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Milhas de Distância
"Uma história fantástica sobre amor e autodescoberta" Meredith Russo, autora de Apenas Uma Garota Faz três anos que Miles se apaixonou por Vivian, uma talentosa e deslumbrante garota transgênero. Dezoito meses desde que uma tentativa de suicídio deixou Vivian em coma. Agora, Miles não tem certeza de quem ele é sem ela, mas sabe que é hora de descobrir como dizer adeus. Após chegar à Islândia com uma passagem só de ida, ele vive enclausurado no seu quarto de hotel. Depois de um pequeno empurrão de Óskar, um local que é tanto cativante quanto misterioso, Miles decide honrar a vida de Vivian fotografando seu sapato favorito vazio nas paisagens surrealistas do país. Cada passo que ele dá, é um ponto dado na ferida aberta de seu coração, assim ele começa a aceitar que o coma de Vivian é irreversível. Narrado totalmente através de mensagens instantâneas para Vivian, esse livro peculiar e completamente fora dos padrões explora o amor, a perda e as distâncias drásticas que às vezes temos que percorrer para seguir em frente. "Uma história extremamente necessária sobre se redescobrir após perdas da vida." - Kirkus "O protagonista está lidando com sua perda e seu retorno à arte é uma jornada comovente." - School Library Journal "Cheio de cenas hilárias, sensuais e emocionalmente turbulentas, a forma de Rutledge de mostrar as complexidades de gênero e atração romântica certamente irá prender e cativar os leitores adolescentes mais exigentes." - Chicago Public Library
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First published March 20, 2018
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About the author
A.B. Rutledge
1 book27 followersA.B. Rutledge is an optician from Southeast Missouri. She likes '90s alternative music, dresses with pockets, and leaving Halloween decorations up all year long. When she's not up at 3 a.m. scribbling out stories, you can find her in her art studio covered in paper scraps, paint, and cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
April 25, 2018
Note: All of this is coming from my cis perspective. I can only do the best that I know how to do, but if you are a trans individual who disagrees with my perspective, or if you have an own-voice review for this book, please let me know in the comments and I would love to help boost your voice!
There are some minor spoilers ahead, because I couldn't discuss all of the problems I had with this book without them.
Content warnings: suicide, self harm, abuse, transphobia, mental illness, homophobia, pedophilia.
Miles Away From You tells the story of Miles, who is grieving the loss of his girlfriend, Vivian, after she attempted suicide. He documents his grief, as well as his attempt at healing via a summer trip to Iceland, through instant messages to Vivian's abandoned social media account. She's been on life support for a year and a half, and Miles' greatest frustration is the fact that he wants her to be taken off of life support and allowed to rest; meanwhile, her religious, transphobic parents refuse to pull the plug.
Off the bat, the book struggles from White Savior Complex: Miles and his accepting, lovely mothers are all white, while Vivian's transphobic, abusive parents are black. Vivian and her parents are the only characters of color in a book saturated with white people. (While Miles does let us know that he's got a small fraction of Cherokee heritage, it's made pretty evident that he is, for all intents and purpose, white-passing.)
On top of that, Vivian herself is not presented as a likable character. There's actually a line in the book where Miles is "talking" to Vivian and says that she constantly did scary or cruel things to shock him, just so she could be sure he cared. This is emotional abuse, and while it's brought up very quickly, it is never addressed, and our trans character is not painted in a good light at all.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the story is less about Miles' grief, and more about his adventures in Iceland and his determination to get laid. He's pan/demi, but spend most of the book pursuing sex with women in a manner, and with a mindset, that felt really objectifying and gross. All of the women in this story, besides his mother and Vivian, seem to only exist to serve Miles' sexual fantasies. He does eventually pursue a meaningful relationship with a gay man, and the love interest's character was the only genuinely enjoyable part of the story for me.
The LI is surprisingly three-dimensional: we meet his family (including his abusive and homophobic father), and watch him overcome an abusive and controlling relationship with a pedophile. (Of course, one of the only TWO gay men in this book is a pedophile, so there's also some furthering of that trash stereotype.) The moments we spent with this character were the only times I was able to connect to the story, though even those exchanges were typically laced with annoyance. Miles felt the need to endlessly make fun of the love interest, whether it was out loud or in his own head (remarks about the man's appearance, style, hair, accent, etc.). All of this grew old fast, when coupled with Miles' seeming disregard for Icelandic culture and customs in general (most of which were not painted in a very kind light - are you seeing a theme?).
Finally, one of the biggest issues I had with this book: Vivian's incredibly slow, drawn-out death. Her suicide is a vehicle for Miles' story, rather than being depicted as the genuine tragedy it is. When she finally passed away, her parents dead-named her headstone, and it was such a low blow! The thought of an unsuspecting trans kid picking this book up and reading this feels so bad to me, and makes me wish I could keep this story from ever hurting anyone. If it felt this bad to me, as a cis person with cis privileges, I can't fathom how harmful Miles Away From You could be for a trans individual.
Thank you to HMH Books for Young Readers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
There are some minor spoilers ahead, because I couldn't discuss all of the problems I had with this book without them.
Content warnings: suicide, self harm, abuse, transphobia, mental illness, homophobia, pedophilia.
Miles Away From You tells the story of Miles, who is grieving the loss of his girlfriend, Vivian, after she attempted suicide. He documents his grief, as well as his attempt at healing via a summer trip to Iceland, through instant messages to Vivian's abandoned social media account. She's been on life support for a year and a half, and Miles' greatest frustration is the fact that he wants her to be taken off of life support and allowed to rest; meanwhile, her religious, transphobic parents refuse to pull the plug.
Off the bat, the book struggles from White Savior Complex: Miles and his accepting, lovely mothers are all white, while Vivian's transphobic, abusive parents are black. Vivian and her parents are the only characters of color in a book saturated with white people. (While Miles does let us know that he's got a small fraction of Cherokee heritage, it's made pretty evident that he is, for all intents and purpose, white-passing.)
On top of that, Vivian herself is not presented as a likable character. There's actually a line in the book where Miles is "talking" to Vivian and says that she constantly did scary or cruel things to shock him, just so she could be sure he cared. This is emotional abuse, and while it's brought up very quickly, it is never addressed, and our trans character is not painted in a good light at all.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the story is less about Miles' grief, and more about his adventures in Iceland and his determination to get laid. He's pan/demi, but spend most of the book pursuing sex with women in a manner, and with a mindset, that felt really objectifying and gross. All of the women in this story, besides his mother and Vivian, seem to only exist to serve Miles' sexual fantasies. He does eventually pursue a meaningful relationship with a gay man, and the love interest's character was the only genuinely enjoyable part of the story for me.
The LI is surprisingly three-dimensional: we meet his family (including his abusive and homophobic father), and watch him overcome an abusive and controlling relationship with a pedophile. (Of course, one of the only TWO gay men in this book is a pedophile, so there's also some furthering of that trash stereotype.) The moments we spent with this character were the only times I was able to connect to the story, though even those exchanges were typically laced with annoyance. Miles felt the need to endlessly make fun of the love interest, whether it was out loud or in his own head (remarks about the man's appearance, style, hair, accent, etc.). All of this grew old fast, when coupled with Miles' seeming disregard for Icelandic culture and customs in general (most of which were not painted in a very kind light - are you seeing a theme?).
Finally, one of the biggest issues I had with this book: Vivian's incredibly slow, drawn-out death. Her suicide is a vehicle for Miles' story, rather than being depicted as the genuine tragedy it is. When she finally passed away, her parents dead-named her headstone, and it was such a low blow! The thought of an unsuspecting trans kid picking this book up and reading this feels so bad to me, and makes me wish I could keep this story from ever hurting anyone. If it felt this bad to me, as a cis person with cis privileges, I can't fathom how harmful Miles Away From You could be for a trans individual.
Thank you to HMH Books for Young Readers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
January 11, 2018
I see that a bunch of people have tagged this as an ace-spec book (and lord knows I'm always looking for ace and aro-spec contemporary/non-SFF novels), but I don't need to read this Black trans teen's suicide-inspires-white-boy-to-see-the-world story (that's not written by a Black trans author). Not when Black trans folx are already at such high risk IRL, and not when publishing still doesn't give equal opportunity to Black trans (and other marginalized) folx.
April 22, 2018
This book was an intense and difficult read that I surprisingly enjoyed immensely. Before going into this book, I do have to put the disclaimer out there that it deals with heavy content some of which is sexual/physical/emotional abuse, bullying, suicide, and depression. Honestly, that is such a small description of the depth and heaviness in this novel.
In opposition, this novel is incredible in that it truly packs a punch when it comes to diversity. What I mean is that, considering the length of the novel, I'm happily surprised with the level of diversity that the author included. This novel includes members of the LGTBQ community and issues that individuals can face, characters with different backgrounds and ethnicities, and interracial relationships. For some readers, all of these aspects are common and accepted in everyday life. However, this is not the case for the whole world and there still is quite a lot of prejudice out there so I really appreciate when a novel includes such a large amount of diversity within its contents. Life is diverse, so novels should reflect that.
When it comes to the story, it was a very important yet heartbreaking novel. For those that love novels such as "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" or "Thirteen Reasons Why", I would recommend this to read. It includes important content but then is told in a relatable and realistic way.
The style of the writing adds to the fact that this was a quick read. It's written in a letter format from Miles to Vivian and it flows, which makes the book difficult to put down. It was fast-paced and I needed to know more while rooting for a happy(ish) ending for Miles. Speaking of that ending though, what does it mean? I need to know more. I don't know if a sequel is necessary or is being planned, but I just wish I knew more when it comes to the ending.
Overall, although it's a difficult novel to read, it's a very important one. This may not come close to your reality but the fact is, it's close to reality for some.
***Thank you to Raincoast Books and HMH Teen for sending me this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review***
In opposition, this novel is incredible in that it truly packs a punch when it comes to diversity. What I mean is that, considering the length of the novel, I'm happily surprised with the level of diversity that the author included. This novel includes members of the LGTBQ community and issues that individuals can face, characters with different backgrounds and ethnicities, and interracial relationships. For some readers, all of these aspects are common and accepted in everyday life. However, this is not the case for the whole world and there still is quite a lot of prejudice out there so I really appreciate when a novel includes such a large amount of diversity within its contents. Life is diverse, so novels should reflect that.
When it comes to the story, it was a very important yet heartbreaking novel. For those that love novels such as "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" or "Thirteen Reasons Why", I would recommend this to read. It includes important content but then is told in a relatable and realistic way.
The style of the writing adds to the fact that this was a quick read. It's written in a letter format from Miles to Vivian and it flows, which makes the book difficult to put down. It was fast-paced and I needed to know more while rooting for a happy(ish) ending for Miles. Speaking of that ending though, what does it mean? I need to know more. I don't know if a sequel is necessary or is being planned, but I just wish I knew more when it comes to the ending.
Overall, although it's a difficult novel to read, it's a very important one. This may not come close to your reality but the fact is, it's close to reality for some.
***Thank you to Raincoast Books and HMH Teen for sending me this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review***
January 16, 2018
Well, that was awful.
Before I start -- I know there's been some discussion on the premise, and the fridging of a trans character -- I was uneasy going in, but honestly, I wanted to read it because I heard Miles was Demi, and I'm Demi, and I so rarely see Demi characters in books that I was willing to take what I could get.
This was HORRIFICALLY BAD Demi rep.
Quite frankly -- Miles is not Demi.
Just gonna flat out say it. I totally get that everyone has different experiences in the community, and there's a lot of different and valid ways to experience a sexuality. But this was different. For those unaware, Demisexual is basically defined as not experiencing sexual attraction without emotional attachment. There's greyness in all things, but that's the easy summary.
At several points Miles literally says he "craves flesh" and he spends the WHOLE BOOK ogling and sexualizing everyone he meets. EVERYONE. His friend even sexualizes one of his Moms, so like, even the characters it shouldn't have been possible to sexualize got sexualized. In the course of the book, Miles goes down on a woman he doesn't know, he thinks hopefully of having an orgy with 3 people he just met, and is constantly jerking off in the shower. He reads online (and super misogynistic) articles on how to get laid in Iceland. He wanders around nightclubs attempting to get laid. He goes home with a girl he just met, hoping to get laid. Like, this is horny teenage boy everywhere, on every page.
I know the author identifies as Demi, but if this is what she thinks it's like, I'm wondering if she's mislabelling herself? Or maybe she assumes its different for men than women? I don't know, but I found it all pretty repulsive.
I'm not qualified to speak on the trans issues in the book, but I found the fridging icky. And Vivian, the trans girl, isn't really portrayed in a positive light in most of the flashbacks. And her family, the only non-white people in the book, are also portrayed pretty negatively. So, that wasn't great.
On the positive side, the book is a pretty fast read, and the pacing is decent. I found the love interest engaging and fully formed.
But the love interest and pacing can't save this from being a truly wretched portrayal of demisexulaity, not to mention a poorly handled fridging of a black trans character (idek, is there a way to handle that well?).
Before I start -- I know there's been some discussion on the premise, and the fridging of a trans character -- I was uneasy going in, but honestly, I wanted to read it because I heard Miles was Demi, and I'm Demi, and I so rarely see Demi characters in books that I was willing to take what I could get.
This was HORRIFICALLY BAD Demi rep.
Quite frankly -- Miles is not Demi.
Just gonna flat out say it. I totally get that everyone has different experiences in the community, and there's a lot of different and valid ways to experience a sexuality. But this was different. For those unaware, Demisexual is basically defined as not experiencing sexual attraction without emotional attachment. There's greyness in all things, but that's the easy summary.
At several points Miles literally says he "craves flesh" and he spends the WHOLE BOOK ogling and sexualizing everyone he meets. EVERYONE. His friend even sexualizes one of his Moms, so like, even the characters it shouldn't have been possible to sexualize got sexualized. In the course of the book, Miles goes down on a woman he doesn't know, he thinks hopefully of having an orgy with 3 people he just met, and is constantly jerking off in the shower. He reads online (and super misogynistic) articles on how to get laid in Iceland. He wanders around nightclubs attempting to get laid. He goes home with a girl he just met, hoping to get laid. Like, this is horny teenage boy everywhere, on every page.
I know the author identifies as Demi, but if this is what she thinks it's like, I'm wondering if she's mislabelling herself? Or maybe she assumes its different for men than women? I don't know, but I found it all pretty repulsive.
I'm not qualified to speak on the trans issues in the book, but I found the fridging icky. And Vivian, the trans girl, isn't really portrayed in a positive light in most of the flashbacks. And her family, the only non-white people in the book, are also portrayed pretty negatively. So, that wasn't great.
On the positive side, the book is a pretty fast read, and the pacing is decent. I found the love interest engaging and fully formed.
But the love interest and pacing can't save this from being a truly wretched portrayal of demisexulaity, not to mention a poorly handled fridging of a black trans character (idek, is there a way to handle that well?).
December 17, 2021
I am getting a feeling that this book is going to be a tear-jerker.Can't wait for the emotional ride.I know I'd love it.Please, release it already.
January 12, 2018
Oh hell no with this sacrificial black trans woman to teach a lesson nonsense. Fuck this transphobic and racist shit. BLACK TRANS* WOMEN AREN'T YOUR PLOT POINT.
June 1, 2018
This review can also be seen on: NicoleHendersonReads
This was originally one of my most anticipated releases of this year solely because of its intriguing plot and cover. But that was before I read some very negative reviews about this book, involving using a trans character’s suicide attempt as a plot device and portraying people of colour to be terrible people. I also recognized that this book presents the white saviour trope (as almost every character is white and the blacks in this book are looked down upon). When reading this book, I understood the problematic elements that were present and read it more critically than I normally would. I had so many issues with this book (you have no idea) and it could take years to write them all down. So I’m only going to list some of the key problems I had with the story. Just a forewarning there will be some spoilers as I can’t discuss my issues without them.
Miles. Miles, Miles, Miles?!?!?! This guy was trash. He was the most needy and self-centred character I have ever come across while reading YA (and I’ve read plenty of them). Miles came across as this pretentious little shit who was extremely judgemental to those around him. His character also managed to sexualize almost everyone he came across and it was just gross. For example, Miles wanted to have an orgy with these three girls he barely knew; to which they proceeded to beat him up and steal all his stuff which I was quite happy when that happened. I just couldn’t stand his misogynistic ass, especially when he was looking at porn links his friend sent him to find girls to fuck in Iceland. He also went to the extent of body shaming his transgender girlfriend basically stating that a cis-gendered person got naked in front of him and the world didn’t end. Like first of all, what a fucking dick, secondly, why message that to her in the first place, and lastly this further proves his selfish and judgemental ways of treating people.
I understand that Miles was writing messages to his comatose girlfriend, but I always had this thought in the back of my mind which was: what if she wakes up and finds these messages of his sexual escapades and him crushing on (and basically having sex with) another person that’s not her? I believe she would’ve been devastated. I say this because even though she’s in this coma, she was technically still alive which meant she could’ve woken up at any given moment and found them. And with that constant thought in mind, I felt extremely uncomfortable while reading the majority of this book.
I think the way Miles handled the entire situation of this book was very poor. There were so many different ways he could’ve handled it. But instead he had to make the entire situation about himself and how he was hurt and damaged throughout this whole thing without considering how Vivian must have felt before she attempted suicide. He made her out to be this villain, which is also not the best way to portray someone (especially if they are a person of colour). Going along with that, the way this book handles suicide is not good. Suicide is a very sensitive topic and so it should be handled as such. And although I personally cannot speak on the demi/pansexual and trans rep, I’ve heard from other book reviewers that they were handled poorly. Overall, this book was poorly done all around.
Okay, I know this book was a shit show BUT, there were also some aspects I liked. One of them being Oskar, Miles’ love interest. I thought Oskar was a very guarded individual, but he was also kind to those he cared about. And he was a well-developed character who I wanted to know more of. I was honestly more interested in Oskar’s story arc than Miles’ so that’s how you truly know I didn’t enjoy this book. The second aspect I liked was the setting. I’ve never read a book that took place in Iceland so it was interesting to read about all the various places and scenery. I thought her way of describing Iceland was well done and researched; it felt as if I were there. And lastly, it was how fast paced this book was; which is good because if it were any slower it would’ve been pure torture to read. The writing style did make it much easier to get through and I greatly appreciated that. But none of those issues excuse how this book was horribly executed.
Now you know why I would not recommend this book for anyone to read whether or not they are LGBTQ+ or a person of colour.
I was sent a physical ARC by Raincoast Books, so thank you to them for sending this my way in exchange for an honest review.
This was originally one of my most anticipated releases of this year solely because of its intriguing plot and cover. But that was before I read some very negative reviews about this book, involving using a trans character’s suicide attempt as a plot device and portraying people of colour to be terrible people. I also recognized that this book presents the white saviour trope (as almost every character is white and the blacks in this book are looked down upon). When reading this book, I understood the problematic elements that were present and read it more critically than I normally would. I had so many issues with this book (you have no idea) and it could take years to write them all down. So I’m only going to list some of the key problems I had with the story. Just a forewarning there will be some spoilers as I can’t discuss my issues without them.
Miles. Miles, Miles, Miles?!?!?! This guy was trash. He was the most needy and self-centred character I have ever come across while reading YA (and I’ve read plenty of them). Miles came across as this pretentious little shit who was extremely judgemental to those around him. His character also managed to sexualize almost everyone he came across and it was just gross. For example, Miles wanted to have an orgy with these three girls he barely knew; to which they proceeded to beat him up and steal all his stuff which I was quite happy when that happened. I just couldn’t stand his misogynistic ass, especially when he was looking at porn links his friend sent him to find girls to fuck in Iceland. He also went to the extent of body shaming his transgender girlfriend basically stating that a cis-gendered person got naked in front of him and the world didn’t end. Like first of all, what a fucking dick, secondly, why message that to her in the first place, and lastly this further proves his selfish and judgemental ways of treating people.
I understand that Miles was writing messages to his comatose girlfriend, but I always had this thought in the back of my mind which was: what if she wakes up and finds these messages of his sexual escapades and him crushing on (and basically having sex with) another person that’s not her? I believe she would’ve been devastated. I say this because even though she’s in this coma, she was technically still alive which meant she could’ve woken up at any given moment and found them. And with that constant thought in mind, I felt extremely uncomfortable while reading the majority of this book.
I think the way Miles handled the entire situation of this book was very poor. There were so many different ways he could’ve handled it. But instead he had to make the entire situation about himself and how he was hurt and damaged throughout this whole thing without considering how Vivian must have felt before she attempted suicide. He made her out to be this villain, which is also not the best way to portray someone (especially if they are a person of colour). Going along with that, the way this book handles suicide is not good. Suicide is a very sensitive topic and so it should be handled as such. And although I personally cannot speak on the demi/pansexual and trans rep, I’ve heard from other book reviewers that they were handled poorly. Overall, this book was poorly done all around.
Okay, I know this book was a shit show BUT, there were also some aspects I liked. One of them being Oskar, Miles’ love interest. I thought Oskar was a very guarded individual, but he was also kind to those he cared about. And he was a well-developed character who I wanted to know more of. I was honestly more interested in Oskar’s story arc than Miles’ so that’s how you truly know I didn’t enjoy this book. The second aspect I liked was the setting. I’ve never read a book that took place in Iceland so it was interesting to read about all the various places and scenery. I thought her way of describing Iceland was well done and researched; it felt as if I were there. And lastly, it was how fast paced this book was; which is good because if it were any slower it would’ve been pure torture to read. The writing style did make it much easier to get through and I greatly appreciated that. But none of those issues excuse how this book was horribly executed.
Now you know why I would not recommend this book for anyone to read whether or not they are LGBTQ+ or a person of colour.
I was sent a physical ARC by Raincoast Books, so thank you to them for sending this my way in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2018
DNF. I was so looking forward to this as the MC is pansexual but he’s a white cis dude and it’s all about his experiences after his black trans girlfriend commits suicide and we literally do not need another story about a black trans girl killing herself to further a white guys development.
October 23, 2017
I DNFed this around the halfway mark. Review coming with thoughts and why I DNFed.
nope
January 12, 2018a book that uses the suicide of a black trans girl to fuel a white cis dude's plotline?
hell nooo
call me back when ya fiction is publishing books with #ownvoices representation of black trans girls in charge of their own stories.
hell nooo
call me back when ya fiction is publishing books with #ownvoices representation of black trans girls in charge of their own stories.
July 22, 2017
The contemps this year have been hella good. I don't typically dole out this many five stars in a row. And this one is no exception.
So I want to preface this by saying this is not my kind of book.
You may misunderstand what I mean. I don't typically prefer/read male type protagonists and not typically into road trips/traveling abroad to find oneself. So this book was chock full of stuff that I don't usually like or read, and yet... and yet...
Miles is so typically boy but not. He is fluid on the sexuality scale, and so real and believable but I've never read someone like him before. I loved how he talked about his relationship with Vivian, the beautiful transgender girl. I loved his relationship to his moms, and I loved Oskar. Oh Oskar. I have a crush on him now myself.
Beautiful, poignant, and strangely addictive-- the voice of Miles was unique and moving. I don't really know what else to say. One of my favorite parts was that while he mentioned the hardships of being the way he was, and Vivian's difficult life from being trans, it was so clear that there is something universal in his experiences of loss and feeling different that anyone-- cis or trans, can relate to. And I think that's what this world needs a little more of-- "us"/"we" and less of "other."
I am honored to have read this book.
So I want to preface this by saying this is not my kind of book.
You may misunderstand what I mean. I don't typically prefer/read male type protagonists and not typically into road trips/traveling abroad to find oneself. So this book was chock full of stuff that I don't usually like or read, and yet... and yet...
Miles is so typically boy but not. He is fluid on the sexuality scale, and so real and believable but I've never read someone like him before. I loved how he talked about his relationship with Vivian, the beautiful transgender girl. I loved his relationship to his moms, and I loved Oskar. Oh Oskar. I have a crush on him now myself.
Beautiful, poignant, and strangely addictive-- the voice of Miles was unique and moving. I don't really know what else to say. One of my favorite parts was that while he mentioned the hardships of being the way he was, and Vivian's difficult life from being trans, it was so clear that there is something universal in his experiences of loss and feeling different that anyone-- cis or trans, can relate to. And I think that's what this world needs a little more of-- "us"/"we" and less of "other."
I am honored to have read this book.
April 11, 2018
This book was exactly what the stars describe.. Ok. It's also hard to review, besides saying that I wasn't a fan of Miles, so..
As this was entirely from his perspective, you can imagine how this affected my enjoyment of the story.
Still, it was quick and easy to read, with lgbt+ diversity galore (the only characters of color were the religious, transphobic parents of the girlfriend, though, so that's an issue).
2 stars.
Edit: One of the stars is for the eventual love interest, who I actually really liked. They were an interesting, fleshed out character and another redeeming quality that kept this from being a one-star read.
As this was entirely from his perspective, you can imagine how this affected my enjoyment of the story.
Still, it was quick and easy to read, with lgbt+ diversity galore (the only characters of color were the religious, transphobic parents of the girlfriend, though, so that's an issue).
2 stars.
Edit: One of the stars is for the eventual love interest, who I actually really liked. They were an interesting, fleshed out character and another redeeming quality that kept this from being a one-star read.
March 23, 2018
TW: suicide, self harm, abuse, transmisia, mental illness, homomisia, pedophilia.
This book handles consent (or the lack of) horribly. I was literally the vomit face emoji throughout the whole book, and there was no consent given in many situations & it’s not addressed directly or handled in a sensitive way. It’s all swept under the rug or laughed off and the MC still remains an ahole.
Also as an ownvoices trans reviewer and as an ownvoices ace reviewer, I thought that the author handled the portrayal and representation inaccurately. We have a trans character who committed suicide and was on life support, and Vivian isn’t portrayed in a positive way. She was portrayed as emotionally abusive, and also her partner Miles at first treats her in a transmisic way. Miles and his parents also fall under the “white savior” trope, because Vivian’s (black) parents are abusive and unaccepting
The way that Miles treats women and how he sexually objectives many situations where he has some disgusting and disturbing inner monologue. The way that he touches people without their consent, the way that Vivian’s suicide is a vehicle for him to further the plot. And then at the end, her family deadnames her which is so disappointing that she couldn’t leave as her true self.
About 90% of the books is just have sex in Iceland, and or trying to look for sexual experiences in Iceland. There were two gay people, and one of them was an evil pedophile (of course). During a trip to a body of water for a swim, our MC misgenders a nonbinary person by saying that they’re “one of the girls”. There’s also the naked trans trope which was unecessary.
As a trans and ace person, everything that the author did was rough and incorrect in regards to representation. There are lots of quotes and receipts that I don’t have on hand, but I recommend reading a fellow trans person’s thread about their thoughts on the quotes. The worst book that I’ve read in a long time, would not recommend.
**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own**
This book handles consent (or the lack of) horribly. I was literally the vomit face emoji throughout the whole book, and there was no consent given in many situations & it’s not addressed directly or handled in a sensitive way. It’s all swept under the rug or laughed off and the MC still remains an ahole.
Also as an ownvoices trans reviewer and as an ownvoices ace reviewer, I thought that the author handled the portrayal and representation inaccurately. We have a trans character who committed suicide and was on life support, and Vivian isn’t portrayed in a positive way. She was portrayed as emotionally abusive, and also her partner Miles at first treats her in a transmisic way. Miles and his parents also fall under the “white savior” trope, because Vivian’s (black) parents are abusive and unaccepting
The way that Miles treats women and how he sexually objectives many situations where he has some disgusting and disturbing inner monologue. The way that he touches people without their consent, the way that Vivian’s suicide is a vehicle for him to further the plot. And then at the end, her family deadnames her which is so disappointing that she couldn’t leave as her true self.
About 90% of the books is just have sex in Iceland, and or trying to look for sexual experiences in Iceland. There were two gay people, and one of them was an evil pedophile (of course). During a trip to a body of water for a swim, our MC misgenders a nonbinary person by saying that they’re “one of the girls”. There’s also the naked trans trope which was unecessary.
As a trans and ace person, everything that the author did was rough and incorrect in regards to representation. There are lots of quotes and receipts that I don’t have on hand, but I recommend reading a fellow trans person’s thread about their thoughts on the quotes. The worst book that I’ve read in a long time, would not recommend.
**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own**
February 26, 2018
Transphobic premise. Should not be read by teens
April 23, 2018
I hate that most reviews on Goodreads the reader has to state that they're a "cis" or not. I don't think that makes a difference when sharing your opinion on a book.
I didn't know what to expect when I picked up Miles Away from You but it's about a boy named Miles who --- in letter format --- talks to/about his trans girlfriend Vivian who recently overdosed on pills and slipped herself in a coma. They come from two completely different worlds; Miles was raised by lesbian mothers and was free to be whoever he is whereas Vivian comes from a very traditional family. I'm not even going to mention their skin color cause it's literally not relevant when looking at the whole story.
The book takes us on the journey of Miles' mother's sending him on a MONTH LONG trip to Iceland to "reset".
Okay. The parts of this book I liked were that obviously Miles was trying to figure out how to do some soul searching. Who he was without Vivian. And how to get passed the guilt and grief he was facing (cause you know, no one can really tell you HOW to). I really liked Oskar and I wish I had known more about him or where his story goes (oh I hope we get to know where his story goes).
I wish we got to know more about Vivian's side of the story or who she was when she was alive since the book starts off after Miles finds her unresponsive. But she seemed like a really cool and creative person. It's a little unsettling to know she didn't leave a note or had nothing to say before she decided to end her life. Or knowing what pushed her to do so.
What I didn't like about this read was how obsessed Miles went into getting laid. I mean, I get it. To get over someone you gotta get under someone else and all that and I guess from a young adult perspective it's not too far from the truth. It was just so weird to see. I wish Miles had made better choices. Or at least didn't go out at night on his own. But you live and your learn.
Overall I did enjoy this read. Regardless of how you see the characters it's still a story of someone trying to deal with losing someone to suicide and their journey into soul searching.
I didn't know what to expect when I picked up Miles Away from You but it's about a boy named Miles who --- in letter format --- talks to/about his trans girlfriend Vivian who recently overdosed on pills and slipped herself in a coma. They come from two completely different worlds; Miles was raised by lesbian mothers and was free to be whoever he is whereas Vivian comes from a very traditional family. I'm not even going to mention their skin color cause it's literally not relevant when looking at the whole story.
The book takes us on the journey of Miles' mother's sending him on a MONTH LONG trip to Iceland to "reset".
Okay. The parts of this book I liked were that obviously Miles was trying to figure out how to do some soul searching. Who he was without Vivian. And how to get passed the guilt and grief he was facing (cause you know, no one can really tell you HOW to). I really liked Oskar and I wish I had known more about him or where his story goes (oh I hope we get to know where his story goes).
I wish we got to know more about Vivian's side of the story or who she was when she was alive since the book starts off after Miles finds her unresponsive. But she seemed like a really cool and creative person. It's a little unsettling to know she didn't leave a note or had nothing to say before she decided to end her life. Or knowing what pushed her to do so.
What I didn't like about this read was how obsessed Miles went into getting laid. I mean, I get it. To get over someone you gotta get under someone else and all that and I guess from a young adult perspective it's not too far from the truth. It was just so weird to see. I wish Miles had made better choices. Or at least didn't go out at night on his own. But you live and your learn.
Overall I did enjoy this read. Regardless of how you see the characters it's still a story of someone trying to deal with losing someone to suicide and their journey into soul searching.
February 15, 2020
This book had been in my TBR for nearly two years. Glad to finally read it.
A reasonable story. Could have been more gripping.
A reasonable story. Could have been more gripping.
will-never-read
January 12, 2018Note to self:
Will not read due to racism and transphobia. See here.
Will not read due to racism and transphobia. See here.
March 11, 2018
I have now published my review at my blog, Trish Talks Texts.
Read
January 11, 2018Edit 1/11/18: After coming across a couple threads on Twitter about how problematic this book description is for trans youth (and really, anyone) I am removing my rating. I will leave the review here, but I'm going to sit back and let the involved community handle this one.
This book surprised me in a really good way. I didn't know how I would feel about the format - the instant messages from Miles to Vivian that made up the story - but it ended up reminding me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and once I got into it, I really enjoyed it.
Miles is a bit of an enigma throughout the book, but in the way that one is when they are writing in a journal (because that's essentially what his chats are). Like Charlie in Perks, Miles is probably a pretty unreliable narrator - we only see his side of things. I wanted more of Oskar, honestly. Oskar was my fave.
I really enjoyed the representation in this book - Miles is pansexual and demisexual, Oskar is gay, Vivian is trans. I can't speak to it, but I enjoyed reading it.
All in all, this book was really good. It just didn't make my heart sing or anything. But I'll recommend it to people. And now I really want to go to Iceland. Like, really bad.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.
This book surprised me in a really good way. I didn't know how I would feel about the format - the instant messages from Miles to Vivian that made up the story - but it ended up reminding me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and once I got into it, I really enjoyed it.
Miles is a bit of an enigma throughout the book, but in the way that one is when they are writing in a journal (because that's essentially what his chats are). Like Charlie in Perks, Miles is probably a pretty unreliable narrator - we only see his side of things. I wanted more of Oskar, honestly. Oskar was my fave.
I really enjoyed the representation in this book - Miles is pansexual and demisexual, Oskar is gay, Vivian is trans. I can't speak to it, but I enjoyed reading it.
All in all, this book was really good. It just didn't make my heart sing or anything. But I'll recommend it to people. And now I really want to go to Iceland. Like, really bad.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.
November 15, 2017
This is a book that you will never truly forget. Miles is a character that will stick with you until the very end. He is funny, witty, and sarcastic and when he cries or laughs you will too. A.B Rutledge has created a teenage character who keeps things real. The insecurities and the not-so-smart moments are spot on. Miles is relatable to all teenagers struggling with finding themselves through desperate times.
The LGBT representation in the novel transcends any other young adult novel I have read. This new author mirrors the struggles of feeling accepted and loved unlike any other author. A.B Rutledge addresses suicide, depression, anxiety, and other mental struggles teenagers go through their time of finding themselves. You will relate to this book and the characters, more than you think you will. You will love Miles for his quirkiness and even his mood swings. You will want to hear more about Vivian’s thoughts and meet her in person. At the end, you will just want more.
The LGBT representation in the novel transcends any other young adult novel I have read. This new author mirrors the struggles of feeling accepted and loved unlike any other author. A.B Rutledge addresses suicide, depression, anxiety, and other mental struggles teenagers go through their time of finding themselves. You will relate to this book and the characters, more than you think you will. You will love Miles for his quirkiness and even his mood swings. You will want to hear more about Vivian’s thoughts and meet her in person. At the end, you will just want more.
May 17, 2018
Reading and reviewing YA literature is something I think is very important, and I hold YA authors to a higher standard than I do authors of adult fiction. This is because the audience of readers is generally in their teens and early adult years, and to a certain extent, this can make them vulnerable. That being said, when I read a YA book that has an outcry of criticism from a group of people I respect, I tend to listen. Miles away from you is one of those books, and I'll do my best to explain my point of view.
I read this book without reading any reviews before hand, and I was able to get swept away to exotic Iceland, and was happy to tag along on Miles's adventures. I enjoyed the format, but was disappointed by it at the same time. I usually really love reading letter or email correspondence between characters, and I thought this is what this book was going to be. But wait, Vivian is in a coma. She can't write back. Damn. I was pretty excited to hear from a trans character, but that was not going to happen. Miles had some flashback entries where he talked about the way they were together, but I felt like my image of Vivian was never fully formed. I feel like she would have had an important story to tell.
As for Miles....hmmm.... I usually am the reader that every author wants reading their book--one who will buy into everything the protagonist thinks, says, does, believes, etc. And for the most part, I was that reader for Miles. That is why, upon reflection, I feel like I was duped. I didn't know much about demi-sexuality before reading reviews about this book, and after having read those reviews i see that Miles did not represent most people's idea of a demi-sexual person. Another forehead slapper for me was his constant ogling and objectification of everyone. It just seemed.... believable?.... normal?.... at the time I was reading it, but now seems garbage-y. Trying to get laid to feel better about himself and forget about his pain is such a common story, it's a little boring. Not to mention demeaning. A much better storyline was his art project that was a tribute to Vivian. I would have loved to have seen this more fleshed out.
Speaking of Miles' art project for Vivian, it started as a vehicle for him to express his grief over losing her. Then it began to take on a different purpose... He used his Instagram and website forum to convince the mostly LGBTQ audience not to hate him. This plot line has a parallel in real life. Now it is the LGBTQ community and the allies (myself included) who are speaking out against this book. though what it sounds like, the author is yet to provide any explanation to her readers.
I have never read a book that's made me feel bad about myself, or that's disappointed me in a way that made me question my place in the world. This is probably because I am a white cis female who has had a relatively easy go at things so far. To me, this means I have a responsibility to take a good look at the status quo and make a concerted effort to listen to those voices in a literature that do not get as much notice. I thought this book was going to be that, because of the inclusion of characters with varied sexual orientations. It turns out that these characters and their sexuality were portrayed in a negative light, and their portrayal actually further promotes stereotypes. Dammit.
I'm eating a bit of crow on this one, because I actually really liked it while I was reading it. It wasn't perfect and there were things I wished were different, but it's not a world of my creation, it's AB Rutledge's world. But the fact of the matter is that this book may have a real negative impact on real people in my world and that's a problem.
I typed this all with two fingers on my kindle so there's bound to be some errors. Autocorrect is a beeyatch.
I read this book without reading any reviews before hand, and I was able to get swept away to exotic Iceland, and was happy to tag along on Miles's adventures. I enjoyed the format, but was disappointed by it at the same time. I usually really love reading letter or email correspondence between characters, and I thought this is what this book was going to be. But wait, Vivian is in a coma. She can't write back. Damn. I was pretty excited to hear from a trans character, but that was not going to happen. Miles had some flashback entries where he talked about the way they were together, but I felt like my image of Vivian was never fully formed. I feel like she would have had an important story to tell.
As for Miles....hmmm.... I usually am the reader that every author wants reading their book--one who will buy into everything the protagonist thinks, says, does, believes, etc. And for the most part, I was that reader for Miles. That is why, upon reflection, I feel like I was duped. I didn't know much about demi-sexuality before reading reviews about this book, and after having read those reviews i see that Miles did not represent most people's idea of a demi-sexual person. Another forehead slapper for me was his constant ogling and objectification of everyone. It just seemed.... believable?.... normal?.... at the time I was reading it, but now seems garbage-y. Trying to get laid to feel better about himself and forget about his pain is such a common story, it's a little boring. Not to mention demeaning. A much better storyline was his art project that was a tribute to Vivian. I would have loved to have seen this more fleshed out.
Speaking of Miles' art project for Vivian, it started as a vehicle for him to express his grief over losing her. Then it began to take on a different purpose... He used his Instagram and website forum to convince the mostly LGBTQ audience not to hate him. This plot line has a parallel in real life. Now it is the LGBTQ community and the allies (myself included) who are speaking out against this book. though what it sounds like, the author is yet to provide any explanation to her readers.
I have never read a book that's made me feel bad about myself, or that's disappointed me in a way that made me question my place in the world. This is probably because I am a white cis female who has had a relatively easy go at things so far. To me, this means I have a responsibility to take a good look at the status quo and make a concerted effort to listen to those voices in a literature that do not get as much notice. I thought this book was going to be that, because of the inclusion of characters with varied sexual orientations. It turns out that these characters and their sexuality were portrayed in a negative light, and their portrayal actually further promotes stereotypes. Dammit.
I'm eating a bit of crow on this one, because I actually really liked it while I was reading it. It wasn't perfect and there were things I wished were different, but it's not a world of my creation, it's AB Rutledge's world. But the fact of the matter is that this book may have a real negative impact on real people in my world and that's a problem.
I typed this all with two fingers on my kindle so there's bound to be some errors. Autocorrect is a beeyatch.
February 19, 2018
I received the e-arc from Houghton Mifflin, Harcourt Children's Book Group, thank you!
Warning, the book, however most of the plot is being set in Iceland, it doesn't focus on travel, it is about curing the depression and finding sexuality, finding ways how to be with someone else and see life again, however weird it may seem for someone outside.
This young adult novel tells about Miles, who lands in Iceland, being sent there by his two moms and doesn't know what to do there for a whole month. He has no plan, and suffers from terrible yet-lag. He is suffering long term by loosing his girlfriend who is in coma for over a year now, trying to kill herself. He deals with stages of loss, anger, love and in the middle - being a teenager himself, trying to deal cool and make sense of his life and the purpose.
This is a debut novel by author, a plot that covers very uncommon topics such as bisexuality from a guys perspective, finding what he likes and getting involved in careless actions, because, he hasn't learned to think ahead..he explores sex and sexuality with random people. I come across a new term called "demi".
Miles writes letters to Vivian, his lost girlfriend, he tells his journey and daily life in quite a detail, they were a great couple with little bohemian lifestyle living in a camp on their own, the story mentions the other side points of view, where girl's parents haven't been so supportive about their relationship, listening what their daughter wanted to be and now, when she basically tried to make a suicide, they ended up having a case with Miles and whole court case. Isn't that enough for people to deal with loss itself?
I saw the book representing a decent amount of depression, when main character, Miles, isn't aware of his attitude, he is present but without an effort about his life. Having mentioned depression, it isn't easy read. I found the best way to read it, leaving days in between.
This plot remind me of another book: After the After by Marty Gregor, which on the other hand does not mention gay or bisexual topics, but holds similar motion.
There's saying what happens in..., stays in..., same could be told about Miles, except, is it? During his stay in Iceland, he faces for the first time- being away from home, having to choose and think of something else except his girlfriend. This is where I could not believe one may holds no knowledge of buying some sort of grocery items for his meal, keeping in account he was living in a camp on a van.. The the whole trip is a treat by his mum, so it's not as he has to pay from his own pocket, but.... loosing credit card and getting robbed is one way what may happen to Miles. Thankfully in the hotel where he is staying there's front representative Oscar, who is very, very attractive and helpful and feels sorry for Miles. He let's him tag along and travel with him.
Warning, the book, however most of the plot is being set in Iceland, it doesn't focus on travel, it is about curing the depression and finding sexuality, finding ways how to be with someone else and see life again, however weird it may seem for someone outside.
This young adult novel tells about Miles, who lands in Iceland, being sent there by his two moms and doesn't know what to do there for a whole month. He has no plan, and suffers from terrible yet-lag. He is suffering long term by loosing his girlfriend who is in coma for over a year now, trying to kill herself. He deals with stages of loss, anger, love and in the middle - being a teenager himself, trying to deal cool and make sense of his life and the purpose.
This is a debut novel by author, a plot that covers very uncommon topics such as bisexuality from a guys perspective, finding what he likes and getting involved in careless actions, because, he hasn't learned to think ahead..he explores sex and sexuality with random people. I come across a new term called "demi".
Miles writes letters to Vivian, his lost girlfriend, he tells his journey and daily life in quite a detail, they were a great couple with little bohemian lifestyle living in a camp on their own, the story mentions the other side points of view, where girl's parents haven't been so supportive about their relationship, listening what their daughter wanted to be and now, when she basically tried to make a suicide, they ended up having a case with Miles and whole court case. Isn't that enough for people to deal with loss itself?
I saw the book representing a decent amount of depression, when main character, Miles, isn't aware of his attitude, he is present but without an effort about his life. Having mentioned depression, it isn't easy read. I found the best way to read it, leaving days in between.
This plot remind me of another book: After the After by Marty Gregor, which on the other hand does not mention gay or bisexual topics, but holds similar motion.
There's saying what happens in..., stays in..., same could be told about Miles, except, is it? During his stay in Iceland, he faces for the first time- being away from home, having to choose and think of something else except his girlfriend. This is where I could not believe one may holds no knowledge of buying some sort of grocery items for his meal, keeping in account he was living in a camp on a van.. The the whole trip is a treat by his mum, so it's not as he has to pay from his own pocket, but.... loosing credit card and getting robbed is one way what may happen to Miles. Thankfully in the hotel where he is staying there's front representative Oscar, who is very, very attractive and helpful and feels sorry for Miles. He let's him tag along and travel with him.
February 26, 2018
There is a lot of talk around this book that says it's problematic. And I agree, vehemently. There's nothing new that I can say about that subject that hasn't already been said, and furthermore, I'm not exactly who should be speaking to that.
But on top of that, I don't like the story. It took me five months to read it, because I was uninterested and unimpressed. Miles is a selfish, obsessive boy that I didn't connect with. And his parents just paying for him to go to Iceland by himself when barely 18 and grieving? Yeah right. Also, I understand communicating to the one you've lost, but would you actually go into detail about your sexual encounters? Again, seems unrealistic.
I just can't get behind this book, in any way, shape, or form, and I suggest you skip it.
But on top of that, I don't like the story. It took me five months to read it, because I was uninterested and unimpressed. Miles is a selfish, obsessive boy that I didn't connect with. And his parents just paying for him to go to Iceland by himself when barely 18 and grieving? Yeah right. Also, I understand communicating to the one you've lost, but would you actually go into detail about your sexual encounters? Again, seems unrealistic.
I just can't get behind this book, in any way, shape, or form, and I suggest you skip it.
not-for-me
April 28, 2018I only got about 20 pages in and then read a slew of reviews about how problematic this book was in regards to race and people who are transgender that I decided not to read it. I picked it up specifically because of the transgendered character but it appears she was only a plot device.
I honestly don’t usually let reviews affect whether I read a book or not, but there were enough warnings about this one that I feel justified not reading it.
I honestly don’t usually let reviews affect whether I read a book or not, but there were enough warnings about this one that I feel justified not reading it.
July 20, 2020
this was actually like. kinda offensive. yikes.
Read
January 4, 2018It's a really well-done book about a whole bunch of difficult subjects. It's hard to say I enjoyed it, but there are some things I did very much enjoy.
I liked Miles, actually. He sounded and acted like a teenager, including being internet/tumblr-literate and having the correct terminology for concepts such as dysphoria and demisexuality. He mentions actually reading up on dysphoria once for Vivian. I liked that he made some bad/silly choices, and sometimes there were consequences for them, but in general they were his choices to make, and he made them. I liked that not everything went well for him. I also thought that his anxiety -- the run-of-the-mill kind that made him worry about everything, rather than the deeply debilitating kind -- was well done.
I loved the setting; I loved that Miles was remarkably unprepared to go to Iceland by himself and he went anyway. It's obvious that the author has been to Iceland, even without her needing to mention it in the acknowledgments, because of the kinds of details you only get from having done the same thing your character did. Google can only tell you so much.
I also very much enjoyed the complexity. There are no simple answers to much of anything, including Miles and Vivian's relationship and . There are no simple answers to grief.
This is a very queer book; I think there might have been one or two cis straight allo characters total? Miles has two mothers; Vivian is of course trans. Practically everyone he ran into was also queer. Vivian wasn't the only trans person in the book, although she was the only one with a major role.
But.
The elephant in the room is that this book is about a boy going on a journey to find himself while his trans girlfriend is in a coma because she tried to commit suicide. It makes it a touch difficult to review, as I'm not trans myself. But on the plus sides for the author, as I mentioned, Vivian isn't the only trans person in the book; in addition, she shows up enough in flashbacks that you get a good sense of her as a dynamic character. Miles acknowledges a few times that there's a balance between prioritizing himself in his recovery from losing her and being a jerk about it. The reality is that trans women (and trans women of color) have incredibly high suicide rates, and it's often other parts of the queer community who mourn. The author did have at least one trans woman help her with crafting Vivian, as it says in the acknowledgments. (Possibly more but one that I'm certain of.)
But.
I can't in good conscience recommend it to any of my trans friends because it's incredibly rough to read and while it may be cathartic to a certain kind of trans reader, I don't know if I know any of those people.
Here's a list of all the content notes I can remember (edited to add a few more, 1/3/18):
(A copy of this book was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
I liked Miles, actually. He sounded and acted like a teenager, including being internet/tumblr-literate and having the correct terminology for concepts such as dysphoria and demisexuality. He mentions actually reading up on dysphoria once for Vivian. I liked that he made some bad/silly choices, and sometimes there were consequences for them, but in general they were his choices to make, and he made them. I liked that not everything went well for him. I also thought that his anxiety -- the run-of-the-mill kind that made him worry about everything, rather than the deeply debilitating kind -- was well done.
I loved the setting; I loved that Miles was remarkably unprepared to go to Iceland by himself and he went anyway. It's obvious that the author has been to Iceland, even without her needing to mention it in the acknowledgments, because of the kinds of details you only get from having done the same thing your character did. Google can only tell you so much.
I also very much enjoyed the complexity. There are no simple answers to much of anything, including Miles and Vivian's relationship and . There are no simple answers to grief.
This is a very queer book; I think there might have been one or two cis straight allo characters total? Miles has two mothers; Vivian is of course trans. Practically everyone he ran into was also queer. Vivian wasn't the only trans person in the book, although she was the only one with a major role.
But.
The elephant in the room is that this book is about a boy going on a journey to find himself while his trans girlfriend is in a coma because she tried to commit suicide. It makes it a touch difficult to review, as I'm not trans myself. But on the plus sides for the author, as I mentioned, Vivian isn't the only trans person in the book; in addition, she shows up enough in flashbacks that you get a good sense of her as a dynamic character. Miles acknowledges a few times that there's a balance between prioritizing himself in his recovery from losing her and being a jerk about it. The reality is that trans women (and trans women of color) have incredibly high suicide rates, and it's often other parts of the queer community who mourn. The author did have at least one trans woman help her with crafting Vivian, as it says in the acknowledgments. (Possibly more but one that I'm certain of.)
But.
I can't in good conscience recommend it to any of my trans friends because it's incredibly rough to read and while it may be cathartic to a certain kind of trans reader, I don't know if I know any of those people.
Here's a list of all the content notes I can remember (edited to add a few more, 1/3/18):
(A copy of this book was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
April 25, 2021
i do not recommend this book to anyone not even reading it as a joke, it reeks of racism, transphobia, and white saviorism
Want to read
July 13, 2017Coming soon, from one of my agency sisters!! So excited for you, Ash!! Wahooo!
November 17, 2018
Book content warnings: racism, transphobia, suicide.
I'm very torn on this book, almost so much so that I don't want to review it. I'm not sure where to place my thoughts. I think it has good elements and bad ones, and in hindsight, I am starting to feel the bad ones outweigh the good.
As a narrative, it isn't awful. There's a lot to be said for its treatment of grief, of processing loss, and of what you do when you lose someone important to you. Seen from that angle, this is a solid enough story; not mind-blowing, but relatable in that sense.
Yet, the framing makes this more difficult for me to feel good about. The problem I really have here is who this story is about. It's not about Vivian, the dazzling, inspiring Black trans girl who just wanted to make a difference; instead it's about Miles, the "I don't like labels so I'll go with queer" white cis boy. (and let me tell you, my ire with this character using queer because he doesn't like labels is another can of worms that I personally do not want to open, but suffice to say it's something that bothers me as someone who uses queer as a label for myself and having very personal reasons for doing so). Had the roles been flipped? I may have enjoyed this story better. But despite the very real and raw examination of grief going on here, the fact that the Black trans girl is the one who dies to give the cis white boy a way to see the world rubs me the wrong way.
I think this isn't a bad story. I just think it wasn't one that the world really needed.
I'm very torn on this book, almost so much so that I don't want to review it. I'm not sure where to place my thoughts. I think it has good elements and bad ones, and in hindsight, I am starting to feel the bad ones outweigh the good.
As a narrative, it isn't awful. There's a lot to be said for its treatment of grief, of processing loss, and of what you do when you lose someone important to you. Seen from that angle, this is a solid enough story; not mind-blowing, but relatable in that sense.
Yet, the framing makes this more difficult for me to feel good about. The problem I really have here is who this story is about. It's not about Vivian, the dazzling, inspiring Black trans girl who just wanted to make a difference; instead it's about Miles, the "I don't like labels so I'll go with queer" white cis boy. (and let me tell you, my ire with this character using queer because he doesn't like labels is another can of worms that I personally do not want to open, but suffice to say it's something that bothers me as someone who uses queer as a label for myself and having very personal reasons for doing so). Had the roles been flipped? I may have enjoyed this story better. But despite the very real and raw examination of grief going on here, the fact that the Black trans girl is the one who dies to give the cis white boy a way to see the world rubs me the wrong way.
I think this isn't a bad story. I just think it wasn't one that the world really needed.
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