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Boy Island
"Poor Lucille. You are in the elbow of your life, the place where it bends. What will you do?"
Your name is Lucille. You live on Girl Island, one of two islands created when the world was cleft in twain by an entity bigger and more powerful than you. But you have a secret. Your secret is that despite living on Girl Island, you are a boy. You fear deep down in your insides, that you may have been a boy for a very long time. And so you leave your home and your mother and begin the journey to Boy Island. Although it may be treacherous, it is the only way forward.
A modern transgender fable in graphic novel form, Boy Island weaves its way along the path of becoming with humor and insight, channeled through Leo Fox's iconic art and storytelling style.
Your name is Lucille. You live on Girl Island, one of two islands created when the world was cleft in twain by an entity bigger and more powerful than you. But you have a secret. Your secret is that despite living on Girl Island, you are a boy. You fear deep down in your insides, that you may have been a boy for a very long time. And so you leave your home and your mother and begin the journey to Boy Island. Although it may be treacherous, it is the only way forward.
A modern transgender fable in graphic novel form, Boy Island weaves its way along the path of becoming with humor and insight, channeled through Leo Fox's iconic art and storytelling style.
168 pages, Hardcover
First published August 21, 2024
3 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Leo Fox
3 books74 followersLeo Fox is a UK-based cartoonist and painter. He is transmasculine and makes work about it sometimes. His work includes Prokaryote Season, My Body Unspooling, and Boy Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
January 25, 2025
Poor Lucille. You are in the elbow of your life, the place where it bends. What will you do?
^phrase i think about all the time. so awesome and funny and completely visually + tonally unique
^phrase i think about all the time. so awesome and funny and completely visually + tonally unique
September 8, 2024
i thought that it was full of neat guys
May 16, 2024
Boy Island
Leo Fox
MAY 15 2024
4.5 Stars
Another fantastically weird beautiful queer/trans embodied de-bodied, un-bodied, in-bodied, out-bodied, non-bodied -bodily tale full of great bits of criticism, understanding, conceptualizing, sarcasm and fun for everyone.
The well rounded perspective consideration was both curious and thought-provoking. Whether it be a person who’s trans or the people around them who are or aren’t, but engage with them in positive or negatives or some thing in between, speaking to the queerness and the ambiguity and the history and the pain that exists regardless, and in spite of, and before, and after, acknowledgment and shaming and shame and ostracizing and being ostracized…and beyond and within. It’s complicated, but just as simple.
As always, love the style, the poetics, and the chaos.
Until next time.
Happy reading
Leo Fox
MAY 15 2024
4.5 Stars
Another fantastically weird beautiful queer/trans embodied de-bodied, un-bodied, in-bodied, out-bodied, non-bodied -bodily tale full of great bits of criticism, understanding, conceptualizing, sarcasm and fun for everyone.
The well rounded perspective consideration was both curious and thought-provoking. Whether it be a person who’s trans or the people around them who are or aren’t, but engage with them in positive or negatives or some thing in between, speaking to the queerness and the ambiguity and the history and the pain that exists regardless, and in spite of, and before, and after, acknowledgment and shaming and shame and ostracizing and being ostracized…and beyond and within. It’s complicated, but just as simple.
As always, love the style, the poetics, and the chaos.
Until next time.
Happy reading
December 17, 2024
Transgender fable with contemporary humor and deep pathos.
September 18, 2024
I loved reading it alongside Jude, each chapter posted on ig another exhilarating finding, another moment to revel in gender chaos ❤️🩹
July 15, 2025
i rate too many things 5 stars and it dilutes the weight of this rating but holy shit this is so fucking good. goodreads add an extra star just for me
August 15, 2024
will try to remember to write a proper review at some point, but for now just want to say that I loved it
December 31, 2024
Boy Island will leave you “completely invigorated with testosterone”.
-Boy Island resident
-Boy Island resident
February 24, 2025
Weird and trans - loved it. Was a quick and easy read, but the concepts were complex in ways. Much different than I thought it would be. Enjoyed the art style and message. Some of the things in the book haunt me. Not anything scary, just the grief and pain of the trans community. It’s crazy how a book with such few words can leave such a lasting impact. It has this weird and abstract concept, but hits too close to home.
(Spoilers - lines that stuck with me):
The ghost of transsexuals past said:
“Be warned child… Fairy doesn’t want you healthy and fed. He wants you anorexic, dead, disfigured by grief…He wants you like us: ghosts with no country, untethered from land. We shall grant you safe passage, but heed our warning.”
I believe the last remaining trans girl of the “original” trans people, was a node to Martha P. Johnson and those who were like her. The character in the book says:
“Where is the place for me to live? I could die anywhere in this horrid world. I could die here, there, I could die on any inch of this rotten place. But where can I live?”
“I want to say that I would die to defeat Fairy but I can’t. I don’t want to be dead when we win this battle, I want to be around to enjoy it. Isn’t there somewhere we can build that isn’t on a raft of the corpses of me and my sisters?”
“I miss my friends. I miss “community”. I miss when there was enough trans people left live to have trans only parties, and polycules, and stupid petty infighting. I miss ridiculous corporate pandering. I miss the land.”
Starman:
“… we can’t un-invent gender. But we can try and make it work, right?”
(Spoilers - lines that stuck with me):
The ghost of transsexuals past said:
“Be warned child… Fairy doesn’t want you healthy and fed. He wants you anorexic, dead, disfigured by grief…He wants you like us: ghosts with no country, untethered from land. We shall grant you safe passage, but heed our warning.”
I believe the last remaining trans girl of the “original” trans people, was a node to Martha P. Johnson and those who were like her. The character in the book says:
“Where is the place for me to live? I could die anywhere in this horrid world. I could die here, there, I could die on any inch of this rotten place. But where can I live?”
“I want to say that I would die to defeat Fairy but I can’t. I don’t want to be dead when we win this battle, I want to be around to enjoy it. Isn’t there somewhere we can build that isn’t on a raft of the corpses of me and my sisters?”
“I miss my friends. I miss “community”. I miss when there was enough trans people left live to have trans only parties, and polycules, and stupid petty infighting. I miss ridiculous corporate pandering. I miss the land.”
Starman:
“… we can’t un-invent gender. But we can try and make it work, right?”
June 9, 2025
I interpreted this stunning graphic novel to be an allegory for the modern world’s attitudes towards transgenderism, and gender identity in general. On the one hand you have Angel, representing the conservative views of society, whilst Jounce represents the feelings of gender, dysphoria, lust and identity. The fable shows how to two existed in a more harmonious state (ie ancient, somewhat more accepting times for people of different genders and sexualities); however Fairy one day creates “society” attitudes and strict gender definitions, boys and girls and anyone left are banished to the ocean, or must choose to live on one or the other island.
The allegorical fable is clever and has a strong sociopolitical voice. The pacing and panelling is great, and the colours and illustrations beautiful. Jounce is crude and even vile sometimes, and Fairy is frustratingly closeminded- total opposites clashing fantastically.
For me personally, Jounce’s sexual hunger is uncomfortable and distracts from the point of the fable sometimes, however I think his crudeness is essential because of what his character represents, those strong hidden desires that only strengthen when suppressed, tormenting those questioning their feelings and identity. Fox’s voice through Jounce is angry, bitter and passionate about the suppressing attitudes of society. Really well written and illustrated, highly recommend reading.
The allegorical fable is clever and has a strong sociopolitical voice. The pacing and panelling is great, and the colours and illustrations beautiful. Jounce is crude and even vile sometimes, and Fairy is frustratingly closeminded- total opposites clashing fantastically.
For me personally, Jounce’s sexual hunger is uncomfortable and distracts from the point of the fable sometimes, however I think his crudeness is essential because of what his character represents, those strong hidden desires that only strengthen when suppressed, tormenting those questioning their feelings and identity. Fox’s voice through Jounce is angry, bitter and passionate about the suppressing attitudes of society. Really well written and illustrated, highly recommend reading.
December 6, 2025
I love Leo Fox's work and this is no exception.
The art is as always, uniquely beautiful and grotesque in equal measure. While one of the things I love about his other books is that being trans and queer is just understood, accepted fact, this novel deals explicitly with being transgender in a world that recognizes the word.
He writes complex characters whose relationship with transness is different from the other characters. Some are trans, some are cis, some are evil, some are good. There's so many different representations of what a person's relationship to gender can be, it recognizes the nuance of human existence without being about that. Really it's about one's relationship with their parents, but also other things in the way that good books are never about one thing.
The art is as always, uniquely beautiful and grotesque in equal measure. While one of the things I love about his other books is that being trans and queer is just understood, accepted fact, this novel deals explicitly with being transgender in a world that recognizes the word.
He writes complex characters whose relationship with transness is different from the other characters. Some are trans, some are cis, some are evil, some are good. There's so many different representations of what a person's relationship to gender can be, it recognizes the nuance of human existence without being about that. Really it's about one's relationship with their parents, but also other things in the way that good books are never about one thing.
February 6, 2025
El universo gráfico que propone Leo es increíble, un folklore propio pero que se siente ancestral. Me encanta como dibuja este muchacho, pero mi parte favorita ha sido el guión. Me he reído y he llorado y me han dado muchas ganas de hacer libros y de ser trans y de confiar en que el arte puede cambiar el mundo. Experiencia religiosa, si algún amiguito lo quiere leer y me prometen cuidarlo lopresto.
October 22, 2025
god i love this book. my friend from class lent me the physical copy and it was such a special experience reading it in the form of a book and not just from the web comic. a concise, funny, and fantastical critique on society and gender roles and expectations. i love you leo fox please never stop creating raunchy and political artwork.
February 2, 2025
primera relectura completa del tirón desde que terminó el webcomic hace año y pico... impecable relato 🥸🏳️⚧️
February 3, 2025
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
February 12, 2025
no way to describe this other than it felt like taking a deep breath after being submerged in water for too long
March 28, 2025
4.5 - really beautiful comic but it does make me kinda sad when we have pages showing the expansive diverse orgies that would happen in a (non)gender paradise and there's no fat people to be seen :(
August 25, 2025
This was a wild ride!
September 16, 2025
i love you lucille you are such a real one for saving the world
March 29, 2025
jounce looks just like my cat
November 27, 2025
i wish to be with jounce too
December 27, 2024
A brilliant, heartbreaking, cathartic, overall work of genius. I am deeply and profoundly affected, and will think about and recommend this to loved ones for a very long time.
At its core this is a myth, or a sort of creation story, about transness and the feeling of having to justify ones existence. The ways that one can compromise their true selves through the need of love and approval of parents, conditional upon being someone that you are not, and how that same love leaves you detached from yourself, since it is actually meant for someone that you are not and maybe never have been.
There is so much pain and grief but also hope in these pages, and more than anything a commitment to keep fighting and being true in a world that seems bent on denying your very existence. A powerful and empowering work.
At its core this is a myth, or a sort of creation story, about transness and the feeling of having to justify ones existence. The ways that one can compromise their true selves through the need of love and approval of parents, conditional upon being someone that you are not, and how that same love leaves you detached from yourself, since it is actually meant for someone that you are not and maybe never have been.
There is so much pain and grief but also hope in these pages, and more than anything a commitment to keep fighting and being true in a world that seems bent on denying your very existence. A powerful and empowering work.
January 11, 2025
this is the sort of obscure trans comic i need in my life.
September 6, 2024
Big big Leo Fox fan, I followed this as it updated and eagerly devoured every new page. Works like this are so important and I was repeatedly struck by how the characters resonated with me, whether I had something directly in common with them or not, because they were so real and queer and alive to me. It comments on today from a mysterious future in ways that are not often addressed enough or with specificity, such as “petty infighting” and “ridiculous corporate pandering.” Artistically, the book is a gift of color and shape and alive-ness that I zealously embrace on my bookshelf for years to come.
January 19, 2025
A bizarre, hilarious, moving allegory about being transgender in a society that wants to enforce a strict gender binary. Jounce (the little blue cat faced creature on the bottom left of the cover) is an all-time memorable rascal. I love the hopeful ending.
“He hates me, I can’t see why! I’m so much fun!”
“Poor Lucille. You are in the elbow of your life, the place where it bends. What will you do?”
“Don’t be an idiot. There’s nothing to be scared of, your life has just changed irrevocably, that’s all.”
“I don’t want to be dead when we win this battle, I want to be alive to enjoy it. Isn’t there somewhere we can build that isn’t on a raft of the corpses of me and my sisters?”
“He hates me, I can’t see why! I’m so much fun!”
“Poor Lucille. You are in the elbow of your life, the place where it bends. What will you do?”
“Don’t be an idiot. There’s nothing to be scared of, your life has just changed irrevocably, that’s all.”
“I don’t want to be dead when we win this battle, I want to be alive to enjoy it. Isn’t there somewhere we can build that isn’t on a raft of the corpses of me and my sisters?”
April 21, 2025
i would probably give this a 3.5 leaning to the 4? this was so creative with such an interesting take on our gender treatment in society. the art carried the story in my opinion because it was just so weird!! the circle of characters was small with all familiar people being connected in the end in some way with all questions answered. the main character really goes on a journey with being transgender which is represented by him physically journeying to boy island, and the different obstacles seem to represent different challenges transgender people face. i think the goey gloppy colorful art and style of the characters made this book truly take you to a different world
December 25, 2024
I just adore Leo Fox's novels. I feel compelled to use all my favorite, just-right words to try to convey my adoration even if they wouldn't make sense contextually. There's just something about graphic novels about transexuality and queerness that make my heart throb - disjointed in identity, liberated in being, grief-stricken, it's all so me. And I even saw my mother in Lucille's mother, and in Fairy, and that was a heavy burden to have to recall (my adolescence being one of disbelief in myself, being told I don't know what I'm doing) and feel, despite it all, sympathy for them.
September 17, 2025
I didn’t hate it but it didn’t push boundaries in the way I thought it would. I thought maybe, since it came out recently in 2024, the content would challenge my concepts of trans journeys and gender debates in general, but I felt like it didn’t explore anything new. Maybe it’s a good palatable story for people to acquaint themselves with dysphoria and being out of community because it does not dive into any issues particularly deep. I wanted more emphasis on the gray areas of identity, rather than the black and white of the islands
January 2, 2025
incredible concept, incredible execution, i feel like i walked away from this with a richer understanding of and empathy for trans folks in the past, present, and future. and it was fun to see starman again!
if you liked this one, definitely read My Body Unspooling (same MC) and Prokaryote Season by the same author AND check out The Chromatic Fantasy by H.A. - all great graphic novels with trans MCs!
if you liked this one, definitely read My Body Unspooling (same MC) and Prokaryote Season by the same author AND check out The Chromatic Fantasy by H.A. - all great graphic novels with trans MCs!
May 29, 2025
Deeply personal. This felt like it captured the horror aspect of being trans, the experience of feeling sticky and uncomfortable in your body and out of control of everything around you. Lucille taking the step to tell his mother had me immediately in tears. There’s so much compassion and raw honestly in the writing. The art style is unsettling in the perfect way. For me, this feels like what other trans horror books I’ve read were trying to be. Five stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews