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Hayley Soon
Hayley Soon is the tale of a Korean-American transgirl with a fractured mental health, obsession with pop culture, cosplay and a rapidly declining interest in her studies.
Featuring movies, music and a diverse cast all entangled in themes so dark you'll need a flashlight, Hayley Soon puts the trans in transgressive fiction
Featuring movies, music and a diverse cast all entangled in themes so dark you'll need a flashlight, Hayley Soon puts the trans in transgressive fiction
192 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2018
5 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Henley
5 books5 followersI'm a writer and English teacher from North East England with a degree in Creative Writing. This is usually the part where I say what type of writer I am, but my debut novel (Black Hole Heartbeat) is a space opera, my sophmore novel due out in April (Hayley Soon) is a transgressive transgender bildungsroman, and my two novels in progress are about an asexual fire mage cowgirl in a fantasy version of the wild west and the tale of a girl who is haunted by the ghost of her daughter after a stillbirth on prom night. If you can think of a word that encompasses all that, let me know!
One thing that is consistent across all of them is female protagonists and an exploration of darker themes. My main influences are Megan Abbott, Chuck Palahniuk, Elmore Leonard, Raymond Chandler, Monica Drake, Louise O'Neill, Alice Oseman and the modern day master, Stephen King. But honestly, movies like Fight Club, Donnie Darko, Lost In Translation, The Breakfast Club, Sin City and Juno are just as much an influence on my style, as are TV shows like Bojack Horseman, The Simpsons, Community and Game of Thrones.
Black Hole Heartbeat is out now, Hayley Soon due for release in April. Merchandise should be up and running soon! Follow me on instagram @ahenleyauthor
One thing that is consistent across all of them is female protagonists and an exploration of darker themes. My main influences are Megan Abbott, Chuck Palahniuk, Elmore Leonard, Raymond Chandler, Monica Drake, Louise O'Neill, Alice Oseman and the modern day master, Stephen King. But honestly, movies like Fight Club, Donnie Darko, Lost In Translation, The Breakfast Club, Sin City and Juno are just as much an influence on my style, as are TV shows like Bojack Horseman, The Simpsons, Community and Game of Thrones.
Black Hole Heartbeat is out now, Hayley Soon due for release in April. Merchandise should be up and running soon! Follow me on instagram @ahenleyauthor
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 21, 2018
Hayley Soon
It has become so rare these days to come across novels that are original and conscious in their assumptions to not judge a particular community, race, gender or sexual preference. True appreciation of a sensitive subject in the case of this book being - the life of a Transgirl, is not that it is being written about but how it is captured.
The plot of Hayley Soon is an amalgamation of struggle, torture and loneliness that only those subject to real brutality can ever completely understand. It is a book that makes you think and re-evaluate your assumptions.
The story runs parallel in two timelines, with the past as flashback and the present with the day-to-day physical and mental suffering of Hayley / David Soon. Born as a boy, David around puberty begins to realise the he is not like all the others and slowly begins to publicly take up attributes that are considered socially unacceptable for men.
The true beauty of the story for me was the lack of acceptance, both by Hayley as well as the majority of her peers and family. Her only support system to counter the mockery and shame of being called 'faggot' through adolescence was her father till his death, and later Cleo her roommate.
While reading it is hard not to relate to Hayley. There have been times in all of our lives when the humiliation of certain situations has been so brutal that getting out of bed to face the world became an impossible task. In contrast, we are all guilty of taunting, disdain or at the very least silent indifference at one time or the other. The author was extremely brave with the core theme of the book.
It makes the reader understand the consequences of the inconsiderate joke and the internet comments written under the veil of anonymity on the person on whom they are directed.
Hayley's relationship with her mother is another point of clear contention that has had an impact on her psyche and continues to shape how she views herself and the world.
She immerses herself in an array of fictional characters who's characteristics she hopes to embody from Harley Quinn to Mystique from X-men. Blaring Taylor Swift heartbreak music, watching movies and television shows. Pop culture is the medium through which she drowns her reality.
All things said, I would have preferred secondary characters to have more depth than they did in the book. The plot was wholly focused on Hayley which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's always a positive when all people who have a role in furthering the plot come across with complexities that make them human.
It was a beautiful, heartbreaking read, that I will remember for a long time. The novel was a stunning new outlook, that aimed only to sensitise not preach.
It has become so rare these days to come across novels that are original and conscious in their assumptions to not judge a particular community, race, gender or sexual preference. True appreciation of a sensitive subject in the case of this book being - the life of a Transgirl, is not that it is being written about but how it is captured.
The plot of Hayley Soon is an amalgamation of struggle, torture and loneliness that only those subject to real brutality can ever completely understand. It is a book that makes you think and re-evaluate your assumptions.
"I am not a girl, I will never be a girl"
The story runs parallel in two timelines, with the past as flashback and the present with the day-to-day physical and mental suffering of Hayley / David Soon. Born as a boy, David around puberty begins to realise the he is not like all the others and slowly begins to publicly take up attributes that are considered socially unacceptable for men.
The true beauty of the story for me was the lack of acceptance, both by Hayley as well as the majority of her peers and family. Her only support system to counter the mockery and shame of being called 'faggot' through adolescence was her father till his death, and later Cleo her roommate.
While reading it is hard not to relate to Hayley. There have been times in all of our lives when the humiliation of certain situations has been so brutal that getting out of bed to face the world became an impossible task. In contrast, we are all guilty of taunting, disdain or at the very least silent indifference at one time or the other. The author was extremely brave with the core theme of the book.
It makes the reader understand the consequences of the inconsiderate joke and the internet comments written under the veil of anonymity on the person on whom they are directed.
Hayley's relationship with her mother is another point of clear contention that has had an impact on her psyche and continues to shape how she views herself and the world.
She immerses herself in an array of fictional characters who's characteristics she hopes to embody from Harley Quinn to Mystique from X-men. Blaring Taylor Swift heartbreak music, watching movies and television shows. Pop culture is the medium through which she drowns her reality.
"Twitter followers, Instagram Likes, Snapchat Score, Facebook Friends. All these numbers we rate ourselves against, all these ways to not be good enough. Instant gratification echo chambers of self obsession and self-loathing."
All things said, I would have preferred secondary characters to have more depth than they did in the book. The plot was wholly focused on Hayley which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's always a positive when all people who have a role in furthering the plot come across with complexities that make them human.
It was a beautiful, heartbreaking read, that I will remember for a long time. The novel was a stunning new outlook, that aimed only to sensitise not preach.
June 28, 2018
I received this copy of Hayley Soon from the author Andrew Henley (@ahenleyauthor on Instagram), even though I got this copy for free, I will give my honest opinion and as always without spoilers.
Having anxiety and depression is a thing you see more and more, online and in real life. Hayley hit close to home with that, I feel like she goes through a lot in her story. Reading it, I wish such things wouldn't be real, the cruel way of how they treat her. But the truth is otherwise, unfortunately. I liked reading it, the way she handled situations, feelings, it felt like it could be a story of a real person.
Saying that makes the thought of some events even worse. There are happening things that could trigger people, so if you read it be warned. I would say sort of the same warnings given on the Thirteen reasons why, book/serie.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because I think it portrays struggles that we can go all through, but also struggles maybe only trans people go through. In my opinion, these are very beautiful/cruel/emotional captured, and I wanted to hug Hayley the whole book through. It is not a 5 star read for me because I felt like the book missed some points in the plot area, I felt like there were quite a few side stories, that were left after a couple of scenes, kind of left me hanging.
nonetheless, this is a great book, and I recommend this book to everyone who wants to read a book that crawls into the mind of someone who goes through this kind of problems. I promise the end is a good one.
Having anxiety and depression is a thing you see more and more, online and in real life. Hayley hit close to home with that, I feel like she goes through a lot in her story. Reading it, I wish such things wouldn't be real, the cruel way of how they treat her. But the truth is otherwise, unfortunately. I liked reading it, the way she handled situations, feelings, it felt like it could be a story of a real person.
Saying that makes the thought of some events even worse. There are happening things that could trigger people, so if you read it be warned. I would say sort of the same warnings given on the Thirteen reasons why, book/serie.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because I think it portrays struggles that we can go all through, but also struggles maybe only trans people go through. In my opinion, these are very beautiful/cruel/emotional captured, and I wanted to hug Hayley the whole book through. It is not a 5 star read for me because I felt like the book missed some points in the plot area, I felt like there were quite a few side stories, that were left after a couple of scenes, kind of left me hanging.
nonetheless, this is a great book, and I recommend this book to everyone who wants to read a book that crawls into the mind of someone who goes through this kind of problems. I promise the end is a good one.
March 16, 2018
This is a book about a trans girl called Hayley Soon. For those who are not familiar with this term, this means she was born as boy.
It's a book that is very hard to read because it's full of sadness and pain. It describes what does a person who identifies as a trans have to deal with.
Hayley Soon identified herself as a trans girl when she was about 13 years old, then she was called David. Only her father tried to understand her, on the other hand her mother rejected her and continued to call her David. I can't imagine how both sides must feel. How parents feel when their child identifies as trans and how the child feels when parents reject him / her.
Later on in the story we learn how much Hayley suffered because her own mother banished her from the family and how much she suffers because of bullying coming from the society.
It's definitely a topic that should be discussed more than it is because sadly the majority of people are still scared of what they can't understand.
The characters are very shallow. We actually don't get to know them, except Hayley. Others seem as people who have no motivation for anything except for drinking, selfies and meaningless intercourse. But I guess that's what it's like today (?).
In my opinion the author was very brave for writing a story of such a delicate topic and bold for putting a mirror in front of us. Makes you think what matters the most in a world where social sites control everything.
It's a book that is very hard to read because it's full of sadness and pain. It describes what does a person who identifies as a trans have to deal with.
Hayley Soon identified herself as a trans girl when she was about 13 years old, then she was called David. Only her father tried to understand her, on the other hand her mother rejected her and continued to call her David. I can't imagine how both sides must feel. How parents feel when their child identifies as trans and how the child feels when parents reject him / her.
Later on in the story we learn how much Hayley suffered because her own mother banished her from the family and how much she suffers because of bullying coming from the society.
It's definitely a topic that should be discussed more than it is because sadly the majority of people are still scared of what they can't understand.
The characters are very shallow. We actually don't get to know them, except Hayley. Others seem as people who have no motivation for anything except for drinking, selfies and meaningless intercourse. But I guess that's what it's like today (?).
In my opinion the author was very brave for writing a story of such a delicate topic and bold for putting a mirror in front of us. Makes you think what matters the most in a world where social sites control everything.
March 9, 2018
Disclaimer: The contents of this review is solely my opinion and mine alone. A copy of this book was sent to me directly from the author in exchange for my honest review. Thanks again to the author for sending me a copy of this book. The comments in this review do not reflect the views of the author or the publisher.
A copy of this book was sent to me by the author in exchange for my honest review. In the past, I have read novels that showcase the challenges faced by members of the LGBTQ community. These books shed light on the struggles that non-cisgender individuals face on an everyday basis. The author of this book tries to shed light on some of those challenges. Overall, I liked the idea of this novel and the focus content but did not entirely like the delivery. I wanted more of the story with Hayley, and the ending left me questioning a lot of things.
The main character Hayley does struggle a lot in this book, and she is portrayed as a character who has a mental illness that has not been diagnosed. She struggles with anxiety, depression, identification issues, and self-esteem issues. If you are interested in reading a book about a transgender person who faces many daily struggles and finds unique ways to cope, then this is your novel. If you are a person who just wants to read a unique story that challenges many theories, then you should pick this book.
A copy of this book was sent to me by the author in exchange for my honest review. In the past, I have read novels that showcase the challenges faced by members of the LGBTQ community. These books shed light on the struggles that non-cisgender individuals face on an everyday basis. The author of this book tries to shed light on some of those challenges. Overall, I liked the idea of this novel and the focus content but did not entirely like the delivery. I wanted more of the story with Hayley, and the ending left me questioning a lot of things.
The main character Hayley does struggle a lot in this book, and she is portrayed as a character who has a mental illness that has not been diagnosed. She struggles with anxiety, depression, identification issues, and self-esteem issues. If you are interested in reading a book about a transgender person who faces many daily struggles and finds unique ways to cope, then this is your novel. If you are a person who just wants to read a unique story that challenges many theories, then you should pick this book.
June 28, 2018
I would like to make clear first that I am not against LGBT community. I respect them because they’re a lovely people. This is not my first time to read a book about this kind of topic, in fact I’ve read worst. So I’ll be straight to the point. I’m so confuse about the story. Yeah, I got the real problem and how much the author wants to point out the issues about genderqueer but it seems like there is always something missing. The details and the different parts of the story didn’t elaborate that much. There’s a lot of side stories that leave me hanging. It will start to tell another scene and I’m like, "That’s all?" So it doesn’t make sense.
Showing off Hayley’s everyday costumes almost consume the half part of the story. I get it, that she loves cosplaying but not to the point it will turn out as the center of the story. It’s so disturbing that most of the time the whole page contains about Hayley, on how she disgust herself. I don’t like how she criticizes herself and see her flaws every time she face her reflection in the mirror. I want to tell Hayley that she’s a beautiful human being every time she does that to herself.
Like what I’ve said, there’s a lot of pages that contains about her looks every morning. I think it’s easy to say, "I look like a zombie” than to tell how awful every inch of her body and that’s really disturbing. I hope the author become more careful in using words for descriptions.
What I love about this book is the character of Cleo. She’s a good example of a true friend. Even though Hayley keeps on pushing her away, even though how much they fight over a boy, she will just let you burst all what’s in your chest and after you calm down she will hug you so tight making you realize that she’s still there for you no matter what happens because she understands you, and she will never get tired to understand you.
I somewhat don’t like this book. I mean I love the concept but I don’t like how it was made. I believe there’s a good way to deliver the story of Hayley so that it inspires other without getting disturbed in some of the scenes. I just wish the author expands more of his ideas. I know he still has a lot of ideas that he failed to show off in this book.
At the end of the story, I’m glad that Hayley finally realizes and find the peace in her heart afterward.
Showing off Hayley’s everyday costumes almost consume the half part of the story. I get it, that she loves cosplaying but not to the point it will turn out as the center of the story. It’s so disturbing that most of the time the whole page contains about Hayley, on how she disgust herself. I don’t like how she criticizes herself and see her flaws every time she face her reflection in the mirror. I want to tell Hayley that she’s a beautiful human being every time she does that to herself.
Like what I’ve said, there’s a lot of pages that contains about her looks every morning. I think it’s easy to say, "I look like a zombie” than to tell how awful every inch of her body and that’s really disturbing. I hope the author become more careful in using words for descriptions.
What I love about this book is the character of Cleo. She’s a good example of a true friend. Even though Hayley keeps on pushing her away, even though how much they fight over a boy, she will just let you burst all what’s in your chest and after you calm down she will hug you so tight making you realize that she’s still there for you no matter what happens because she understands you, and she will never get tired to understand you.
I somewhat don’t like this book. I mean I love the concept but I don’t like how it was made. I believe there’s a good way to deliver the story of Hayley so that it inspires other without getting disturbed in some of the scenes. I just wish the author expands more of his ideas. I know he still has a lot of ideas that he failed to show off in this book.
At the end of the story, I’m glad that Hayley finally realizes and find the peace in her heart afterward.
February 19, 2020
As a trans reader, it was my first DNF over intense discomfort over someone's attempt at trans rep. I wanted to like it, I really did, but as it is, I can't recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews