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Wide Awake Now
From the New York Times bestselling author of Every Day, this is a queer love story set against the backdrop of the 2024 presidential election, in a reimagining of David Levithan’s 2004 novel Wide Awake.
When David Levithan published Wide Awake in 2004, he set it in an imagined 2024, where a gay Jewish man had just been elected president of the United States, until a governor decides that some election results in his state are invalid, awarding crucial votes to the other candidate and his fellow party member. What follows is the story of teens Jimmy and Duncan as they explore their relationship, their politics, and their country.
In Wide Awake Now , David Levithan is flipping the script and rewriting Jimmy and Duncan’s story in the real 2024, rather than his imagined version. This is a protest novel for today .
Once again, David Levithan proves the critical importance of standing up for what you believe in and the cost of apathy in today’s political climate.
When David Levithan published Wide Awake in 2004, he set it in an imagined 2024, where a gay Jewish man had just been elected president of the United States, until a governor decides that some election results in his state are invalid, awarding crucial votes to the other candidate and his fellow party member. What follows is the story of teens Jimmy and Duncan as they explore their relationship, their politics, and their country.
In Wide Awake Now , David Levithan is flipping the script and rewriting Jimmy and Duncan’s story in the real 2024, rather than his imagined version. This is a protest novel for today .
Once again, David Levithan proves the critical importance of standing up for what you believe in and the cost of apathy in today’s political climate.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2024
8 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
David Levithan
119 books19.4k followersDavid Levithan (born 1972) is an American children's book editor and award-winning author. He published his first YA book, Boy Meets Boy, in 2003. Levithan is also the founding editor of PUSH, a Young Adult imprint of Scholastic Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 4, 2024
4.5
my fifteenth david levithan novel, and he still blows me away. something about the stunning writing, gorgeous character work, and magnificent dialogue will always captivate me and leave me with the warmest feelings.
though i slightly prefer the original, this re-release sets the story in a more realistic setting, which simply highlights the importance of its message and stance. aside from the brilliant political discussions, david still manages to create a relatable main character, an eclectic and diverse group of friends, and a swoony, precious queer romance. this man is a expert of juggling everything i keep returning to him for.
i. love. david. levithan.
my fifteenth david levithan novel, and he still blows me away. something about the stunning writing, gorgeous character work, and magnificent dialogue will always captivate me and leave me with the warmest feelings.
though i slightly prefer the original, this re-release sets the story in a more realistic setting, which simply highlights the importance of its message and stance. aside from the brilliant political discussions, david still manages to create a relatable main character, an eclectic and diverse group of friends, and a swoony, precious queer romance. this man is a expert of juggling everything i keep returning to him for.
i. love. david. levithan.
April 16, 2024
This book sent me into such a rage when I was reading because it was so bad. I was sad because I loved "One Day" by the same author and was surprised that this book left me wondering if this was a new author that had never written a day in his life. I can appreciate that the author wanted to update one of his old books to the current political climate but this was beyond unreadable. The main character has one of my least favorite tropes where he is a young man and has zero qualities but fails upwards. Moving away from children needing to be super special was good but the opposite is just as bad. This kid literally has no personality, nothing to learn or overcome, he is just a blob existing and for some reason people want to be his friend or date him. This book literally had a character named Sue (from his trans mother-who is almost exclusively referred to as his mommy-daddy or something awful like that) like the song, which made me want to rip my hair out. It didn't feel like celebrating queer people, it felt like making tropes out of them. This book didn't celebrate inclusivity so much as make each diverse character a token. Characters literally referred to each other as " you're my favorite Asian-bi- poly person" as a way of introducing characters. No one talks like that. I was surprised that this book got published with how awful it was. The ending especially sent me through the roof. The end was one of the characters wanting to give food to some children, which is nice, but she didn't ask the parents so of course the parents freaked out. Who tried to give food to kids without parent permission? The parents in this case were coded Republican (so obviously they are evil and there is no nuance, they would let their own kids starve) and were labeled something so awful like "deceitfuls" or something (I'm writing this book a few weeks after reading so the book could actually come out before I tore it to bits). So of course the good people trying to give food to kids save the day and no one bats an eye at how profoundly dumb it was that they tried to interact with children that were not their own. One of the worst books I have ever read, but I guess there has to be trash romance books for queer people too.
July 22, 2024
This was an easy read and a great book. Very relevant to today’s political atmosphere and how younger teens can take a stand.
I would recommend to middle school or high school.
I would recommend to middle school or high school.
June 7, 2025
Brilliant reimagining of Levithan's Wide Awake, written 20 years ago. Frightening that not much of the novel needed to be changed. :/
This is PERFECT for our Y11 protest book unit and a thorn in the side of MAGA supporters.
If I've learned anything from this book, it is that the personal is political ... so I'm not going to pull punches when I say I stand firmly with Levithan against hatred, bigotry, racism, sexism, antisemitism, homomisia, transmisia, and everything the current American administration stands for.
CW: intimate sexy fun times, vehicular manslaughter
Y11, Y12, Y13
Senior Fiction
This is PERFECT for our Y11 protest book unit and a thorn in the side of MAGA supporters.
If I've learned anything from this book, it is that the personal is political ... so I'm not going to pull punches when I say I stand firmly with Levithan against hatred, bigotry, racism, sexism, antisemitism, homomisia, transmisia, and everything the current American administration stands for.
CW: intimate sexy fun times, vehicular manslaughter
Y11, Y12, Y13
Senior Fiction
March 19, 2025
Eh, I liked the premise more than the actual content.
June 2, 2024
I enjoyed this book for how closely it represented the current state of America and the obvious Trump cultists of the opposition party. Two things knocked off a star for me:
1. The cheating storyline. It was out of place and fucking ridiculous. The amount of characters who thought Keisha deserved forgiveness was INSANE. Cheaters are scum. The end.
2. The religious aspect. This was interesting since it’s often the right who uses and manipulates religion to uphold their bigotry and hate. So to see the left using it as a tool for “good” was…unusual. However, I despise religion. And I think that, regardless of who is using it, religion is just one of many ways to be selfish and disguise it as “look how righteous and benevolent I am!!” It’s gross. Just because you think being generous and overlooking such miserable hate makes you a good person does not mean you’ll be rewarded or that others will EVER treat you the same. As reflected in this book.
1. The cheating storyline. It was out of place and fucking ridiculous. The amount of characters who thought Keisha deserved forgiveness was INSANE. Cheaters are scum. The end.
2. The religious aspect. This was interesting since it’s often the right who uses and manipulates religion to uphold their bigotry and hate. So to see the left using it as a tool for “good” was…unusual. However, I despise religion. And I think that, regardless of who is using it, religion is just one of many ways to be selfish and disguise it as “look how righteous and benevolent I am!!” It’s gross. Just because you think being generous and overlooking such miserable hate makes you a good person does not mean you’ll be rewarded or that others will EVER treat you the same. As reflected in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2025
this book made me so mad that i couldn’t even finish it. halfway through, i’m giving up. this is the most out of touch representation of queer teenagers i’ve ever seen. we don’t act like this. we don’t talk like this. i don’t greet my friends as “gay jew boy” or “afro-chinese lesbian”. that’s weird and honestly? a little bit offensive because you’re literally showing us that you’ve created these characters to be tokens. to be a stereotype of something we know. also, naming the one black character keisha. are you kidding. AND making one of the two lesbians in the one lesbian couple cheat on the other one. i’m TIRED of the infidelity stereotype lesbians face!!!! women aren’t two timing mistresses. stop making lesbians evil. the cheating plotline adds absolutely nothing to the story. it was inserted only to fill the cheating lesbian stereotype. this is also such white savior mindset like are you kidding me. this is the most wealthy white democrat book i’ve ever read. it’s faux-progressive capitalist propaganda disguised as queer romance. half the book is shitty character design and writing, the other half is lukewarm political takes and shitty soapbox preaching. also, duncan might be the most bland, irredeemable, boring main character i’ve ever had the misfortune of reading about. i didn’t get to the end of the book, but i hope jimmy dumps him for being a leech. i genuinely cannot express how entirely disappointed i am in this book. i thought it was gonna be at least decent. not to mention how tone deaf it is, considering the current political climate. i just hope that before trying to make any more political novels, david levithan learns anything about politics and political theory at all! the total ignorant optimism was exhausting from the beginning. i hate this book. i’d rather be waterboarded than have to read any of it again
March 31, 2024
I did not read the first book that this was based off of. Without having run that book I didn’t have the contacts for what the original characters were experiencing. In reading this book, I found myself bothered, frustrated, scared, and overall just worried about what’s to come in this election year.
May 3, 2024
What teenager in 2024 is going to understand a joke about Glengarry Glen Ross????
November 23, 2024
I wish I could say this reimagining “trumped” the original, but I’ve gotta say I think I disliked this one overall more. It wasn’t terrible, but the changes felt forced.
Two undeveloped side characters had their “she/her” pronouns swapped for they/thems, as if this added non-binary representation, even though the concept of non-binary identity isn’t even mentioned. That wasn’t good enough, and felt like pandering.
When I read the original, I took offense at the chapter about the Boston Tea Party. While as an event, it had a great impact on our nation’s history, the original story mentions how the protestors dressed as Mohicans (native indigenous peoples), and that made me think how when I was taught that story in middle school, it was never acknowledged the shameful way that this “costume” was a safety measure to cast the blame on “Indians” if they were caught before they could ransack the tea shipments. This is something unacceptable, and worthy of being called out for its wrongness. And Levithan does this in the re-write, but as a brief note in the beginning of the story that sounds out of place with the story remaining in the book. I felt even more offended by reading the seemingly pandering “speech” about it coming from the MC’s POV, as it made it sound like the character agreed that it was wrong, but was still obsessed with the incident anyway. It very much cheapened the speech, which may have had more effect if it came after the story, to show that the character grew in time to see how wrong it was, while still being able to appreciate the inspiration and positive change brought on in the future since it took place.
In total, the original had its flaws, but taking away the guesses at what a future 2024 might have looked like from the original writing in 2004, the story lost some elements lent to it as speculative fiction, and especially in light of the opposite results in the recent, now past election results, this story loses its credibility in a lot of ways. I think perhaps if a reimagine needed doing, it needed to cook for another election cycle or two. Clearly this country isn’t there yet.
Also, I don’t know the Author’s views, but since this rewrite was done in late 2023, I can only assume that must have been before the condemnable October 7th attack by Hamas, and before the subsequent, Horrific genocide being continually enacted in its response in Israel/Palestine. This conflict makes the chapters shining a light on the centuries of Jewish Identity and persecution, a bit hard to read. The author includes sentiments that ring true in the conflict and protests that to be Jewish requires standing against all oppression, and to foster good neighbors and strong community. There is no mention of Israel or Palestine, which definitely lies outside the scope of the central plot to this book, but it is a relevant topic that is ignored entirely while other current events were added. Due to the timing of this edition’s publication, these current events are impossible for me to ignore, and unfortunately hold against the author for not addressing when other areas of conflict that didn’t age well (like the indigenous issues noted above) were corrected or clarified, and there were multiple chapters where this too could have been addressed. Not seeing that contributed to my feelings that this book feels like someone who doesn’t really know any better trying to preach to me about how I/we should know better, and that made it fall short for me.
In the end, I’m glad I read the story once, less so I bought the new edition though, and would recommend to anyone else to stick to the original, and appreciate it for its time as a speculation on what American could be, as that story tells better in hope for continuous change for good, over this latter attempt to ground that speculation in the present.
Two undeveloped side characters had their “she/her” pronouns swapped for they/thems, as if this added non-binary representation, even though the concept of non-binary identity isn’t even mentioned. That wasn’t good enough, and felt like pandering.
When I read the original, I took offense at the chapter about the Boston Tea Party. While as an event, it had a great impact on our nation’s history, the original story mentions how the protestors dressed as Mohicans (native indigenous peoples), and that made me think how when I was taught that story in middle school, it was never acknowledged the shameful way that this “costume” was a safety measure to cast the blame on “Indians” if they were caught before they could ransack the tea shipments. This is something unacceptable, and worthy of being called out for its wrongness. And Levithan does this in the re-write, but as a brief note in the beginning of the story that sounds out of place with the story remaining in the book. I felt even more offended by reading the seemingly pandering “speech” about it coming from the MC’s POV, as it made it sound like the character agreed that it was wrong, but was still obsessed with the incident anyway. It very much cheapened the speech, which may have had more effect if it came after the story, to show that the character grew in time to see how wrong it was, while still being able to appreciate the inspiration and positive change brought on in the future since it took place.
In total, the original had its flaws, but taking away the guesses at what a future 2024 might have looked like from the original writing in 2004, the story lost some elements lent to it as speculative fiction, and especially in light of the opposite results in the recent, now past election results, this story loses its credibility in a lot of ways. I think perhaps if a reimagine needed doing, it needed to cook for another election cycle or two. Clearly this country isn’t there yet.
Also, I don’t know the Author’s views, but since this rewrite was done in late 2023, I can only assume that must have been before the condemnable October 7th attack by Hamas, and before the subsequent, Horrific genocide being continually enacted in its response in Israel/Palestine. This conflict makes the chapters shining a light on the centuries of Jewish Identity and persecution, a bit hard to read. The author includes sentiments that ring true in the conflict and protests that to be Jewish requires standing against all oppression, and to foster good neighbors and strong community. There is no mention of Israel or Palestine, which definitely lies outside the scope of the central plot to this book, but it is a relevant topic that is ignored entirely while other current events were added. Due to the timing of this edition’s publication, these current events are impossible for me to ignore, and unfortunately hold against the author for not addressing when other areas of conflict that didn’t age well (like the indigenous issues noted above) were corrected or clarified, and there were multiple chapters where this too could have been addressed. Not seeing that contributed to my feelings that this book feels like someone who doesn’t really know any better trying to preach to me about how I/we should know better, and that made it fall short for me.
In the end, I’m glad I read the story once, less so I bought the new edition though, and would recommend to anyone else to stick to the original, and appreciate it for its time as a speculation on what American could be, as that story tells better in hope for continuous change for good, over this latter attempt to ground that speculation in the present.
December 10, 2024
I have a lot to say about this book, but overall I really enjoyed the message of this book! I’ll separate each things in different categories!
Characters: In my opinion, all the characters in this book were insanely flat to me. Duncan was mediocre and really didn’t have any character development other than becoming more confident in standing up for himself during the rally. Jimmy was a red flag almost the whole book. There was some moments where I smiled. (When he hugged Duncan after he left him.) And majority of the characters weren’t memorable besides Virgil (in my opinion.)
Plot/Story: I actually enjoyed the story!! It was pretty boring to me at the beginning but once they got to Topeka the story got a lot more entertaining to me!! The bus ride there was also a bit entertaining to me as well. Only complaints I have about the story is just the like rapidness of changing locations sometimes.
Quotes:
“I hadn't lost sight of the fact that I loved him, but I wasn't feeling any of it now. Or I was only feeling that part of love that can be misshaped so easily into anger and sadness and pain.”
“Just one lone voice in an enormous body of sound. Just one unique person at one unique moment, there to witness something monumental.
I was a part of history.
We are all a part of history.”
Conclusion: In conclusion, this book was alright. I may consider reading the original book to see if that helps me understand more of the characters and story more! I may read some more of Levithans books to see if those are any better! I would recommend people to read this book around election season.
Characters: In my opinion, all the characters in this book were insanely flat to me. Duncan was mediocre and really didn’t have any character development other than becoming more confident in standing up for himself during the rally. Jimmy was a red flag almost the whole book. There was some moments where I smiled. (When he hugged Duncan after he left him.) And majority of the characters weren’t memorable besides Virgil (in my opinion.)
Plot/Story: I actually enjoyed the story!! It was pretty boring to me at the beginning but once they got to Topeka the story got a lot more entertaining to me!! The bus ride there was also a bit entertaining to me as well. Only complaints I have about the story is just the like rapidness of changing locations sometimes.
Quotes:
“I hadn't lost sight of the fact that I loved him, but I wasn't feeling any of it now. Or I was only feeling that part of love that can be misshaped so easily into anger and sadness and pain.”
“Just one lone voice in an enormous body of sound. Just one unique person at one unique moment, there to witness something monumental.
I was a part of history.
We are all a part of history.”
Conclusion: In conclusion, this book was alright. I may consider reading the original book to see if that helps me understand more of the characters and story more! I may read some more of Levithans books to see if those are any better! I would recommend people to read this book around election season.
September 19, 2025
Reading this novel as an American in September of 2025 was truly heart-shattering. How far we have strayed from morality, from love, from coming together. The divide within our country has become so extreme that violence isn't just predicted, it's expected, it's normalized.
I found the characterization to be incredibly strong! Each character was unique in their syntax, beliefs, experiences, reactions, and thinking. This made the book feel even more realistic and special. Though I wouldn't consider myself religious, I was very pleased to see the peaceful, loving sides of religion represented, as I believe these pieces aren't given enough attention within our present day.
My day was made brighter by the gender-fluid/non-conforming representation seen within Sue (I listened to the book, so apologies for any misspelling)'s father. I felt as if I finally found someone else out there like me, as every gender-queer person experiences gender differently. It is so important to write diversity and representation within novels, as it can provide a safe space for some, and a lifeline for others. All in all, Levithan absolutely nailed characterization and representation.
Though heartbreaking, this book gave me the courage to participate in my first walk-out protest, which I am forever grateful. To have so many different individuals unify regardless of their differences was the most beautiful type of awe I've ever witnessed and been part of. I hope for more books and peaceful protests, and above all, peace.
Thank you, David Levithan, for this truly inspiring, raw, and relatable piece.
I found the characterization to be incredibly strong! Each character was unique in their syntax, beliefs, experiences, reactions, and thinking. This made the book feel even more realistic and special. Though I wouldn't consider myself religious, I was very pleased to see the peaceful, loving sides of religion represented, as I believe these pieces aren't given enough attention within our present day.
My day was made brighter by the gender-fluid/non-conforming representation seen within Sue (I listened to the book, so apologies for any misspelling)'s father. I felt as if I finally found someone else out there like me, as every gender-queer person experiences gender differently. It is so important to write diversity and representation within novels, as it can provide a safe space for some, and a lifeline for others. All in all, Levithan absolutely nailed characterization and representation.
Though heartbreaking, this book gave me the courage to participate in my first walk-out protest, which I am forever grateful. To have so many different individuals unify regardless of their differences was the most beautiful type of awe I've ever witnessed and been part of. I hope for more books and peaceful protests, and above all, peace.
Thank you, David Levithan, for this truly inspiring, raw, and relatable piece.
December 3, 2025
I never read the original book, Wide Awake, upon which this reimagining is based. If only it was a reimagining. Instead, it is based on facts that have transpired in the last several elections and the divisiveness in this country. So many good quotes. As David Levithan writes, “Powerful people losing their power will always slide into the victimhood they deplore in people who are actually victimized by systems of power.”
I wonder if this book is on the banned book list. I am sure there are people who would not want their children to read this novel, which so closely mirrors the truth. The book might have to be rewritten again if Pete Buttigieg becomes a candidate.
“It’s about what they can get away with. That, I’m afraid is the ultimate measure of a person: How they act when they’re wrong but know they can get away with it anyway.”
Even the Wizard of Oz knew that if you repeat lies enough, people will believe you. They want to believe. Sadly, that is the nature and character of our current administration. And many believe those lies just to have something to hold on to.
I wonder if this book is on the banned book list. I am sure there are people who would not want their children to read this novel, which so closely mirrors the truth. The book might have to be rewritten again if Pete Buttigieg becomes a candidate.
“It’s about what they can get away with. That, I’m afraid is the ultimate measure of a person: How they act when they’re wrong but know they can get away with it anyway.”
Even the Wizard of Oz knew that if you repeat lies enough, people will believe you. They want to believe. Sadly, that is the nature and character of our current administration. And many believe those lies just to have something to hold on to.
September 7, 2024
Not quite a 4 star read, but almost there! I think part of my issues is that this truly felt like going through times we are in right now. I personally am just exhausted from living through all this chaos that this election and the prior Trump administration placed in this country, that I felt like it was almost (kiddingly) like reading a non fiction book, rather than an actual story.
The writing was decent enough, it got the job done, but you could tell that this was a YA novel. Very much in the vain of Judy Blume. I certainly did not hate this, but I was not fully in love, based on my previous thoughts already imparted.
I felt as though for the most part, the characters were cardboard like. There was really no feeling to them. And because we are literally living this type of life right now in real time, I just did not care. I care about what happens in this country, but this failed to make me care about these characters.
This was chosen as a book of the month pick for my bookclub of Gay Men. Do I think they will be bowled over, no I do not.
The writing was decent enough, it got the job done, but you could tell that this was a YA novel. Very much in the vain of Judy Blume. I certainly did not hate this, but I was not fully in love, based on my previous thoughts already imparted.
I felt as though for the most part, the characters were cardboard like. There was really no feeling to them. And because we are literally living this type of life right now in real time, I just did not care. I care about what happens in this country, but this failed to make me care about these characters.
This was chosen as a book of the month pick for my bookclub of Gay Men. Do I think they will be bowled over, no I do not.
April 16, 2024
It is 2024 and the presidential election is over. A gay Jewish man has won the presidency … or has he? The governor of Kansas believes that the election results in his state are invalid and transfers his state’s votes to the other party. Jimmy and Duncan feel the election is being stolen and they cross the country with others to protest this action. Who really won the election? What will Jimmy and Duncan learn about themselves during this adventure?
Wide Awake Now is a stand-alone reimagining of Levithan’s 2004 novel Wide Awake set in 2024. This book is politically charged and contains many topics that may be against some reader's personal points of view. Overall the story was a quick read with many timely topics, but which includes too many issues that seem put there solely to push an agenda. Readers should start this book knowing these concerns ahead of time.
Wide Awake Now is a stand-alone reimagining of Levithan’s 2004 novel Wide Awake set in 2024. This book is politically charged and contains many topics that may be against some reader's personal points of view. Overall the story was a quick read with many timely topics, but which includes too many issues that seem put there solely to push an agenda. Readers should start this book knowing these concerns ahead of time.
April 19, 2024
I read Wide Awake back when it was first published in 2004, and it definitely hasn't ever been my favorite David Levithan novel. Tone wise, it just felt like it didn't fit with the other things he was writing? While the author's note does give context as to why he decided to give this novel a refresh, I'm not sure it was necessarily something we needed.
A lot of this book reflects what is currently happening in the US (politics wise, at least), and while it is important to talk about those issues, a lot of people read to escape (especially teenagers). I'm not sure this will necessarily have wide appeal. Levithan does deal with these complex issues with grace, but a lot of it just hits too close to home.
Not a terrible read, but probably not a book I'll ever visit again.
A lot of this book reflects what is currently happening in the US (politics wise, at least), and while it is important to talk about those issues, a lot of people read to escape (especially teenagers). I'm not sure this will necessarily have wide appeal. Levithan does deal with these complex issues with grace, but a lot of it just hits too close to home.
Not a terrible read, but probably not a book I'll ever visit again.
July 13, 2024
Levithan knows how to develop characters and deliver some of the most tender moments of vulnerable romance that truly define young adult literature not just as an industry but as an art form. Then he combines that with truths about American society that are important for everyone to think about, which is we need to let go of what divides us and find what unites us because that is the bedrock of a civilization. We must be civil. That means growing up and finding common ground. As an educator I am glad I read this book now because I am imagining all the ways that the coming election and various issues could emerge in the public school setting and how we can be proactive to provide safe spaces for civil conversations and learn from one another.
November 17, 2024
OHHHHH MYYYY GOOOOOODDDDNEESSSSS!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 This book made me get goosebumps all over. My school’s book club chose this as our next book, and I must say… reading it directly after the depressing outcome of the 2024 election… it hit VERY close to home— especially as a lesbian woman.
I loved how I could relate to this book, not only with the fact that I am a gay woman, but also Duncan and Jimmy are my age. The real life parallels to the pandemic, the 2020 election, the attack of the Capitol, etc… went straight to my heart.
On the subject of Duncan and Jimmy, their pure admiration for each other made my heart melt. I think the romance was an important feature to the book, showing their relationship and how strong they managed to stay despite the people around them.
I loved how I could relate to this book, not only with the fact that I am a gay woman, but also Duncan and Jimmy are my age. The real life parallels to the pandemic, the 2020 election, the attack of the Capitol, etc… went straight to my heart.
On the subject of Duncan and Jimmy, their pure admiration for each other made my heart melt. I think the romance was an important feature to the book, showing their relationship and how strong they managed to stay despite the people around them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2024
A little light on the update, but less cringe than the 20-year-old version. Does it breathe new life into the book? Mehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
The addition of the years of history is worthwhile and the inclusion of trans and non-binary people. The removal of the more science-fiction elements too. But a lot of character names still feel anachronistic and stale. Some of the cultural references are still painfully outdated. I would still insist that the author has never met a christian.
Overall, it's important for there to be political books for young people. This is accessible to teens who aren't in the AP classes. That's mostly what has going for it.
The addition of the years of history is worthwhile and the inclusion of trans and non-binary people. The removal of the more science-fiction elements too. But a lot of character names still feel anachronistic and stale. Some of the cultural references are still painfully outdated. I would still insist that the author has never met a christian.
Overall, it's important for there to be political books for young people. This is accessible to teens who aren't in the AP classes. That's mostly what has going for it.
August 22, 2025
Reps: White, multi-racial, LGBTQ+, Jewish
TW: racism, hate speech, bullying
Sex and swearing: sex on page and swearing
So, this book preaches instead of shows why Republican-coded characters are evil bigots and Democrat-coded characters are good. There is exactly 0 nuance and less character development. Oh, and parents who disagree with their teenagers are out-of-touch and don't understand the importance of the moment. Sigh.
I'm all for a book that highlights teens with responsive political engagement, but as a story, this was lacking.
Not recommended.
TW: racism, hate speech, bullying
Sex and swearing: sex on page and swearing
So, this book preaches instead of shows why Republican-coded characters are evil bigots and Democrat-coded characters are good. There is exactly 0 nuance and less character development. Oh, and parents who disagree with their teenagers are out-of-touch and don't understand the importance of the moment. Sigh.
I'm all for a book that highlights teens with responsive political engagement, but as a story, this was lacking.
Not recommended.
November 4, 2024
I don’t think that this is by definition a 5 star book, however when I was 18, gay, Jewish and wanting to go into politics this book was MY book. It fully spoke to me. Seeing it updated and looking back on it I now think about my naivety, the hope I still have, and the dedication I continue to have for public service. Definitely recommend this over the original. I just really appreciated going back and reading this in my 30s.
December 30, 2024
4.5
This was so sad to truly see the horror that some go through because they are different than others. And the way politics can divide our country and bring on violence and terror to all. But the most important part of this book is the way that love keeps the good together. Very eye opening. I truly recommend this to everyone because it's so hard to read something like this and know there are such terrible people in this world.
This was so sad to truly see the horror that some go through because they are different than others. And the way politics can divide our country and bring on violence and terror to all. But the most important part of this book is the way that love keeps the good together. Very eye opening. I truly recommend this to everyone because it's so hard to read something like this and know there are such terrible people in this world.
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January 2, 2026Graded By: Regina
Cover Story: What You See Is What You Get
BFF Charm: Meh
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Retro Future
Bonus Factors: Work In Progress, Interfaith Friendship
Anti-Bonus Factor: Bigotry
Relationship Status: Got My Vote
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: What You See Is What You Get
BFF Charm: Meh
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Retro Future
Bonus Factors: Work In Progress, Interfaith Friendship
Anti-Bonus Factor: Bigotry
Relationship Status: Got My Vote
Read the full book report here.
April 23, 2024
I didn’t love this or hate this. I think a lot of teens would like to read this and see characters they can either relate to personally or want to understand better. This writing is very typical of David Levithan, which is not a bad thing. Levithan’s books will always represent a diverse population in all ways, which is always requirement in any good library.
August 5, 2024
I was super intrigued by this as an experiment and while I think it could've gone much farther (so much of the book was word-for-word the same as Wide Awake) this version did feel a lot more realistic because of the subtle changes that aligned it with present-day politics
December 29, 2024
This was a bit heartbreaking to read right after the 2024 election. It's an alternative history about the 2024 election in which a gay Jewish candidate wins, but the losing candidate contests the election. The characters are endearing, and it reads a little utopian.
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June 4, 2024I remember really liking the original, but this just felt like it missed the mark.
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June 13, 2024
Trigger & Content Warnings
Antisemitism
Homophobia & slurs
White supremacy mentioned
Gun violence
Riots
Antisemitism
Homophobia & slurs
White supremacy mentioned
Gun violence
Riots
July 22, 2024
Interesting read, political, teenagers involved with politics, 2024 lol
August 8, 2024
This book is extraordinary. The speeches are inspirational, and the emotional aspects are touching. It's not only a good story, with a good plot, but also well written.
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