Escape From St. Hell: My Trans Teen Life Levels Up: A Graphic Novel

St. Hell #2

by Lewis Hancox

In this sequel to the Indie bestseller WELCOME TO ST. HELL, Lewis Hancox tells the hilarious, inspiring story of coming into his own as a trans man For Lew, figuring out he was a guy and wanted to live life as a guy was the end of our journey... and the start of a whole other journey. Escape From St. Hell charts all the changes that Lew wanted to be made in order for him to live as a young trans man -- changes not just to his own body and perspective, but to the perspectives of the family, friends, and enemies around him. As he did in his bestselling graphic memoir Welcome to St. Hell , Lewis Hancox charts his journey with plenty of laughs, a good number of cringes, and an honesty that takes readers along for the ride of Lew's life.

Genres: Graphic Novels, LGBT, Memoir, Nonfiction, Queer, Comics, Transgender

304 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2024

About the author

Lewis Hancox is a writer, illustrator, and filmmaker from North West UK. Mainly known for his online characters British Mum and Prinny Queen, he's built a committed following and regularly produces viral comedy videos. He has been featured in the Channel 4 series My Transsexual Summer and co-created an ongoing film project about trans people called My Genderation. You can find him on Instagram and TikTok at @lewishancoxfilms, on Twitter at @LewisHancox, and on YouTube at Lewis Hancox. As a longtime fan of cartoons and comics, he's proud to have created Welcome to St. Hell, his first graphic memoir.

Reviews

[Blake Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic story about someone like me. I really enjoy how light hearted Lewis is when he tells his story. That is exactly how I feel when I share mine.

[Mikey · Rating 5 out of 5]

fucking amazing sequel to "Welcome to st hell". Can't believe how much has changed since I read that one a year ago. Back then I was still mostly closeted. And now I've started T!

While Welcome to st hell was about Lewis' teen live and discovering he's trans. This part is about His first 2 years on testosterone, going to college and growing up.

I related so much to what Lewis was going through. It's hard to figure out ur style after starting to transition l, especially being so short that it seems like no guy clothes will fit.

And suddenly other guys (especially older ones) will treat you like you're weak for being emotional and sensitive* (*not sexist) and ur expected to deal with ur emotion "like a guy".

Then the chapter on his love life... god. Can't say I have a lot of experience cuz I've only ever been on one date... but yeah ofcourse being trans makes that more difficult. Not impossible though!!

Final chapter is on self acceptance. Therapy is great yall! Don't wanna spoil too much because this book is great and you should all buy it and support this amazing artist!!

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised to come across this follow-up to Hancox's Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen MisadventureWelcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure. It's a straightforward and engaging coming-of-age story.

Lewis Hancox prepares for college in a different town, determined to define the right masculine persona that will allow him to control how people perceive him during his transition through testosterone therapy.

Hancox is a hot mess of anxieties and moodiness, buffeted by constant misgendering and transphobia, lashing out recklessly, and self-sabotaging constantly.

It's a rough time, but Hancox inserts an older version of himself to help the younger one through the maelstrom, offering earned wisdom and the promise of better times.

[Nev · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great follow up to Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure. In this book we see Lewis’ journey as a trans man trying to figure out his style and how he wants to present himself to the world. I really enjoy the narrative technique of modern day Lewis having conversations with his younger self. It’s an interesting way to show his evolution past where this particular story ends.

Going away to university, struggling with classes, opening up to a therapist, romance, friendship, struggles with family, fundraising for top surgery, and more are covered within the book. I feel like Lewis does a good job of mixing humor and serious topics throughout the story. I don’t know if he intends on releasing more graphic memoirs, but if he does I’ll definitely read them.

[Rowy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goeie hersteltijd read :)

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit was weer een sterk verhaal. De opbouw met verschillende manieren waarin hij zich ontwikkelde, als man, vond ik heel mooi uitgelegd. Gelukkig had hij uiteindelijk door dat er niet zoiets bestaat als 'de ultieme man' masr dat je het beste gewoon jezelf kunt zijn.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel to Welcome to St. Hell got off to a little bit of a slow start in Lewis’ days before leaving for university. But when I picked the book up again, I read the rest of it in one setting and it became the sequel I didn’t know I needed. Now I feel like I’d love a 3rd book from where Lewis left off at the end. Very accurate and stressful depictions of Lewis’ anxiety and it was good to see him post high school and out into the real world (floundering or not). I loved what the book built to at the end. I loved that teens can read this book about another person in the late 2000’s and not feel so alone like Lewis did.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hancox has written another delightfully funny, big-hearted graphic memoir that will be enjoyable and thought-provoking to a wide audience, whether or not they can share the author's experience with being transgender.
My favorite character, as with the last installment, is Mum--and while Lewis is living away from home in this one and we don't see as much of her, when she does show up, ever-tidy, fiercely protective Mum in her perpetual dressing gown instantly makes me smile.

[Lucca Ángel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!!! His struggles with romance, style, and self acceptance were honestly very relatable. It takes a lot of courage to be so candid about one’s life, but I think this book is going to impact a lot of people very positively :)

[Ellis O’Brien]

I liked this one more than the first and maybe that’s because I’m going through this situation rn. The first one felt really real to my teenage self trying to fit in and be a girl but this book detailed what happens after. What happens when you decide to finally express yourself and the challenges that come along with it. Some parts are really cringey but I kind of love it! I watch this guy’s YouTube shorts and maybe I laugh a bit. Anyways it was a really good novel and I love reading about trans masc stories!!

[Libbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Writing a paired review for both Welcome to St Hell and Escape from St Hell ✨

It's hard to review a book like this that is so personal and raw like this. I knew of Lewis from his social media and knew elements of his journey but these books gave a deeper insight and more information. I definitely could hear his voice whilst reading this which honestly made the reading experience kinda funny.

It deals with heavy subjects such as homophobia, transphobia, body dysphoria and eating disorders so it's not a book to go into lightly. But it treats these topics with the respect and nuance they deserve.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 rounded. Great follow up to Hancox's first graphic memoir (one of my favorites.) Lewis is now 19 years old, out as a trans man, and navigating uni life in NW GB while grasping at what it means to be a real man.

[Lisa Pineo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure and this follow up graphic novel is just as good. I really like the art style and found the gaming references throughout interesting and fun. I appreciated again how personal and deep the subject matter was, showing how Hancox has really delved into his thoughts and come to understand what he was feeling as he went through his transition. I respected how the author didn't just show himself in a good light, but wrote about his failures, anxiety, internalized transphobia and toxic relationships plainly and with an unbiased eye. My only complaint is because the text is written instead of an actual font sometimes I could barely read it. I also had some issues with the slang not being from the UK but that's a me issue, not the book.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down!
I am shocked how novel it felt just to see trans thoughts printed on a page. Stories that discuss trans topics with such levity are things young people need. While full of stress and serious topics, this graphic novel managed to stay light and fun to read, with expressive illustration and dialogue. By the end I was longing for a stronger through line to keep everything going but!
Wish I had read when I was younger.

[Sophie]

I don't rate memoirs but, like the first one, I really enjoyed this! Lewis brought humour, emotion and vulnerability to this engaging retelling of his late teens to early 20s as he continued his trans journey. I liked the video game theme and how his older self still makes appearances and comments throughout.

[Raven (the.readingraven) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an exciting sequel to Lewis Hancoxes memoir "Welcome to St. Hell"! This graphic novel is just as funny and vulnerable as the first.

This installment focuses more on Lewis' anxieties and insecurities of "being a man". He gets so overworked focusing on what makes him manly enough, he starts to lose what makes him who he is. We are also following Lewis to university where he is having the biggest trouble with school-life balance, romantic relationships, and anxiety that causes a wedge with family and friends. This is a perfect read for those who have transitioned and are wanting the process to "hurry up". I think this is great for millennials as well, there is so much nostalgia in "Escape from St. Hell"!

As always, the art style is so good! I love how this is more of a gamer/gaming vibe to it! It's a lot of "create your character" inspired, which is so cool and done so well!

[Cammy]

I love Lewis. His first graphic novel was super good and this one was as well. I’m not trans so it’s cool to see someone’s experience with being trans. and to all the people who hate this book MAYBE DONT READ IT IF UR HOMOPHOBIC? IT LITERALLY SAYS TRANS ADVENTURES IN IT and to everyone who’s like “I don’t want my child reading this” maybe you should look at the material your kid is reading instead of hating the art

[Meeee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't finished the previous book, got this one sooner. More focused on the adult transitioning stage now, I think the welcome to St. Hell series is a good standard growing up comic book for teens, that is trans. Like more mature non fiction Dork Diaries/Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and trans. Which is good.

[kelly! · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad that Lewis is continuing to share his experiences! I recommended the first book to a trans student who was interested in seeing characters like himself, and it was perfect because we were doing a memoir unit too :)))

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second volume feels much more interiorized as the self doubt goes wild with all the new possibilities. This is a very earnest and honest account about the external and internal struggles of moving into a new persona.

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a good sequel and very informative.

For the rest of my review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/mVfDioTFa-o

Enjoy!

[Fyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crying, screaming, throwing up etc.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another lighthearted lifeline to trans teens by Lewis Hancock. If you're an aging millennial you'll also enjoy the nostalgia/cringe of revisiting your youth.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect sequel to Welcome to St. Hell. My Trans Summer is on YouTube and I’m definitely going to watch it!

[Courtney Holcomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 4.5 Stars

Truly inspiring & Insightful 💜

I highly recommend it 😄

[elstaffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to start incorporating the term "floordrobe" into my everyday life.

[Charlie Lange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both this book and the first one are just so real, and I’m so glad that Lewis shared his experiences with us like this.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewis Hancox continues with his story of how he went through his transition in the 1990s. You don’t have to have read his first book, to read this one, which picks up when he is on his way to University, and has just started testosterone.

Told from his present point of view, as a himself from the future, and his past self, we go through all the pain, and problems that he ran into trying to feel more himself. He had hoped that the hormones would solve everything. He had thought that going to University to help him a new. He had hoped for so much, but the health service will not allow him to get breast reduction surgery.

On one hand, he wants to be a man, and nothing else, but on the other hand, he learns, he needs to come out as trans as well, because that is his identity as well.

Very deep, funny, sad, and striking story of the ups and downs that he has to go through to get through all the hurdles that life keeps throwing at him.

[Diana Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this sequel to Welcome to St Hell. Now Lewis is off at university and figuring out how to fit in as a "real man." Lots of heart, humor, and honesty in this graphic novel memoir.

[Deborah Zeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great follow up to Welcome to St. Hell and Lewis' path to becoming his true self. The original cast of characters are back, helping Lewis as he navigate's this new world of men, becoming the man he knows he can without overly stressing himself, and his friends/family, out. Through many discussions with his friends and trusting in a new therapist, Lewis eventually finds his way, along with his future self guiding him. The illustrations were spot on!