubbly on their YouTube channel. Ciel navigates high school, makes some friends (including another trans kid), and becomes a target for transphobia on YouTube, much like Sophie herself on Facebook.
The book shows a trans/nonbinary kid and other trans characters going about their daily lives, having personalities, families, friends, and goals that all kids should be able to relate to. It is suitable for children maybe starting about fourth grade and through middle school. I don't think there are a lot of books about trans kids for this age group.
This was a four-star read for me. I added a star because it's cutting-edge (in an understated way), and it's Sophie LaBelle.
Ciel is adorable. She narrates the book, in present tense. It's about the beginning of Ciel's and Steffi's first year in high school. I don't know how it reads in French, but the English translation is sweet. For their age, Ciel seems in some ways naïve and in some ways sophisticated. Ciel is a bit reserved, unlike outgoing Steffi. Ciel doesn't expect people to like them, is not good at face or name recognition, but is apparently pretty bubbly on their YouTube channel. Ciel navigates high school, makes some friends (including another trans kid), and becomes a target for transphobia on YouTube, much like Sophie herself on Facebook.
The book shows a trans/nonbinary kid and other trans characters going about their daily lives, having personalities, families, friends, and goals that all kids should be able to relate to. It is suitable for children maybe starting about fourth grade and through middle school. I don't think there are a lot of books about trans kids for this age group.
This was a four-star read for me. I added a star because it's cutting-edge (in an understated way), and it's Sophie LaBelle.
August 28, 2020
Real rating: 3.5 stars
Read this review and others like it on my blog, Kappa Reads!
ARC received from NetGalley.
I've read Sophie Labelle's comics and so when I saw she had a book coming out, I had to grab an ARC.
This is a cute slice-of-life novel about entering high school as a nonbinary teen. I feel like the author really hit the uncertainties of freshman year well, with stress regarding coming out again to teachers, gender presentation, and keeping and making friends.
This book was really comprehensive in it's portrayal of being trans. Ciel, the main character, is half-Brazillain and nonbinary, but doesn't mind being perceived as feminine and will use Alessandra in classes. They're friends with Stephie, a trans girl who wants to go stealth in high school and later means Liam, a trans boy, who swims competitively. They represent a wide array of how people can be trans and I really appreciated that. Also, I think all of these characters are on hormone blockers, so I'm really excited that that was entirely normalized!
One complaint I had was that the secondary characters didn't have very fleshed out storylines and I feel there was more potential for that, especially with Liam and Stephie. Some dialogue and narration felt weirdly worded as well, but not enough to take away my enjoyment of the story.
I rated this book 3.5 stars! This is the middle grade trans book I've been waiting for, and I'm excited there are trans kids who are going to be able to read this!
Read this review and others like it on my blog, Kappa Reads!
ARC received from NetGalley.
I've read Sophie Labelle's comics and so when I saw she had a book coming out, I had to grab an ARC.
This is a cute slice-of-life novel about entering high school as a nonbinary teen. I feel like the author really hit the uncertainties of freshman year well, with stress regarding coming out again to teachers, gender presentation, and keeping and making friends.
This book was really comprehensive in it's portrayal of being trans. Ciel, the main character, is half-Brazillain and nonbinary, but doesn't mind being perceived as feminine and will use Alessandra in classes. They're friends with Stephie, a trans girl who wants to go stealth in high school and later means Liam, a trans boy, who swims competitively. They represent a wide array of how people can be trans and I really appreciated that. Also, I think all of these characters are on hormone blockers, so I'm really excited that that was entirely normalized!
One complaint I had was that the secondary characters didn't have very fleshed out storylines and I feel there was more potential for that, especially with Liam and Stephie. Some dialogue and narration felt weirdly worded as well, but not enough to take away my enjoyment of the story.
I rated this book 3.5 stars! This is the middle grade trans book I've been waiting for, and I'm excited there are trans kids who are going to be able to read this!
October 24, 2018
3.5 stars | (This is probably gonna be long and I'm sorry this review isn't in French but I'm lacking words so.)
Really good LGBTQ québécois novel for young readers :) We need more of those! I love that the parents were (mostly) really supportive of their trans kids and that there wasn't any drama at school because of these non-gender conforming teens. I was all here for non-binary teens and discussion of pronouns and how they can make some people uncomfortable. I hope there is going to be another book and that this is going to be a series because I feel like so many things were left hanging. I want to know what will happen with the LGBTQ meetings and the president Jérôme-Lou. He's the perfect example that even queer people can have prejudices against other queer people. I want to see this addressed.
The only negative (and reasons why i haven't given it 4 stars) is that the dialogue didn't feel authentic. I don't think young teens would talk that way, and it really pulled me out of the story on multiple occasions. Also, the level of maturity of the relationships these 12 yo experience was also a bit puzzling. Who the hell, in 5th grade, stays with the same person for 1.5year+???
LGBTQ rep: trans, bi, pan, non-binary character.
Really good LGBTQ québécois novel for young readers :) We need more of those! I love that the parents were (mostly) really supportive of their trans kids and that there wasn't any drama at school because of these non-gender conforming teens. I was all here for non-binary teens and discussion of pronouns and how they can make some people uncomfortable. I hope there is going to be another book and that this is going to be a series because I feel like so many things were left hanging. I want to know what will happen with the LGBTQ meetings and the president Jérôme-Lou. He's the perfect example that even queer people can have prejudices against other queer people. I want to see this addressed.
The only negative (and reasons why i haven't given it 4 stars) is that the dialogue didn't feel authentic. I don't think young teens would talk that way, and it really pulled me out of the story on multiple occasions. Also, the level of maturity of the relationships these 12 yo experience was also a bit puzzling. Who the hell, in 5th grade, stays with the same person for 1.5year+???
LGBTQ rep: trans, bi, pan, non-binary character.
August 11, 2020
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Second Story Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Ciel is a cute, heart-warming book about a non-binary teen who is struggling with starting high school, a long distance relationship, and their relationship with their best friend Stephie. The book tackles a lot of issues in a short period of time, and does so in a respectful, thoughtful way that absolutely feels appropriate for the target audience.
I think Ciel is a great protagonist for non-binary, trans, and cis kids alike. They're fun, smart, and ambitious, and it's enjoyable to watch them succeed at their goals. It hurts when they're hurt by the people around them, but Ciel generally has an optimistic outlook and their life, and that's good. Ciel as a narrator also takes the time to explain a lot of concepts about gender in very clear ways that don't feel condescending. I hope that the kids who read this book gain a better understanding of what it means to be non-binary. There are also multiple trans characters besides Ciel, and it's nice to see those characters existing and being happy together.
There are a lot of mentions of transphobia in this book, but I think they're handled well and don't go into a territory that would be difficult for middle grade readers to handle. Ciel addresses most of these moments and takes them in stride. In terms of educational but enjoyable content, I think the book hits the nail on the head. It's fun, keeps things relatively light, but also gives a voice to a group of people who are under- and misrepresented in the media quite a lot.
My only problem with the book is that I felt like it ended somewhat abruptly, and not every issue was entirely resolved. This is absolutely fine, and true to real life, because not everything can be tied up in a pretty little bow, but I do wish there had been a clear resolution between Ciel and Stephie.
Stephie is a trans girl who has decided that upon entering high school, she doesn't want to be known as "the trans kid" anymore, and so she doesn't tell any of her new friends that she's trans. This puts a strain on Stephie and Ciel's relationship, because Ciel, who doesn't identify within the gender binary, is much more "obviously" trans and doesn't want to hide that part of themself. In fact, Ciel has a YouTube channel where they talk about their experiences, and one of their videos talking about how pointlessly gendered the bathrooms at their school are ends up going viral.
Ciel can tell that Stephie is pulling away from them slightly, and understands why, but they never have an open conversation with Stephie about the problem. Instead, the narrative ends with them still ambiguously being friends, just not as close as before. When the book ends, Ciel has also just started to form a closer relationship with a trans boy from their school, Liam. Again, I think this is pretty realistic. It's a good representation of how relationships shift and change as people grow up and apart or together. But in terms of the narrative, it left me wanting more. It felt like an awkward ending that didn't quite tie up all the loose ends but also didn't suggest to me that there would be a sequel to address everything. I'd love to see a sequel though!
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book, and I hope a lot of middle grade readers also get to enjoy it and feel represented or learn something or both!
Ciel is a cute, heart-warming book about a non-binary teen who is struggling with starting high school, a long distance relationship, and their relationship with their best friend Stephie. The book tackles a lot of issues in a short period of time, and does so in a respectful, thoughtful way that absolutely feels appropriate for the target audience.
I think Ciel is a great protagonist for non-binary, trans, and cis kids alike. They're fun, smart, and ambitious, and it's enjoyable to watch them succeed at their goals. It hurts when they're hurt by the people around them, but Ciel generally has an optimistic outlook and their life, and that's good. Ciel as a narrator also takes the time to explain a lot of concepts about gender in very clear ways that don't feel condescending. I hope that the kids who read this book gain a better understanding of what it means to be non-binary. There are also multiple trans characters besides Ciel, and it's nice to see those characters existing and being happy together.
There are a lot of mentions of transphobia in this book, but I think they're handled well and don't go into a territory that would be difficult for middle grade readers to handle. Ciel addresses most of these moments and takes them in stride. In terms of educational but enjoyable content, I think the book hits the nail on the head. It's fun, keeps things relatively light, but also gives a voice to a group of people who are under- and misrepresented in the media quite a lot.
My only problem with the book is that I felt like it ended somewhat abruptly, and not every issue was entirely resolved. This is absolutely fine, and true to real life, because not everything can be tied up in a pretty little bow, but I do wish there had been a clear resolution between Ciel and Stephie.
Stephie is a trans girl who has decided that upon entering high school, she doesn't want to be known as "the trans kid" anymore, and so she doesn't tell any of her new friends that she's trans. This puts a strain on Stephie and Ciel's relationship, because Ciel, who doesn't identify within the gender binary, is much more "obviously" trans and doesn't want to hide that part of themself. In fact, Ciel has a YouTube channel where they talk about their experiences, and one of their videos talking about how pointlessly gendered the bathrooms at their school are ends up going viral.
Ciel can tell that Stephie is pulling away from them slightly, and understands why, but they never have an open conversation with Stephie about the problem. Instead, the narrative ends with them still ambiguously being friends, just not as close as before. When the book ends, Ciel has also just started to form a closer relationship with a trans boy from their school, Liam. Again, I think this is pretty realistic. It's a good representation of how relationships shift and change as people grow up and apart or together. But in terms of the narrative, it left me wanting more. It felt like an awkward ending that didn't quite tie up all the loose ends but also didn't suggest to me that there would be a sequel to address everything. I'd love to see a sequel though!
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book, and I hope a lot of middle grade readers also get to enjoy it and feel represented or learn something or both!
September 17, 2020
BLOG|INSTAGRAM|TWITTER|YOUTUBE
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book really nails it on the head with representation. Ciel addresses the things they directly experience, from the blunt way young people experience things. Additionally, this book is very much a contemporary slice of life look at Ciel. With that being said, I struggled with some aspects of this book. I was never quite sure how old Ciel and their friend group was. Sometimes they felt 12, sometimes (when discussing dating) they felt older. Additionally, I could not tell you distinctly the plot of this book. It felt somewhat aimless in that, things simply happened as moments, while rarely being tied together to any greater plot. If you simply want to read about a kid having fun with friends and experiencing some hard life stuff, then this book is great! If you want a book with a plot that can be followed and a satisfying conclusion, this won't be that book for you.
Perhaps this would have carried over better as a comic, which is what our author is known for. The dialogue was always incredibly fun, and slice of life tends to read better that way (in my opinion). If this book had a little bit more plot or character growth, I would say it's great for kids to read. Unfortunately, I just don't think they'd be as interested in slice of life content as adults.
However, I do have to give it credit for its conversations about non-binary trans experiences and how they differ from binary-trans experiences. As a non-binary person, I really appreciated the way that Ciel looked at things and brought them up to people. The way Ciel was bullied tugged on my heartstrings as something I've always worried about, even in my big adult age.
All in all, this was an interesting read, but I would give it 2.5/5 stars as my official rating.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book really nails it on the head with representation. Ciel addresses the things they directly experience, from the blunt way young people experience things. Additionally, this book is very much a contemporary slice of life look at Ciel. With that being said, I struggled with some aspects of this book. I was never quite sure how old Ciel and their friend group was. Sometimes they felt 12, sometimes (when discussing dating) they felt older. Additionally, I could not tell you distinctly the plot of this book. It felt somewhat aimless in that, things simply happened as moments, while rarely being tied together to any greater plot. If you simply want to read about a kid having fun with friends and experiencing some hard life stuff, then this book is great! If you want a book with a plot that can be followed and a satisfying conclusion, this won't be that book for you.
Perhaps this would have carried over better as a comic, which is what our author is known for. The dialogue was always incredibly fun, and slice of life tends to read better that way (in my opinion). If this book had a little bit more plot or character growth, I would say it's great for kids to read. Unfortunately, I just don't think they'd be as interested in slice of life content as adults.
However, I do have to give it credit for its conversations about non-binary trans experiences and how they differ from binary-trans experiences. As a non-binary person, I really appreciated the way that Ciel looked at things and brought them up to people. The way Ciel was bullied tugged on my heartstrings as something I've always worried about, even in my big adult age.
All in all, this was an interesting read, but I would give it 2.5/5 stars as my official rating.
September 9, 2020
TW: Transphobia, Misgendering, Racism, Xenophobia
*I would like to thank Second Story Press for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!*
This was a lovely story about embracing who you are and navigating a new and scary environment. As a gender non-conforming trans teen, Ciel enters high school not exactly knowing what to expect from their peers or teachers. Deciding to fly under the radar seems like the best decision for them, but things get complicated when their BFF decides to hide the fact the she is trans and seems to make quick friends with other girls. Then there is Ciel's long distance relationship with their boyfriend that seems to be crumbling. There is no need to despair though because Ciel's YouTube channels starts booming and a cute boy has also caught her eye!
This story was very short and sweet and to the point! It feels more like a "two weeks in the life" kind of novel as we follow Ciel through their first weeks at high school as they learn more about themself. There wasn't really a plot per se, and it didn't have that true climatic moment, but I liked the simplicity of the narrative and Ciel's voice was strong through and through! This book touches upon some hard topics, as seen with the trigger warnings, but it is also a story about Ciel finding joy in this new era of their life! Their relationships to family and friends takes utmost importance and I really loved reading about how they worked through the tougher times together!
It's about a trans kid living trying to live their best life! Being trans is who they are, but not all that they are and I loved that in reading about their daily life we got to see what makes them happy and sad and excited and silly and anxious! It's about making new friends, dealing with a new school, getting creative, working towards your goals and finding the courage to just be yourself!
This book definitely feels like that perfect in-between Middle Grade and Young Adult! Ciel is about 14 and just starting high school, so I think this will appeal to tweens and teens alike!
*I would like to thank Second Story Press for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!*
This was a lovely story about embracing who you are and navigating a new and scary environment. As a gender non-conforming trans teen, Ciel enters high school not exactly knowing what to expect from their peers or teachers. Deciding to fly under the radar seems like the best decision for them, but things get complicated when their BFF decides to hide the fact the she is trans and seems to make quick friends with other girls. Then there is Ciel's long distance relationship with their boyfriend that seems to be crumbling. There is no need to despair though because Ciel's YouTube channels starts booming and a cute boy has also caught her eye!
This story was very short and sweet and to the point! It feels more like a "two weeks in the life" kind of novel as we follow Ciel through their first weeks at high school as they learn more about themself. There wasn't really a plot per se, and it didn't have that true climatic moment, but I liked the simplicity of the narrative and Ciel's voice was strong through and through! This book touches upon some hard topics, as seen with the trigger warnings, but it is also a story about Ciel finding joy in this new era of their life! Their relationships to family and friends takes utmost importance and I really loved reading about how they worked through the tougher times together!
It's about a trans kid living trying to live their best life! Being trans is who they are, but not all that they are and I loved that in reading about their daily life we got to see what makes them happy and sad and excited and silly and anxious! It's about making new friends, dealing with a new school, getting creative, working towards your goals and finding the courage to just be yourself!
This book definitely feels like that perfect in-between Middle Grade and Young Adult! Ciel is about 14 and just starting high school, so I think this will appeal to tweens and teens alike!
June 24, 2024
Although Ciel has been publicly nonbinary for a while, starting high school has a whole set of problems that kids who aren't trans just don't have to face. Ciel is also trying to get a YouTube channel off the ground and hold onto old friendships. They face some setbacks and some good times too.
This book really feels like it was written by a 14-year-old, and unfortunately, I don't mean that in a good way. The plot goes all over, the story constantly mentions unimportant details, the narrator offers unnecessary commentary and backstory on things I don't care about. But this book also does something that I've honestly never seen in a book about trans kids: it gives a realistic look at what it means to live in a world that just isn't meant for nonbinary people. There's only one instance of outright bullying, but our protagonist manages this smoothly. A bigger part of the story is facing daily life, such as not wanting to seem like a complete weirdo, trying to decide what they want teachers to call them during attendance, and what is means to date someone while trans. We get to see Ciel navigating deadnames and educating people, including people in the rainbow pride club, about nonbinary and trans best practices. We see that Ciel is getting hormone blockers but isn't totally confident in their gender and gender expression. All this feels so authentic to the trans experience, particularly for young people. While I have a lot of respect for books that never tell us a characters deadname, everywhere outside of books, casual viewers make assumptions about a person based on how they look or sound. I really appreciate that this book not only recognizes this but discusses it.
Overall, I don't have a lot of patience for this author's ability to tell a story, but I think there are a lot of great insights in this book, making it worth the read.
This book really feels like it was written by a 14-year-old, and unfortunately, I don't mean that in a good way. The plot goes all over, the story constantly mentions unimportant details, the narrator offers unnecessary commentary and backstory on things I don't care about. But this book also does something that I've honestly never seen in a book about trans kids: it gives a realistic look at what it means to live in a world that just isn't meant for nonbinary people. There's only one instance of outright bullying, but our protagonist manages this smoothly. A bigger part of the story is facing daily life, such as not wanting to seem like a complete weirdo, trying to decide what they want teachers to call them during attendance, and what is means to date someone while trans. We get to see Ciel navigating deadnames and educating people, including people in the rainbow pride club, about nonbinary and trans best practices. We see that Ciel is getting hormone blockers but isn't totally confident in their gender and gender expression. All this feels so authentic to the trans experience, particularly for young people. While I have a lot of respect for books that never tell us a characters deadname, everywhere outside of books, casual viewers make assumptions about a person based on how they look or sound. I really appreciate that this book not only recognizes this but discusses it.
Overall, I don't have a lot of patience for this author's ability to tell a story, but I think there are a lot of great insights in this book, making it worth the read.
Read
July 27, 2020Ciel by Sophie Labelle is a heart warming novella about the fears and assertions of a gender non conforming trans kid Ciel. She is about to enter high school. Any kid would feel the butterflies on the first day. For Ciel it is even more because she fears how her teachers and classmates will respond to her idea of fluid gender.
Luckily she has a best friend Stephie who is also trans but does not want to be open about it unlike Ciel.
Ciel's days begin with her waking up realllly early to deliver the newspaper. She wants to earn enough to buy a camera and tripod that will help her make better videos for her YouTube channel, Ciel is Bored.
The novel is a simple, quick read that brings out the several issues around trans kids and the uncertainties and problems they face because of mainstream binary gendered outlooks. For instance, Ciel has trouble choosing what bathroom to use and only visits it when no one is around. She speaks about it on her channel as well.
This does not mean that Ciel only faces problems and is troubled at her high school. The writer captures the small moments of support she receives, be it from her father, her friend or even her teachers who are willing to accept and understand.
It is a beautiful novel which ends on a superbly positive and uplifting message of being true to oneself!
Luckily she has a best friend Stephie who is also trans but does not want to be open about it unlike Ciel.
Ciel's days begin with her waking up realllly early to deliver the newspaper. She wants to earn enough to buy a camera and tripod that will help her make better videos for her YouTube channel, Ciel is Bored.
The novel is a simple, quick read that brings out the several issues around trans kids and the uncertainties and problems they face because of mainstream binary gendered outlooks. For instance, Ciel has trouble choosing what bathroom to use and only visits it when no one is around. She speaks about it on her channel as well.
This does not mean that Ciel only faces problems and is troubled at her high school. The writer captures the small moments of support she receives, be it from her father, her friend or even her teachers who are willing to accept and understand.
It is a beautiful novel which ends on a superbly positive and uplifting message of being true to oneself!
November 13, 2020
It's a bit difficult for me to review this book. I am a huge fan of Sophie Labelle, and have followed her comic 'Assigned Male' since its inception, so I was thrilled to support her and buy her first novel(ette?).
But the book is so clearly aimed at young children, and I, alas, hardly remember that far back :) So I thought it was a lovely read, and I would get the book for any middle-school kid in my life, and then - would love to know what they think about it.
That said, Ciel is a great character, and I really like that the story is as much about their inner thoughts as about things that "happen" (not much does, actually). There is a little bit of a feeling of a list being checked off (Trans boy? check. Trans girl? check. Non-binary character? Check! A person of color? Yep, and a disabled person? Yes, and we're good to go!) but then, that's kind of staying true to the cast of the comic, and didn't feel uncomfortable.
In a couple of spots it was obvious I was reading a translation, but hey, that should be the worst thing I read. Bottom line, it's great reading about young trans/queer kids just being kids. Here's to a LOT more of that!
But the book is so clearly aimed at young children, and I, alas, hardly remember that far back :) So I thought it was a lovely read, and I would get the book for any middle-school kid in my life, and then - would love to know what they think about it.
That said, Ciel is a great character, and I really like that the story is as much about their inner thoughts as about things that "happen" (not much does, actually). There is a little bit of a feeling of a list being checked off (Trans boy? check. Trans girl? check. Non-binary character? Check! A person of color? Yep, and a disabled person? Yes, and we're good to go!) but then, that's kind of staying true to the cast of the comic, and didn't feel uncomfortable.
In a couple of spots it was obvious I was reading a translation, but hey, that should be the worst thing I read. Bottom line, it's great reading about young trans/queer kids just being kids. Here's to a LOT more of that!
January 1, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for a review copy!
TW: transphobia, misgendering, deadnaming
It was a really cute book and the rep was amazing. I've been following Sophie Labelle on Instagram for a couple of years so it was amazing to see the characters that I grew to love from Assigned Male in a book - getting to know more about them, their likes and dislikes at the important milestone of starting middle school was amazing.
There are so many queer and especially trans characters in this one! It was great to see all of them navigating life and daily challenges with different approaches. In general, it's a very diverse book - characters come from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and there is a character in a wheelchair.
It's absolutely amazing seeing queer and trans rep in middle-grade books. We need them so badly and I'm glad that there are more and more coming out.
My only issue was that there was little plot and the book ended pretty abruptly. But all the same, I'm really glad this book exists.
TW: transphobia, misgendering, deadnaming
It was a really cute book and the rep was amazing. I've been following Sophie Labelle on Instagram for a couple of years so it was amazing to see the characters that I grew to love from Assigned Male in a book - getting to know more about them, their likes and dislikes at the important milestone of starting middle school was amazing.
There are so many queer and especially trans characters in this one! It was great to see all of them navigating life and daily challenges with different approaches. In general, it's a very diverse book - characters come from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and there is a character in a wheelchair.
It's absolutely amazing seeing queer and trans rep in middle-grade books. We need them so badly and I'm glad that there are more and more coming out.
My only issue was that there was little plot and the book ended pretty abruptly. But all the same, I'm really glad this book exists.
August 24, 2020
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and I’m very thankful!
Love me some own voices trans nonbinary rep, SPECIALLY in a middle-grade <3 And so cute, and light-hearted, and in a kinda positive tone. Love this to heaven and back.
That being said: I was very lost for the first… 15% of the story, and I remained somewhat lost after that, only that I didn’t care anymore because the story just lets you keep reading without worries. BUT midway through the book I felt like maybe this would work better as a comic book. And it’s because I found no substantial, book deep plotline. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not because I think comics have less plot than a MG novel, it’s just that this book in particular is… daily events based. It’s a chronicle of the first two weeks of the protagonist’s first year of high school, and it really would have worked GREAT in a comic format. That I thought BEFORE knowing who the author was and her previous work and I wasn’t surprised when I read about it.
Also, I feel like I didn’t get to know the characters, and some plotlines went to nothing (like Martin, or Stephie’s boyfriend??? Or the mean youtuber?), and I would love to, because Ciel is a great protagonist. They’re strong minded and determined, and they’re in that age where they’re forming themselves and I would have really loved to explore them more deeply.
Anyway; the most positive notes of this book are, obviously, the rep (trans boy, trans girl, nonbinary kid, and we even got some latino rep, which I always appreciate) and the themes of family and friendship and the importance of having people who understand and loves you, beautifully approached. I specially loved the ‘new friends’ issue: making friends in HS can be hard for any kid, and Ciel’s worries and concerns are VERY valid.
I liked the youtube subplot and I think lots of kids are gonna feel connected with that aspect of Ciel’s life, I’d have loved to see more of that as well.
I will definitely be on alert with this book and recommend it to everyone!
Love me some own voices trans nonbinary rep, SPECIALLY in a middle-grade <3 And so cute, and light-hearted, and in a kinda positive tone. Love this to heaven and back.
That being said: I was very lost for the first… 15% of the story, and I remained somewhat lost after that, only that I didn’t care anymore because the story just lets you keep reading without worries. BUT midway through the book I felt like maybe this would work better as a comic book. And it’s because I found no substantial, book deep plotline. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not because I think comics have less plot than a MG novel, it’s just that this book in particular is… daily events based. It’s a chronicle of the first two weeks of the protagonist’s first year of high school, and it really would have worked GREAT in a comic format. That I thought BEFORE knowing who the author was and her previous work and I wasn’t surprised when I read about it.
Also, I feel like I didn’t get to know the characters, and some plotlines went to nothing (like Martin, or Stephie’s boyfriend??? Or the mean youtuber?), and I would love to, because Ciel is a great protagonist. They’re strong minded and determined, and they’re in that age where they’re forming themselves and I would have really loved to explore them more deeply.
Anyway; the most positive notes of this book are, obviously, the rep (trans boy, trans girl, nonbinary kid, and we even got some latino rep, which I always appreciate) and the themes of family and friendship and the importance of having people who understand and loves you, beautifully approached. I specially loved the ‘new friends’ issue: making friends in HS can be hard for any kid, and Ciel’s worries and concerns are VERY valid.
I liked the youtube subplot and I think lots of kids are gonna feel connected with that aspect of Ciel’s life, I’d have loved to see more of that as well.
I will definitely be on alert with this book and recommend it to everyone!
November 14, 2025
Ciel is a nonbinary freshman in high school who is doing their best to balance their busy pre teen life. The book explores the ups and downs of creating a YouTube channel, supporting friends who are transitioning their gender, dealing with young crushes, etc. The book gives you a glimpse into the chaotic life of a gender-nonconforming high schooler who is just trying to get by, but most importantly, be themselves. The intended audience for this book is middle grade readers. This book may appeal to readers who are curious about, or are exploring their own gender identity. I chose this book for my classroom library because it does a great job at LGBTQ+ representation, while also painting the main character as just an everyday person. It shows we often have more in common with people than we do differences. Key themes and topics of this book include: gender identity, friendship, authenticity, LGBTQ+, friendships, confidence, and social media.
September 14, 2020
Thank you so much to Second Story Press for the ARC of this book!
I think this book is so important for the younger generation and is just so soft, sweet and hits on various points on Transness and being a non-binary individual. I wish I had this book to help me as i navigated my feelings about my gender. I still am constantly questioning but to have this OUNCE representation in a book is wonderful. I found the small but important conflicts very realistic in this I guess coming of age from the transition of middle/elemtary school into highschool. There was strong presence of parental support which I think is just so pivotal in stories for younger children. Please check this book out if you can it made me smile and feel those familiar feels of awkwardness.
I think this book is so important for the younger generation and is just so soft, sweet and hits on various points on Transness and being a non-binary individual. I wish I had this book to help me as i navigated my feelings about my gender. I still am constantly questioning but to have this OUNCE representation in a book is wonderful. I found the small but important conflicts very realistic in this I guess coming of age from the transition of middle/elemtary school into highschool. There was strong presence of parental support which I think is just so pivotal in stories for younger children. Please check this book out if you can it made me smile and feel those familiar feels of awkwardness.
May 9, 2020
First of all, I'm a cisgender, white woman and can only review this book from this perspective :) I read a lot of books that contain diverse characters because I love the Queer world and diverse characters appeal to me. That being said, I can't speak to the "authenticity" of the "Trans" experience... because I'm not trans. What I can do... is read a book like this by an own-voices author and speak to what I learned... or what appealed to me about it. I hope that makes sense.
Ciel is beginning a new year at High School. Ciel identifies as trans and also non-binary. At home, Ciel's father is great about allowing Ciel to wear what they want and be however they want. I loved the way this relationship was described in the book. My hope is that more children will begin to grow up in homes in which they are allowed to express themselves however they want.... just be who they are.
When Ciel returns to school it's with their best friend Stephie at their side. They are adorable friends, always supportive and sweet. The one thing that is different for these two is that Stephie doesn't want people to know that she is trans while Ciel is very public. Ciel even has a youtube channel on which they post videos about being trans and non-binary. I thought this was a great choice by the author for demonstrating that people are different in terms of how they want to express themselves and their gender identities.
There are some lovely scenes in this book when Ciel explains things to their friends/ classmates. There is a brave discussion at an LGBTQIA group at school during which Ciel points out that all those in attendance should give their name and pronouns. Not everyone is aware that there are more pronoun choices than "he" and "she" and Ciel takes the time to explain.
Ciel is also dealing with a long-distance relationship with their boyfriend Eirikurl. He used to live in Montreal but he has returned to Iceland with his family. Ciel is finding that Eirikur doesn't contact them as much as they had hoped. It's a learning experience for Ciel.
In my mind, the First year of high school is fifteen or sixteen years old. The characters in this book read as younger than that to me. I just wouldn't want anyone to pick this up thinking it was a "young adult" book.
This is a great book for young folks who may be exploring their own gender identity, or those who just want to learn about it. There are some great explanations in the book.
My review will be posted on my blog on August 15, 2020
Ciel is beginning a new year at High School. Ciel identifies as trans and also non-binary. At home, Ciel's father is great about allowing Ciel to wear what they want and be however they want. I loved the way this relationship was described in the book. My hope is that more children will begin to grow up in homes in which they are allowed to express themselves however they want.... just be who they are.
When Ciel returns to school it's with their best friend Stephie at their side. They are adorable friends, always supportive and sweet. The one thing that is different for these two is that Stephie doesn't want people to know that she is trans while Ciel is very public. Ciel even has a youtube channel on which they post videos about being trans and non-binary. I thought this was a great choice by the author for demonstrating that people are different in terms of how they want to express themselves and their gender identities.
There are some lovely scenes in this book when Ciel explains things to their friends/ classmates. There is a brave discussion at an LGBTQIA group at school during which Ciel points out that all those in attendance should give their name and pronouns. Not everyone is aware that there are more pronoun choices than "he" and "she" and Ciel takes the time to explain.
Ciel is also dealing with a long-distance relationship with their boyfriend Eirikurl. He used to live in Montreal but he has returned to Iceland with his family. Ciel is finding that Eirikur doesn't contact them as much as they had hoped. It's a learning experience for Ciel.
In my mind, the First year of high school is fifteen or sixteen years old. The characters in this book read as younger than that to me. I just wouldn't want anyone to pick this up thinking it was a "young adult" book.
This is a great book for young folks who may be exploring their own gender identity, or those who just want to learn about it. There are some great explanations in the book.
My review will be posted on my blog on August 15, 2020
December 22, 2020
I really liked this, especially how it treated without judging both the ways transgender people can choose to live- kind of "undercover", just wanting a life as normal as possible, and "out", helping others to see and respect all kinds of gender and sexuality. The ending caught me a little too much by surprise though. Not by HOW it ended but by how all of a sudden, the book was over. I might have to read volume 2, but I feel a little tricked into it.
January 9, 2024
Söpö lastenkirja, jossa päähenkilö ja tämän paras ystävä ovat molemmat trans. Vähän liikaa opettavaisuutta mun mielestä, siis että selostetaan ja kerrotaan cislukijoille asioita hiukan liian tiheään. Mutta oli ihan hauska lukea. Labellen sarjakuvat ovat musta parempia kuin pelkkään tekstiin nojaavat teokset.
August 31, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really like #ownvoices books, especially for young readers. That is why I really wanted to love this book. It is clear that the author put a lot of heart in this book, especially with the protagonist, Ciel. I also loved their best friend, Stephie. However, there was not much of a plot at all to this story. I understand the author comes from a background of writing comics, and that makes a lot of sense when reading this. It probably would have made a very good weekly webcomic, seeing what Ciel is up to every week. However, as a novel, I feel it needed a tighter plot. Overall, I felt the representation was really good, and it might be a good way to teach younger readers about trans issues, but I am not sure how entertained an average kid would be by it. Also, it is great for younger trans readers who could see themselves in Ciel and the other trans characters in this book. I really wish the plot was better, because I feel like it had the potential to be a masterpiece.
I really like #ownvoices books, especially for young readers. That is why I really wanted to love this book. It is clear that the author put a lot of heart in this book, especially with the protagonist, Ciel. I also loved their best friend, Stephie. However, there was not much of a plot at all to this story. I understand the author comes from a background of writing comics, and that makes a lot of sense when reading this. It probably would have made a very good weekly webcomic, seeing what Ciel is up to every week. However, as a novel, I feel it needed a tighter plot. Overall, I felt the representation was really good, and it might be a good way to teach younger readers about trans issues, but I am not sure how entertained an average kid would be by it. Also, it is great for younger trans readers who could see themselves in Ciel and the other trans characters in this book. I really wish the plot was better, because I feel like it had the potential to be a masterpiece.
August 19, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and to the Publisher for giving me this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is actually 1.5 stars.
I saw that this book had good reviews in general, and it discusses such impotant topics that I couldn't wait to finally read it. I'm sad to say that it really dissapointed me.
First off, I want to say that many of the problems I had whith this is the way it was written. It doesn't feel natural. I know that this is a translation so I'm not blaming the author for this, but I'm a native Spanish speaker. I grew up with translations. And a good translation doesn't feel like a translation at all. This felt super lazy, and it kept me from being fully invested in the story.
The narration also felt uninspired. There were few adjectives and descriptions. "This happened, I felt this. I did this, I felt like that". I didn't really buy it. This book really needs to learn the rule "show, dont tell". Some people might say that this book being aimed for a younger audience means it cant be too complicated, but I disagree. Just because it is for children doesn't mean it shouldn't be deep and compeling.
Also, nothing in the story was important. There wasn't any actual plot. Ciel's friend not wanting people to know she's trans? Never really resolved, never talked about. Ciel's long-distance relationship? We don't hear about it enough to actually care. The LGBT+ group at school? They go there once and it's never mentioned again. Even the thing with the Youtube channel and Ciel raising money to buy a camera wasn't really developed as an actual plot line. Sure, Ciel said it'd been hard for them, but it didn't read that way! And in the end, when everything is resolved, it was so out of nowhere, cero build-up, that I thought I had skipped twenty pages.
I kinda liked the characters, or at least the few things we learn about them. And I added a half star because it was easy to read and it kept me kinda interested. But overall, this was unremarkable. I do, however, want to read more works by this author. I have faith she'll get better (this is only her first book afer all), and I love reading own-voices.
This is actually 1.5 stars.
I saw that this book had good reviews in general, and it discusses such impotant topics that I couldn't wait to finally read it. I'm sad to say that it really dissapointed me.
First off, I want to say that many of the problems I had whith this is the way it was written. It doesn't feel natural. I know that this is a translation so I'm not blaming the author for this, but I'm a native Spanish speaker. I grew up with translations. And a good translation doesn't feel like a translation at all. This felt super lazy, and it kept me from being fully invested in the story.
The narration also felt uninspired. There were few adjectives and descriptions. "This happened, I felt this. I did this, I felt like that". I didn't really buy it. This book really needs to learn the rule "show, dont tell". Some people might say that this book being aimed for a younger audience means it cant be too complicated, but I disagree. Just because it is for children doesn't mean it shouldn't be deep and compeling.
Also, nothing in the story was important. There wasn't any actual plot. Ciel's friend not wanting people to know she's trans? Never really resolved, never talked about. Ciel's long-distance relationship? We don't hear about it enough to actually care. The LGBT+ group at school? They go there once and it's never mentioned again. Even the thing with the Youtube channel and Ciel raising money to buy a camera wasn't really developed as an actual plot line. Sure, Ciel said it'd been hard for them, but it didn't read that way! And in the end, when everything is resolved, it was so out of nowhere, cero build-up, that I thought I had skipped twenty pages.
I kinda liked the characters, or at least the few things we learn about them. And I added a half star because it was easy to read and it kept me kinda interested. But overall, this was unremarkable. I do, however, want to read more works by this author. I have faith she'll get better (this is only her first book afer all), and I love reading own-voices.
July 1, 2020
*INGLÉS/ESPAÑOL*
~ ENGLISH ~
The publisher provided the ARC for this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I must say that although I adore LGBTQ + performance books and know that there is a lot of material in the books now (for which I am grateful), I have come to realize that there are not many books that talk about trans or not - binary people.
I can literally count on ONE hand the number of novels where this is mentioned, which seems surprising to me because, come on, trans and non-binary must have their own voices too!
With that said, I must say this story was refreshing for me~. The reason I chose it was precisely to learn more about Ciel, to hear what they have to say, to see the world from their eyes. And to be honest, I was extremely satisfied with what I read.
The story centers on Ciel, a teenager who identifies as trans and non-binary and who is about to go through many changes in her life.
As they begin their freshman year in high school, Ciel wonders how long they can be in front of other people, how to deal with new classmates, new teachers, and strangers who don't know who they are. It seems that everything is changing, beginning because their best friend, Stephie, wants to keep the secret that she is a trans girl, something Ciel does not agree with. As if that were not enough, there is also the fact that Ciel's boyfriend, Eirikur, has moved and it seems that they are distancing themselves.
Too many things are happening in his life, but Ciel is determined to deal with it all, and what better way to do it than to have one goal in mind: buy a new camera to continue his YouTube channel and investigate a certain trans boy who has caught their attention in school. It's just their first year in high school, but Ciel has a lot to say and experience.
It is an extremely adorable and quick to read story, I recommend it for children and adolescents because I feel that it is more their style. It's also very easy to sympathize with the adorable Ciel. They have a great voice and a great strength of the story is that the author simply explains the problems or situations that many trans people have gone through. Situations such as discrimination, harassment, even opens our eyes to things as subtle as the wrong approach to the news on the newspaper or the process of accepting that the parents have when they're facing the news that his son or daughter is trans.
In my opinion, that's one of the strongest points in the story, I was really able to understand more about Ciel's perspective thanks to the experience they had throughout the book and the things he told.
I also really liked Ciel's friendship with Stephie, it made me extremely adorable, and while I would have loved to know more about them or Eirikur or have times when Ciel's YouTube videos were further explained, I thought it was a good read, extremely entertaining and charming.
However, while I liked the reading, I can't help but mention that it lacks a plot. Ciel has a lot to deal with (their YouTube channel, their friendship with Stephie, their relationship with Eirikur, their experience at school, their insecurities, determining if they want to be themself at school), but even though all of that connects With Through Ciel, I wish there was a main storyline that would tie all of these issues that Ciel is going through.
Still, it was a very good and entertaining read, and with that ending, they really want to know what will happen next.
~ESPAÑOL~
El ARC de esta novela fue proporcionado por la editorial a través de NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta.
Primero que nada debo decir que, aunque adoro los libros con representación LGBTQ+ y sé que ahora hay mucho material en los libros (Por lo cual estoy agradecida), he notado que no hay muchos libros que hablen sobre personas trans o no binario.
Literal puedo contar con UNA mano la cantidad de novelas donde esto se menciona, lo cual me parece sorprendente porque, vamos, los trans y los no binarios también deben tener sus propias voces!
Dicho eso debo decir que esta historia fue refrescante para mi~. La razón por la que la escogí fue, precisamente, para aprender más de Ciel, escuchar lo que tiene que decir, ver el mundo desde sus ojos. Y la verdad, quedé sumamente satisfecha con lo que leí.
La historia se centra en Ciel, una adolescente que se identifica como trans y no binario y que está a punto de pasar por muchísimos cambios en su vida.
Con el inicio de su primer año en la secundaria, Ciel se pregunta qué tan ellos puede ser frente a las demás personas, cómo lidiar con nuevos compañeros de clase, nuevos profesores y desconocidos que no saben quién es. Parece que todo está cambiando, empezando porque su mejor amiga, Stephie, quiere guardar el secreto de que es una chica trans, algo en lo que no está muy de acuerdo. Por si fuera poco también está el hecho de que el novio de Ciel, Eirikur, se ha mudado y parece que se están distanciando.
Demasiadas cosas en su vida están sucediendo, pero Ciel está decidida a sobrellevarlo todo, y qué mejor forma de hacerlo que ponerse una meta en mente: comprarse una cámara nueva para seguir con su canal de Youtube e investigar sobre cierto chico trans que le ha llamado la atención en la escuela. Es apenas su primer año en la secundaria pero Ciel tiene muchísimas cosas qué experimentar y decir.
Es una historia sumamente adorable y rápida de leer, la recomiendo para niños y adolescentes porque siento que es más su estilo. Además es muy fácil simpatizar con la adorable Ciel. Tiene una gran voz y un gran punto fuerte de la historia es que la autora explica de forma simple problemas o situaciones por las que muchas personas trans han pasado. Situaciones como discriminación, acoso, incluso nos abre los ojos ante cosas tan sutiles como el enfoque erróneo de una noticia o el proceso de aceptación del padre ante la noticia de que su hijo o hija es trans.
En mi opinión, ese es uno de los puntos más fuertes de la historia, realmente pude entender más sobre la perspectiva de Ciel gracias a la experiencia que tuvo a lo largo del libro y las cosas que contaba.
También me gustó mucho la amistad de Ciel con Stephie, se me hizo sumamente adorable, y aunque me habría encantado saber más de ellas dos o de Eirikur o tener momentos donde se explicara más los videos que Ciel hacía en Youtube, me pareció una buena lectura, sumamente entretenida y adorable.
Sin embargo, aunque me gustó la lectura, no puedo evitar mencionar que carece de plot. Ciel tiene muchísimas cosas con las cuales lidiar (su canal de youtube, su amistad con Stephie, su relación con Eirikur, su experiencia en la escuela, sus inseguridades, determinar si quiere ser ella misma en la escuela) pero aunque todo eso se conecta a través de Ciel, me habría gustado que hubiera un plot principal que uniera todos estos problemas por los que pasa Ciel.
Aún así fue una muy buena y entretenida lectura y con ese final dan muchísimas ganas de saber qué va a pasar después.
~ ENGLISH ~
The publisher provided the ARC for this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I must say that although I adore LGBTQ + performance books and know that there is a lot of material in the books now (for which I am grateful), I have come to realize that there are not many books that talk about trans or not - binary people.
I can literally count on ONE hand the number of novels where this is mentioned, which seems surprising to me because, come on, trans and non-binary must have their own voices too!
With that said, I must say this story was refreshing for me~. The reason I chose it was precisely to learn more about Ciel, to hear what they have to say, to see the world from their eyes. And to be honest, I was extremely satisfied with what I read.
The story centers on Ciel, a teenager who identifies as trans and non-binary and who is about to go through many changes in her life.
As they begin their freshman year in high school, Ciel wonders how long they can be in front of other people, how to deal with new classmates, new teachers, and strangers who don't know who they are. It seems that everything is changing, beginning because their best friend, Stephie, wants to keep the secret that she is a trans girl, something Ciel does not agree with. As if that were not enough, there is also the fact that Ciel's boyfriend, Eirikur, has moved and it seems that they are distancing themselves.
Too many things are happening in his life, but Ciel is determined to deal with it all, and what better way to do it than to have one goal in mind: buy a new camera to continue his YouTube channel and investigate a certain trans boy who has caught their attention in school. It's just their first year in high school, but Ciel has a lot to say and experience.
It is an extremely adorable and quick to read story, I recommend it for children and adolescents because I feel that it is more their style. It's also very easy to sympathize with the adorable Ciel. They have a great voice and a great strength of the story is that the author simply explains the problems or situations that many trans people have gone through. Situations such as discrimination, harassment, even opens our eyes to things as subtle as the wrong approach to the news on the newspaper or the process of accepting that the parents have when they're facing the news that his son or daughter is trans.
In my opinion, that's one of the strongest points in the story, I was really able to understand more about Ciel's perspective thanks to the experience they had throughout the book and the things he told.
I also really liked Ciel's friendship with Stephie, it made me extremely adorable, and while I would have loved to know more about them or Eirikur or have times when Ciel's YouTube videos were further explained, I thought it was a good read, extremely entertaining and charming.
However, while I liked the reading, I can't help but mention that it lacks a plot. Ciel has a lot to deal with (their YouTube channel, their friendship with Stephie, their relationship with Eirikur, their experience at school, their insecurities, determining if they want to be themself at school), but even though all of that connects With Through Ciel, I wish there was a main storyline that would tie all of these issues that Ciel is going through.
Still, it was a very good and entertaining read, and with that ending, they really want to know what will happen next.
~ESPAÑOL~
El ARC de esta novela fue proporcionado por la editorial a través de NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta.
Primero que nada debo decir que, aunque adoro los libros con representación LGBTQ+ y sé que ahora hay mucho material en los libros (Por lo cual estoy agradecida), he notado que no hay muchos libros que hablen sobre personas trans o no binario.
Literal puedo contar con UNA mano la cantidad de novelas donde esto se menciona, lo cual me parece sorprendente porque, vamos, los trans y los no binarios también deben tener sus propias voces!
Dicho eso debo decir que esta historia fue refrescante para mi~. La razón por la que la escogí fue, precisamente, para aprender más de Ciel, escuchar lo que tiene que decir, ver el mundo desde sus ojos. Y la verdad, quedé sumamente satisfecha con lo que leí.
La historia se centra en Ciel, una adolescente que se identifica como trans y no binario y que está a punto de pasar por muchísimos cambios en su vida.
Con el inicio de su primer año en la secundaria, Ciel se pregunta qué tan ellos puede ser frente a las demás personas, cómo lidiar con nuevos compañeros de clase, nuevos profesores y desconocidos que no saben quién es. Parece que todo está cambiando, empezando porque su mejor amiga, Stephie, quiere guardar el secreto de que es una chica trans, algo en lo que no está muy de acuerdo. Por si fuera poco también está el hecho de que el novio de Ciel, Eirikur, se ha mudado y parece que se están distanciando.
Demasiadas cosas en su vida están sucediendo, pero Ciel está decidida a sobrellevarlo todo, y qué mejor forma de hacerlo que ponerse una meta en mente: comprarse una cámara nueva para seguir con su canal de Youtube e investigar sobre cierto chico trans que le ha llamado la atención en la escuela. Es apenas su primer año en la secundaria pero Ciel tiene muchísimas cosas qué experimentar y decir.
Es una historia sumamente adorable y rápida de leer, la recomiendo para niños y adolescentes porque siento que es más su estilo. Además es muy fácil simpatizar con la adorable Ciel. Tiene una gran voz y un gran punto fuerte de la historia es que la autora explica de forma simple problemas o situaciones por las que muchas personas trans han pasado. Situaciones como discriminación, acoso, incluso nos abre los ojos ante cosas tan sutiles como el enfoque erróneo de una noticia o el proceso de aceptación del padre ante la noticia de que su hijo o hija es trans.
En mi opinión, ese es uno de los puntos más fuertes de la historia, realmente pude entender más sobre la perspectiva de Ciel gracias a la experiencia que tuvo a lo largo del libro y las cosas que contaba.
También me gustó mucho la amistad de Ciel con Stephie, se me hizo sumamente adorable, y aunque me habría encantado saber más de ellas dos o de Eirikur o tener momentos donde se explicara más los videos que Ciel hacía en Youtube, me pareció una buena lectura, sumamente entretenida y adorable.
Sin embargo, aunque me gustó la lectura, no puedo evitar mencionar que carece de plot. Ciel tiene muchísimas cosas con las cuales lidiar (su canal de youtube, su amistad con Stephie, su relación con Eirikur, su experiencia en la escuela, sus inseguridades, determinar si quiere ser ella misma en la escuela) pero aunque todo eso se conecta a través de Ciel, me habría gustado que hubiera un plot principal que uniera todos estos problemas por los que pasa Ciel.
Aún así fue una muy buena y entretenida lectura y con ese final dan muchísimas ganas de saber qué va a pasar después.
August 6, 2021
Une très belle découverte pour la fin du primaire, début du secondaire!
Ciel entre au secondaire et depuis quelques années, elle (c’est le pronom mentionné dans le roman) avoue entrer dans aucune catégorie et qu’elle est tannée des étiquettes. Elle avoue n’être ni garçon ni fille, mais s’identifie davantage en tant que fille. Honnêtement, je crois que je n’ai jamais vu autant de diversité dans un livre que ce soit au niveau de la sexualité, des origines ethniques, de l’identité, de la famille ou physique.
Ce roman aborde de nombreux thèmes pertinents tels que la famille, l’amitié, l’acceptation de soi ainsi que sa place dans la société. Ciel est chanceuse, elle est entourée de gens qui la supporte. Évidemment, certains personnages font des commentaires qui semblent anodins, mais nous réalisons rapidement à quel point ils peuvent en réalité affecter les autres.
En tant que cisgenre, je peux difficilement dire si ce que vit Ciel est réaliste. Par contre, l’auteure étant trans, je fais confiance en son jugement. Je crois toutefois que c’est légèrement embelli pour ne pas que ce soit trop négatif ou alors, Ciel est très bien entourée et elle a beaucoup de chance d’avoir autant de support.
Le seul point qui me dérange, c’est que son souhait est d’améliorer sa chaine Youtube. Évidemment, elle reçoit des commentaires à la fois positif et négatif vu les sujets qu’elles abordent. Je ne sais pas à quel point je suis à l’aise qu’une jeune adolescente s’affiche autant sur Internet.
Ciel entre au secondaire et depuis quelques années, elle (c’est le pronom mentionné dans le roman) avoue entrer dans aucune catégorie et qu’elle est tannée des étiquettes. Elle avoue n’être ni garçon ni fille, mais s’identifie davantage en tant que fille. Honnêtement, je crois que je n’ai jamais vu autant de diversité dans un livre que ce soit au niveau de la sexualité, des origines ethniques, de l’identité, de la famille ou physique.
Ce roman aborde de nombreux thèmes pertinents tels que la famille, l’amitié, l’acceptation de soi ainsi que sa place dans la société. Ciel est chanceuse, elle est entourée de gens qui la supporte. Évidemment, certains personnages font des commentaires qui semblent anodins, mais nous réalisons rapidement à quel point ils peuvent en réalité affecter les autres.
En tant que cisgenre, je peux difficilement dire si ce que vit Ciel est réaliste. Par contre, l’auteure étant trans, je fais confiance en son jugement. Je crois toutefois que c’est légèrement embelli pour ne pas que ce soit trop négatif ou alors, Ciel est très bien entourée et elle a beaucoup de chance d’avoir autant de support.
Le seul point qui me dérange, c’est que son souhait est d’améliorer sa chaine Youtube. Évidemment, elle reçoit des commentaires à la fois positif et négatif vu les sujets qu’elles abordent. Je ne sais pas à quel point je suis à l’aise qu’une jeune adolescente s’affiche autant sur Internet.
May 18, 2018
Absolument saisissant et divertissant! Dans sa manière d'écrire, Sophie Labelle nous interroge sur la dure réalité d'un enfant transsexuel non-binaire aux prises non seulement avec la rentrée scolaire, mais aussi aux commentaires désobligeants qu'elle reçoit autant dans la réalité que sur les réseaux sociaux. Bien que beaucoup de positivisme prône dans ce roman (car j'imagine que la réalité doit encore plus être difficile à vivre), les réactions discriminatoires envers Ciel suffisent à nous faire comprendre le quotidien de ces personnes en quête d'appartenance à un groupe. En ce qui a trait à la qualité littéraire, je considère l'écriture de Sophie Labelle comme authentique, toujours franche et, on dirait, inspirée de sa réalité à elle. L'auteure connaît bien son sujet, et elle sait nous le faire apprécier à sa juste valeur. Un livre que je recommanderais à tous ceux qui veulent ouvrir leurs horizons!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews