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The [Un]Popular Vote
Vaseline on the teeth makes a smile shine. It’s a cheap stunt, but Mark Adams knows it’s optics that can win or ruin an election.
Everything Mark learned about politics, he learned from his father, the congressman who still pretends he has a daughter and not a son. To protect his father’s image, Mark promises to keep his past hidden and pretend to be the cis guy everyone assumes he is. But when he sees a manipulatively charming candidate for student body president inflame dangerous rhetoric, Mark decides to risk the low profile he assured his father and insert himself as a political challenger.
One big problem? No one really knows Mark. He didn’t grow up in this town, and he has few friends; plus, the ones he does have aren’t exactly with the in-crowd. Still, thanks to countless seasons of Scandal and The West Wing, these nerds know where to start: from campaign stops to voter polling to a fashion makeover. Soon Mark feels emboldened to get in front of and engage with voters—and even start a new romance. But with an investigative journalist digging into his past, a father trying to silence him, and a bully front-runner who stands in his way, Mark will have to decide which matters most: perception or truth, when both are just as dangerous.
Everything Mark learned about politics, he learned from his father, the congressman who still pretends he has a daughter and not a son. To protect his father’s image, Mark promises to keep his past hidden and pretend to be the cis guy everyone assumes he is. But when he sees a manipulatively charming candidate for student body president inflame dangerous rhetoric, Mark decides to risk the low profile he assured his father and insert himself as a political challenger.
One big problem? No one really knows Mark. He didn’t grow up in this town, and he has few friends; plus, the ones he does have aren’t exactly with the in-crowd. Still, thanks to countless seasons of Scandal and The West Wing, these nerds know where to start: from campaign stops to voter polling to a fashion makeover. Soon Mark feels emboldened to get in front of and engage with voters—and even start a new romance. But with an investigative journalist digging into his past, a father trying to silence him, and a bully front-runner who stands in his way, Mark will have to decide which matters most: perception or truth, when both are just as dangerous.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2021
53 people are currently reading
9245 people want to read
About the author
Jasper Sanchez
5 books71 followersJasper Sanchez is the author of The (Un)Popular Vote, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. He earned his BA in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and his MA in cinema and media studies from UCLA. While neither degree prepared him for the neoliberal hellscape of late-stage capitalism, they did push him to join the IWW as a red card-carrying Wobbly. He is a Californian by birth, disposition, and more recently, choice. When he's not writing, he can be found kvetching about capitalism and conversing with his cat. You can visit him online at www.jaspersanchez.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
July 20, 2021
The (Un)Popular Vote is a touching story of queer kids fighting back and the role of politics and politicians. It’s a story of finding your voice and fighting for what you believe in.
I’ve been putting off writing this review because I don’t think it will be fair to the book. I read this while in hospital and thus not in a great headspace and I think that affected my enjoyment of the novel. However, I did overall enjoy it, particularly the journey Mark went on. Watching him go from hiding himself and being pretty self centred and self important to really understanding what his role as student body president should be and accepting parts of himself he hadn’t before was really great to read. I particularly enjoyed how this played into his relationship with his friends and love interest and watching these relationships grow.
I loved that the trans rep was so casual and yet such a significant part of the story, with references to Mark’s transition throughout. I also liked that the narrative around coming out didn’t ever suggest that it was necessary but instead showed that it’s always a very personal decision based on comfort and safety. However, I would like to mention that Mark’s dead name does come up a lot and is used maliciously against him which wasn’t easy to read.
What really threw me off about The (Un)Popular Vote was how seriously these kids took themselves and their student government. Although I had realised by the end that it was over-dramatised in order to be satirical, it did require some suspension of disbelief to really get into and understand the significance of what was happening. I think part of this is also due to me being Scottish and completely believing that Americans would take student government that seriously when we don’t even have student government or anything similar and just finding it all a bit ridiculous and over the top. It also required a lot more knowledge of American politics than I was expecting or prepared for.
Overall, The (Un)Popular Vote is a book I think I would have enjoyed more under different circumstances that are no fault of the book. However, it was an overall enjoyable read about friendship, the role of politicians and fighting for what you believe in and I would recommend it to fans of politics based media, particularly USA-based ones.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*Thank you Harper360 for an advanced copy. This has not affected my review.*
I’ve been putting off writing this review because I don’t think it will be fair to the book. I read this while in hospital and thus not in a great headspace and I think that affected my enjoyment of the novel. However, I did overall enjoy it, particularly the journey Mark went on. Watching him go from hiding himself and being pretty self centred and self important to really understanding what his role as student body president should be and accepting parts of himself he hadn’t before was really great to read. I particularly enjoyed how this played into his relationship with his friends and love interest and watching these relationships grow.
I loved that the trans rep was so casual and yet such a significant part of the story, with references to Mark’s transition throughout. I also liked that the narrative around coming out didn’t ever suggest that it was necessary but instead showed that it’s always a very personal decision based on comfort and safety. However, I would like to mention that Mark’s dead name does come up a lot and is used maliciously against him which wasn’t easy to read.
What really threw me off about The (Un)Popular Vote was how seriously these kids took themselves and their student government. Although I had realised by the end that it was over-dramatised in order to be satirical, it did require some suspension of disbelief to really get into and understand the significance of what was happening. I think part of this is also due to me being Scottish and completely believing that Americans would take student government that seriously when we don’t even have student government or anything similar and just finding it all a bit ridiculous and over the top. It also required a lot more knowledge of American politics than I was expecting or prepared for.
Overall, The (Un)Popular Vote is a book I think I would have enjoyed more under different circumstances that are no fault of the book. However, it was an overall enjoyable read about friendship, the role of politicians and fighting for what you believe in and I would recommend it to fans of politics based media, particularly USA-based ones.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*Thank you Harper360 for an advanced copy. This has not affected my review.*
April 3, 2021
Many thanks to the author for getting me an ARC of this, I'm so grateful I got to read this early!
Let me start this review off by saying that you're going to absolutely LOVE this if you enjoyed The Politician on Netflix. Unfortunately, that wasn't really my cup of tea, and this book wasn't either. It's really just a matter of taste - it really wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't really my thing. That's mostly, same as with The Politician, because I felt like these kids were taking themselves so extremely seriously, and I wanted them to put things in perspective and maybe go have some fun so badly. Quite honestly though, I'm not a fan of politics. I see it as a necessary evil to have to pay attention to it. So that ultimately makes this book not for me.
I didn't really resonate with the trans rep either, but that's very much okay; not every trans book is going to be for every trans reader, and I'm just super glad in general that we're getting more trans books! One thing I thought was unnecessarily triggering was how often the MC's deadname was mentioned, sometimes really casual, even. So please be prepared for that if you pick up this book!
Let me start this review off by saying that you're going to absolutely LOVE this if you enjoyed The Politician on Netflix. Unfortunately, that wasn't really my cup of tea, and this book wasn't either. It's really just a matter of taste - it really wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't really my thing. That's mostly, same as with The Politician, because I felt like these kids were taking themselves so extremely seriously, and I wanted them to put things in perspective and maybe go have some fun so badly. Quite honestly though, I'm not a fan of politics. I see it as a necessary evil to have to pay attention to it. So that ultimately makes this book not for me.
I didn't really resonate with the trans rep either, but that's very much okay; not every trans book is going to be for every trans reader, and I'm just super glad in general that we're getting more trans books! One thing I thought was unnecessarily triggering was how often the MC's deadname was mentioned, sometimes really casual, even. So please be prepared for that if you pick up this book!
August 17, 2023
3.5 stars ─ When you visit Gay’s the Word, the UK's oldest LGTBQIA+ bookshop, you absolutely can’t leave without buying at least one book, and that’s exactly what I did. I asked the seller whether they would recommend this novel, but they hadn’t read it yet. Luckily, I didn’t regret my decision and ended up very much enjoying the book, if not necessarily for its plot but for its focus on queer friendships and experiences.
Written by an own-voices author, The Un Popular Vote centres around Mark, a trans-masculine high school student who decides to run for student body president after witnessing one of his classmates suffer from homophobic bullying at the hands of another candidate. The problem? Mark isn’t out, not even to his close circle of friends, every single one of whom is queer. He has promised his estranged father, a congressman with plans for the White House, to ‘stay low’, to not attract unwanted attention and let the general public believe he still has a daughter and not a son. But Mark knows that the dangerous rhetoric gaining ground at Utopia High needs to be stopped, even if putting himself out there means risking his true identity being found out and turned against him.
I have to say that I didn’t really care for the plot. At the beginning of the novel, I found myself more invested in Mark and his friends’ plans to get him into office than I was at the end. This was mostly down to the fact that the whole running-for-student-body-president plot was a little thin. It was fine, but you can guess the election’s outcome pretty accurately. To anyone who isn’t American (including me) it is probably quite funny how seriously these teenagers take the election. They poll their peers, they meet up with the school’s different factions (the stoners, the religious kids, the volleyball players) to get them to vote for them, they create posters and slogans and the ballots are counted live on the school’s own TV channel. It’s all very The Politician meets The West Wing meets these-kids-are-16-why-do-they-act-like-60-y/o-politicians.
Because Mark is deeply interested in (American) politics, and because the whole plot hinges on him trying to become student body president, there are a LOT of political terms and to fully understand the novel you need background knowledge of both American politics and more importantly, the American high school system. Listen, I’m not a newbie when it comes to this and during the last two US presidential elections, I did nothing but watch live streams, analyses, and interviews for days before and after the elections took place, but even I found myself a bit lost at times while reading this. Worse, though, were the tons of abbreviations and teen-language terms for the characters’ classes, coursework, and units. It bothered me so much that I stopped looking them up because I simply didn’t care. American readers will naturally not have a problem with this ‘language’ barrier, but it made me feel like this was exclusively geared towards an American readership.
However, and here’s my big however: I don’t think the writing or even the plot is the most important part. The most important thing about this book is the main character’s journey of learning to not only trust his friends (and, by extension, because they are from all corners of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, the queer community) but to trust himself and put his own needs and boundaries first. Mark pretends to be cis, endures his father calling him by his dead name and keeps himself small all so that his father won’t cut ties with him completely. This extremely unhealthy situation and these completely unreasonable, toxic, and damaging demands can be put into a wider context in which Mark’s father presents our hetero- and allonormative cis-serving society as a whole.
You might say that we have ‘come far’ since the 70s, 80s or since whatever point in time you want to pick (hint, there was never a time when it was all good), but when we look at how the world behaves towards members of the LGBTQIA+ community, how far have we really come? That’s why this book is important. That’s why it doesn’t matter that the whole election plot was a bit too thin, the romance a bit too predictable, and the ending a bit too easy to foretell.
It doesn’t matter. What matters is that there is a wonderful, wonderful cast of incredibly diverse queer characters (never before have I read a book with both an aromantic AND an asexual character; it’s hard enough finding aro/ace rep in any queer book, let alone a random YA book) who showcase the importance and absolute dynamite power of queer support and queer friendships. The author dedicates his book to queer readers, and it is, it is FOR us, but it’s also ABOUT us, which is a good enough reason why this novel should be read by teenagers (or adults!) of every sex, gender or sexual and romantic orientation.
________________
ORIGINAL REVIEW: this was so gorgeously queer
Written by an own-voices author, The Un Popular Vote centres around Mark, a trans-masculine high school student who decides to run for student body president after witnessing one of his classmates suffer from homophobic bullying at the hands of another candidate. The problem? Mark isn’t out, not even to his close circle of friends, every single one of whom is queer. He has promised his estranged father, a congressman with plans for the White House, to ‘stay low’, to not attract unwanted attention and let the general public believe he still has a daughter and not a son. But Mark knows that the dangerous rhetoric gaining ground at Utopia High needs to be stopped, even if putting himself out there means risking his true identity being found out and turned against him.
I have to say that I didn’t really care for the plot. At the beginning of the novel, I found myself more invested in Mark and his friends’ plans to get him into office than I was at the end. This was mostly down to the fact that the whole running-for-student-body-president plot was a little thin. It was fine, but you can guess the election’s outcome pretty accurately. To anyone who isn’t American (including me) it is probably quite funny how seriously these teenagers take the election. They poll their peers, they meet up with the school’s different factions (the stoners, the religious kids, the volleyball players) to get them to vote for them, they create posters and slogans and the ballots are counted live on the school’s own TV channel. It’s all very The Politician meets The West Wing meets these-kids-are-16-why-do-they-act-like-60-y/o-politicians.
Because Mark is deeply interested in (American) politics, and because the whole plot hinges on him trying to become student body president, there are a LOT of political terms and to fully understand the novel you need background knowledge of both American politics and more importantly, the American high school system. Listen, I’m not a newbie when it comes to this and during the last two US presidential elections, I did nothing but watch live streams, analyses, and interviews for days before and after the elections took place, but even I found myself a bit lost at times while reading this. Worse, though, were the tons of abbreviations and teen-language terms for the characters’ classes, coursework, and units. It bothered me so much that I stopped looking them up because I simply didn’t care. American readers will naturally not have a problem with this ‘language’ barrier, but it made me feel like this was exclusively geared towards an American readership.
However, and here’s my big however: I don’t think the writing or even the plot is the most important part. The most important thing about this book is the main character’s journey of learning to not only trust his friends (and, by extension, because they are from all corners of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, the queer community) but to trust himself and put his own needs and boundaries first. Mark pretends to be cis, endures his father calling him by his dead name and keeps himself small all so that his father won’t cut ties with him completely. This extremely unhealthy situation and these completely unreasonable, toxic, and damaging demands can be put into a wider context in which Mark’s father presents our hetero- and allonormative cis-serving society as a whole.
You might say that we have ‘come far’ since the 70s, 80s or since whatever point in time you want to pick (hint, there was never a time when it was all good), but when we look at how the world behaves towards members of the LGBTQIA+ community, how far have we really come? That’s why this book is important. That’s why it doesn’t matter that the whole election plot was a bit too thin, the romance a bit too predictable, and the ending a bit too easy to foretell.
It doesn’t matter. What matters is that there is a wonderful, wonderful cast of incredibly diverse queer characters (never before have I read a book with both an aromantic AND an asexual character; it’s hard enough finding aro/ace rep in any queer book, let alone a random YA book) who showcase the importance and absolute dynamite power of queer support and queer friendships. The author dedicates his book to queer readers, and it is, it is FOR us, but it’s also ABOUT us, which is a good enough reason why this novel should be read by teenagers (or adults!) of every sex, gender or sexual and romantic orientation.
________________
ORIGINAL REVIEW: this was so gorgeously queer
July 9, 2021
So I've had this ARC to read and review and I kept putting it off. My reasoning for that was I had read three other YA novels about transmasculine characters earlier this year, and I didn't enjoy two of them, and the other was a really heavy book. So I wasn't necessarily looking forward to another one. And at the same time, this book is very political and I was rather burned out on politics when I received the ARC. So I put it off. And I'm happy to say now that I wish I didn't! This book is really good and a super fun read.
This book is about Mark Adams, who is a transman. He recently moved to a new city and new school after his congressman father isn't supportive of his coming out. And Mark just wants to keep his head low and blend in as another guy at school, but after a friend of his is the victim of homophobic bullying, and the people running for student council turn a blind eye, he decides to use what he learned from his father and throw his hat in the game.
I really did enjoy this book. I loved the plethora of queer characters and especially Mark. I kinda loved how they referenced their school's GSA was ineffectual and started their own under French Club (A Geography Club reference?) The race and political part of this book was riveting, and the relationship subplot was very nice too. There's a whole lot of this book to enjoy.
Mark was a great character! He was so fun to go on this journey with. I could tell he really was a student of politics, but also he had a really big heart and did care about people and what they were needing. And his steadfastness was great- this is probably the best trans book I have read so far and it's because of Mark.
The supporting characters were great too! The queer gang was super great and I want to be friends with them all, from Pablo, Jenny, Rachel, Nadine, and especially Benji. All of these characters are so well rounded and have their own distinct personalities. They were all very developed and made this a fun book.
And there was a lot of story and a handful of subplots, but also everything was very followable and interesting. And this book does have a lot of politics in it- both school level and national level, but it didn't at all feel overwhelming, if political books aren't necessarily people's thing.
I want to note, I've seen a couple other reviews talk about the use of Mark's deadname, but in my experience as a transwoman six years into my transition- I have several family members with whom I have been in no contact with for several years- And I know (according to my brother) they still refer to me by my deadname when I come up. So I personally found it realistic how Mark's name was depicted in the book. It wasn't fun to read I guess, but I didn't have an issue with the books handling of it.
My only main complaint is that, teenagers don't actually talk like what is in this book. Or at least I'm preeettty sure they don't. At least they didn't when I was in high school. I know this book takes place at an advanced program school, but I was in AP classes when I went to school too. BUT I think the counterargument to this criticism is that this book references The West Wing many times (And I LOVED the church scene homage to Two Cathedrals.) And a common criticism of Aaron Sorkin's writing is also "Nobody talks like that." So if the elevated language for teenagers is a nod to The West Wing, I'll buy it.
I shouldn't have delayed in reading and reviewing this ARC. I was super into it. I loved the characters and the story was fun too. 4.5/5
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is about Mark Adams, who is a transman. He recently moved to a new city and new school after his congressman father isn't supportive of his coming out. And Mark just wants to keep his head low and blend in as another guy at school, but after a friend of his is the victim of homophobic bullying, and the people running for student council turn a blind eye, he decides to use what he learned from his father and throw his hat in the game.
I really did enjoy this book. I loved the plethora of queer characters and especially Mark. I kinda loved how they referenced their school's GSA was ineffectual and started their own under French Club (A Geography Club reference?) The race and political part of this book was riveting, and the relationship subplot was very nice too. There's a whole lot of this book to enjoy.
Mark was a great character! He was so fun to go on this journey with. I could tell he really was a student of politics, but also he had a really big heart and did care about people and what they were needing. And his steadfastness was great- this is probably the best trans book I have read so far and it's because of Mark.
The supporting characters were great too! The queer gang was super great and I want to be friends with them all, from Pablo, Jenny, Rachel, Nadine, and especially Benji. All of these characters are so well rounded and have their own distinct personalities. They were all very developed and made this a fun book.
And there was a lot of story and a handful of subplots, but also everything was very followable and interesting. And this book does have a lot of politics in it- both school level and national level, but it didn't at all feel overwhelming, if political books aren't necessarily people's thing.
I want to note, I've seen a couple other reviews talk about the use of Mark's deadname, but in my experience as a transwoman six years into my transition- I have several family members with whom I have been in no contact with for several years- And I know (according to my brother) they still refer to me by my deadname when I come up. So I personally found it realistic how Mark's name was depicted in the book. It wasn't fun to read I guess, but I didn't have an issue with the books handling of it.
My only main complaint is that, teenagers don't actually talk like what is in this book. Or at least I'm preeettty sure they don't. At least they didn't when I was in high school. I know this book takes place at an advanced program school, but I was in AP classes when I went to school too. BUT I think the counterargument to this criticism is that this book references The West Wing many times (And I LOVED the church scene homage to Two Cathedrals.) And a common criticism of Aaron Sorkin's writing is also "Nobody talks like that." So if the elevated language for teenagers is a nod to The West Wing, I'll buy it.
I shouldn't have delayed in reading and reviewing this ARC. I was super into it. I loved the characters and the story was fun too. 4.5/5
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2021
UNPOPULAR OPINION... I WAS NOT IMPRESSED BY THIS
At first I was very hopeful, but that quickly turned sour. There were just so many things that didn't sit well with me. In the end, it was a very flat experience, which took me too long to get through because I simply didn't care.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Mark: I was very sympathetic towards Mark and his entire situation, but I just couldn't really connect with him. He felt like more of a stickfigure than a real person. As if he was a glossy, photoshopped picture in a magazine. I don't know if that's just the way American politics are supposed to be, but I didn't care for it. I needed something more, something to show me that he was real.
Plot: Super thin plot. It was basically just an election with a few fluff scenes thrown in for good measure. I didn't do enough for me at all.
Predictable: If the thin plot wasn't bad enough, there were no surprises and no twists in this story. I could pretty much tell what the outcome of the story was going to be right from the start. Reading this just felt like going through the motions.
Characters: Perhaps I was just too frustrated, but none of the characters really appealed to me. Some of them had their moments, but they all felt more like glossy ideals than actual, real people. It made the entire book feel very superficial.
Romance: Another thing that felt very superficial, perhaps because I didn't like either of them, was the 'romance' between Ralph and Mark. It kind of came out of nowhere and was, in my opinion, wholly lacking in any kind of chemistry. Of course, I need to like the characters and be able to connect with them at least a little in order to feel the chemistry.
American: I am not American and therefore I am not too familiar with the American election system. And I think that was a detriment to my enjoyment of this book. Many of the things were very American and with no explanation to non-Americans.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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At first I was very hopeful, but that quickly turned sour. There were just so many things that didn't sit well with me. In the end, it was a very flat experience, which took me too long to get through because I simply didn't care.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Mark: I was very sympathetic towards Mark and his entire situation, but I just couldn't really connect with him. He felt like more of a stickfigure than a real person. As if he was a glossy, photoshopped picture in a magazine. I don't know if that's just the way American politics are supposed to be, but I didn't care for it. I needed something more, something to show me that he was real.
Plot: Super thin plot. It was basically just an election with a few fluff scenes thrown in for good measure. I didn't do enough for me at all.
Predictable: If the thin plot wasn't bad enough, there were no surprises and no twists in this story. I could pretty much tell what the outcome of the story was going to be right from the start. Reading this just felt like going through the motions.
Characters: Perhaps I was just too frustrated, but none of the characters really appealed to me. Some of them had their moments, but they all felt more like glossy ideals than actual, real people. It made the entire book feel very superficial.
Romance: Another thing that felt very superficial, perhaps because I didn't like either of them, was the 'romance' between Ralph and Mark. It kind of came out of nowhere and was, in my opinion, wholly lacking in any kind of chemistry. Of course, I need to like the characters and be able to connect with them at least a little in order to feel the chemistry.
American: I am not American and therefore I am not too familiar with the American election system. And I think that was a detriment to my enjoyment of this book. Many of the things were very American and with no explanation to non-Americans.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Blog Post: 10 Criminally Underrated YA Books with an LGBTQ Twist
January 4, 2022
4.5 stars, rounded up.
The (Un)Popular Vote is a thought-provoking book about fighting for what is right, no matter what the cost.
When Mark came out to his parents as trans, he wasn’t expecting the reaction he received from his father, a U.S. Congressman. He was against Mark’s transitioning, so the deal was, Mark and his mother had to move to another town and Mark had to promise to stay under the radar and hide his true identity.
Mark has found a group of close queer friends at Utopia High School, but only two know the truth of him being trans. When a younger gay friend who has been bullied is suspended for punching his tormentor but nothing happens to those who have been bullying him, Mark is outraged, at the school’s refusal to take a stand, as well as his failure to recognize what was happening. The reaction of the candidates for student body president don’t impress him, so Mark decides to become a late entry into the race.
Of course, this isn’t staying under the radar, so his father is furious. As Mark and his friends—political junkies fueled by Scandal and The West Wing —scramble to mount a strong campaign, he knows there’s a risk his secret will be discovered. But he also feels a sense of responsibility to queer kids to try and make sure they’re protected, although the election brings out things in him he’d rather ignore.
I thought The (Un)Popular Vote was a really great story, and despite my distaste for current politics, I do love a good student council election! This was emotional and thought-provoking, too, with a truly diverse cast of characters. Wow, am I glad I didn’t go to school in the era of blogs and the internet!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
The (Un)Popular Vote is a thought-provoking book about fighting for what is right, no matter what the cost.
When Mark came out to his parents as trans, he wasn’t expecting the reaction he received from his father, a U.S. Congressman. He was against Mark’s transitioning, so the deal was, Mark and his mother had to move to another town and Mark had to promise to stay under the radar and hide his true identity.
Mark has found a group of close queer friends at Utopia High School, but only two know the truth of him being trans. When a younger gay friend who has been bullied is suspended for punching his tormentor but nothing happens to those who have been bullying him, Mark is outraged, at the school’s refusal to take a stand, as well as his failure to recognize what was happening. The reaction of the candidates for student body president don’t impress him, so Mark decides to become a late entry into the race.
Of course, this isn’t staying under the radar, so his father is furious. As Mark and his friends—political junkies fueled by Scandal and The West Wing —scramble to mount a strong campaign, he knows there’s a risk his secret will be discovered. But he also feels a sense of responsibility to queer kids to try and make sure they’re protected, although the election brings out things in him he’d rather ignore.
I thought The (Un)Popular Vote was a really great story, and despite my distaste for current politics, I do love a good student council election! This was emotional and thought-provoking, too, with a truly diverse cast of characters. Wow, am I glad I didn’t go to school in the era of blogs and the internet!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
January 26, 2021
“Unflinching support is exactly what you deserve. Unconditional love. Unequivocal acceptance.”
“It’s what we all deserve. Every queer kid in America.”
As a Social Studies teacher, I LOVE reading novels that have a plot that involves something under the Social Studies umbrella: history, politics, economics, geography. It’s even better now that there are LGBTQ+ books being added into that mix!
“I’M GOING TO STEAL THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.”
My head jerks up, then back against the headrest.
Pablo’s eyes stay on the road. “That got your attention, didn’t it?”
“National Treasure is no joking matter.”
I know this isn’t everyone’s “cup of tea”, but I couldn’t help but laugh along with the characters when it came to the numerous pop culture and current real-life political references. The amount of “Olivia Pope” jokes never failed to make me crack a smile! Each character had their own style of humor that made each reference feel at-home, like you were part of the group yourself.
What I loved most about this book was the amount of BIPOC representation on top of the slew of representation on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. It felt natural, like these were people the author knew and interacted with in daily life, which brought an authenticity to the characters.
The author has a way with words that produces vivid imagery without being overly obnoxious. For example, “bubbles erupt on the batter like tiny volcanoes, leaving yawning craters in their wake” is the PERFECT description to add to a post-hangout pancake cooking scene; you can almost SMELL the dark chocolate chip pancakes!
The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez is the emotional roller-coaster ride of what it’s like to be a high school student in today’s society. It’s the kind of book teens need to show them that there ARE people out there that are exactly like them; that their thoughts, ideas, and decisions are valid.
I can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for us!
**a HUGE thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!**
“It’s what we all deserve. Every queer kid in America.”
As a Social Studies teacher, I LOVE reading novels that have a plot that involves something under the Social Studies umbrella: history, politics, economics, geography. It’s even better now that there are LGBTQ+ books being added into that mix!
“I’M GOING TO STEAL THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.”
My head jerks up, then back against the headrest.
Pablo’s eyes stay on the road. “That got your attention, didn’t it?”
“National Treasure is no joking matter.”
I know this isn’t everyone’s “cup of tea”, but I couldn’t help but laugh along with the characters when it came to the numerous pop culture and current real-life political references. The amount of “Olivia Pope” jokes never failed to make me crack a smile! Each character had their own style of humor that made each reference feel at-home, like you were part of the group yourself.
What I loved most about this book was the amount of BIPOC representation on top of the slew of representation on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. It felt natural, like these were people the author knew and interacted with in daily life, which brought an authenticity to the characters.
The author has a way with words that produces vivid imagery without being overly obnoxious. For example, “bubbles erupt on the batter like tiny volcanoes, leaving yawning craters in their wake” is the PERFECT description to add to a post-hangout pancake cooking scene; you can almost SMELL the dark chocolate chip pancakes!
The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez is the emotional roller-coaster ride of what it’s like to be a high school student in today’s society. It’s the kind of book teens need to show them that there ARE people out there that are exactly like them; that their thoughts, ideas, and decisions are valid.
I can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for us!
**a HUGE thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!**
July 6, 2021
I very much loved this. I want more books to be like this--diverse af squads and ones that don't tokenize any of the characters.
The Unpopular Vote is about Mark Adams, a trans boy who has recently transferred to a new school to transition. His father is a congressman and Mark has gotten his love of politics and sense of justice from him. Though he can't reconcile the father he loves with the dad that will only accept Mark as the girl they thought he was. When Benji is bullied for being gay and strikes back at his bullies, the school gives him awful options. Benji chooses suspension and Mark knows that it's time to do something. He's ready to Make his Mark and he's running for student president.
I loved Mark's platform and seeing him work a campaign was exhilarating. I loved seeing him and his friends come together and speak to all the students and see what was wrong with the system. This book really showcases that a lot of issues are about systemic disenfranchisement. The school system is only one cog in the wheel.
Mark's friend circle is something I want in real life--hello all my friends move closer pls? The easy platonic affection. All of the boys in this show affection with each other--toxic masculinity? Don't know him. There is an adorable slow burn romance in this, but the friendship Mark has with everyone in this is much more the focus. How we can mess up in friendships, and the steps we take to fix them are all important. One of the things I loved was how much good communication was emphasized. It's not enough to talk, but to listen to what you're friends are or aren't saying.
Mark was definitely selfish at times in this book and he makes several mistakes, but we see him go through a whole journey. We see him come to the realizations that what he did was stupid for x reason(s) and apologizing and figuring out what to do next.
Lastly, the dedications says this is for queer readers, and just, my heart!!
Rep: white pansexual transmasculine MC--diagnosed bipolar, Jewish gay love interest with generalized anxiety disorder, aromantic allosexual side character, Latine/x biromantic asexual side character, sapphic nonbinary hijabi side character, sapphic Jewish side character, gay femme side character.
CWs: Bullying, transphobia, outing without consent of gay character, emotional abuse by parent, manipulation of minor by parent, toxic relationship-parent/child, alcohol consumption, talk of sexual encounters (not graphic), antisemitism, religious bigotry, grief, talk of past parental death, deadnaming, cursing, drug use-on page marijuana use, gaslighting, homophobia, panic/anxiety attack (on page).
The Unpopular Vote is about Mark Adams, a trans boy who has recently transferred to a new school to transition. His father is a congressman and Mark has gotten his love of politics and sense of justice from him. Though he can't reconcile the father he loves with the dad that will only accept Mark as the girl they thought he was. When Benji is bullied for being gay and strikes back at his bullies, the school gives him awful options. Benji chooses suspension and Mark knows that it's time to do something. He's ready to Make his Mark and he's running for student president.
I loved Mark's platform and seeing him work a campaign was exhilarating. I loved seeing him and his friends come together and speak to all the students and see what was wrong with the system. This book really showcases that a lot of issues are about systemic disenfranchisement. The school system is only one cog in the wheel.
Mark's friend circle is something I want in real life--hello all my friends move closer pls? The easy platonic affection. All of the boys in this show affection with each other--toxic masculinity? Don't know him. There is an adorable slow burn romance in this, but the friendship Mark has with everyone in this is much more the focus. How we can mess up in friendships, and the steps we take to fix them are all important. One of the things I loved was how much good communication was emphasized. It's not enough to talk, but to listen to what you're friends are or aren't saying.
Mark was definitely selfish at times in this book and he makes several mistakes, but we see him go through a whole journey. We see him come to the realizations that what he did was stupid for x reason(s) and apologizing and figuring out what to do next.
Lastly, the dedications says this is for queer readers, and just, my heart!!
Rep: white pansexual transmasculine MC--diagnosed bipolar, Jewish gay love interest with generalized anxiety disorder, aromantic allosexual side character, Latine/x biromantic asexual side character, sapphic nonbinary hijabi side character, sapphic Jewish side character, gay femme side character.
CWs: Bullying, transphobia, outing without consent of gay character, emotional abuse by parent, manipulation of minor by parent, toxic relationship-parent/child, alcohol consumption, talk of sexual encounters (not graphic), antisemitism, religious bigotry, grief, talk of past parental death, deadnaming, cursing, drug use-on page marijuana use, gaslighting, homophobia, panic/anxiety attack (on page).
July 29, 2021
Okay, you admittedly have to suspend a LOT of disbelief as to how seriously these kids take their student government, but I really enjoyed this! Mark and his friends were super engaging to read about and I enjoyed their devotion to politics. As someone who did student government in middle school (and won an award for it too) I definitely think this was exaggerated but you know what? It was fun and while I wish there had been more resolution with Henry at the end, my politically passionate leftie heart loved of the political topics this book handled, whether it was the dangers of right-wing faux populism, optics-oriented politicians who are ostensibly left-leaning but concede on any points that might cost them centrist votes, or how the Democrats—while definitely the lesser of two evils—are not these holy, perfect progressive figures. The choice for Mark’s transphobic father to be a Democrat and not a Republican definitely added to the story since a lot of people don’t want to acknowledge the bigotry in the “good party”. I really loved Mark’s arc and Ralph’s character as well!
(Also I caught and thoroughly enjoyed the Contrapoints reference)
(Also I caught and thoroughly enjoyed the Contrapoints reference)
Read
May 31, 2021*The* must-read queer YA for politics nerds. I liked this so, so much, especially because I love books where the kind of maybe a little bit self-righteous MC learns they might have a flaw or two after all. The love interest is definitely different, in such a good way, and yeah, every review that says fans of The Politician is correct.
April 9, 2021
I saw someone saying that you'll enjoy this if you loved The Politician on Netflix (and not only because of Ben Platt but the actual storyline but also BEN) and I couldn't agree more - the protagonists of the respective stories could for sure be best friends.
June 14, 2021
Honestly, I don't have a lot to say about this book because I finished it 3 days ago, and already so much of it has left my mind. I wasn't ever really excited about getting back to it because the stakes felt pretty low, and while I sometimes got like a Sydney White vibe, that just made me wish I was watching that movie instead. This wasn't bad in any way, but it's not one that sticks out to me to recommend to others.
January 2, 2021
I am so glad this was my first book of the year. It was beyond incredible, and I just absolutely loved it. It was funny, it was heartfelt, it was joyous. Highly recommend.
July 19, 2021
this was very good! I spent a little too much time cringing in secondhand embarrassment, and I had a couple bits I didn't love, but overall, I thought this book was very powerful. I did have to suspend a bit of disbelief at how seriously these kids were taking their school presidency, but maybe that's just me being a homeschool kid, I'm not sure
either way, they characters were great, and this is super fun!
either way, they characters were great, and this is super fun!
May 14, 2021
This was fine but it didn't blow me away. I think it's just because YA is so, so hit-or-miss for me as a thirtysomething Certified Old™. I'm here for the trans narratives and the snappy plot, but the teen characters felt a little too like a satire of high school and the romantic thread was lacking in chemistry, IMO.
I did, however, appreciate the on-the-nose homage to Jed Bartlet in Two Cathedrals. There's always bonus points for a good West Wing nod.
I did, however, appreciate the on-the-nose homage to Jed Bartlet in Two Cathedrals. There's always bonus points for a good West Wing nod.
February 13, 2025
The Unpopular Vote is a heartfelt and powerful story that champions inclusivity, resilience, and the importance of standing up for who you are. At its core, this book is about identity—not just in the political sense, but in the deeply personal journey of the main character, Mark, a trans teen navigating a world that doesn’t always accept him. His perseverance in the face of societal and familial rejection is both inspiring and heartbreaking, making his journey one that will resonate with many readers.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is how it highlights the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, especially in a time when trans rights are constantly under attack. Stories like this are more necessary than ever because queer people have always been here and will always be here—no amount of political erasure can change that. Mark’s story is a reminder that trans youth deserve to see themselves represented, fighting for their place in the world and refusing to be silenced.
That said, while Mark’s determination is admirable, there were moments where he could have been more attentive to the struggles of his friends. His focus on his own battles sometimes overshadowed the relationships in his life, and a bit more balance in this aspect would have made the story even stronger.
Still, The Unpopular Vote is an important, timely book that reminds us of the power of visibility and the courage it takes to live authentically. It’s a story of resistance, self-acceptance, and the unyielding truth that everyone deserves a voice. If you’re looking for a book that blends political activism with a deeply personal journey, this is a must-read.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is how it highlights the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, especially in a time when trans rights are constantly under attack. Stories like this are more necessary than ever because queer people have always been here and will always be here—no amount of political erasure can change that. Mark’s story is a reminder that trans youth deserve to see themselves represented, fighting for their place in the world and refusing to be silenced.
That said, while Mark’s determination is admirable, there were moments where he could have been more attentive to the struggles of his friends. His focus on his own battles sometimes overshadowed the relationships in his life, and a bit more balance in this aspect would have made the story even stronger.
Still, The Unpopular Vote is an important, timely book that reminds us of the power of visibility and the courage it takes to live authentically. It’s a story of resistance, self-acceptance, and the unyielding truth that everyone deserves a voice. If you’re looking for a book that blends political activism with a deeply personal journey, this is a must-read.
March 26, 2022
If you don't like anything about politics and how it works, you may not like this book. Buuuuuut I think you need to read it either way! I don't really like politics so, for me, the book had a slow start, but I genuinely loved how Mark and his friends went beyond everything to try to change things at their school.
It is such an important read. We need to have more books like this for teens (and adults). It helps to open our eyes to the reality of the LGBTQIA+ community, more even in the light of the events happening more and more in the US where difference is trying to get banned.
Please, read it.
Many thanks to HarperCollins Canada for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It is such an important read. We need to have more books like this for teens (and adults). It helps to open our eyes to the reality of the LGBTQIA+ community, more even in the light of the events happening more and more in the US where difference is trying to get banned.
Please, read it.
Many thanks to HarperCollins Canada for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 28, 2023
I waffled quite a lot on how I felt about The (Un)Popular Vote as I was reading, but by the end, I can confirm I had a really great time.
What I liked:
• this may surprise a lot of people, but I loved that the romance storyline was not the main plot. The friend group was a highlight for me and I loved that the focus was placed on all of them.
• Mark was a super interesting character and his storyline seemed quite unique compared to other books featuring trans characters I’ve read before. He made a lot of bone-headed decisions that had me shaking my head on numerous occasions, but for the most part, I really enjoyed his growth.
• the class president election was such a fun storyline. These were the moments that really allowed all of the characters in the friend group to shine!
All in all, this was a fun read. The audiobook narration is excellent!
What I liked:
• this may surprise a lot of people, but I loved that the romance storyline was not the main plot. The friend group was a highlight for me and I loved that the focus was placed on all of them.
• Mark was a super interesting character and his storyline seemed quite unique compared to other books featuring trans characters I’ve read before. He made a lot of bone-headed decisions that had me shaking my head on numerous occasions, but for the most part, I really enjoyed his growth.
• the class president election was such a fun storyline. These were the moments that really allowed all of the characters in the friend group to shine!
All in all, this was a fun read. The audiobook narration is excellent!
May 28, 2021
Thank you so much to Katherin Tegan Books for the ARC of this book!
If you don't like reading about politics or dramatic monologues or kids who are smarter than you, this book isn't for you. That said, you'd be missing out terribly if you didn't read it.
Mark Adams is new to Utopia Heights. He moved with his mom to get away from his old life and his old name and his old gender identity. Mostly, to get away from his politician father who refuses to acknowledge that he has a son instead of the daughter he thought he had. Mark has been enmeshed in politics since childhood and when he sees one of his friends bullied for their sexual orientation, he decides the only way to make true change is to run for student body president. The only trick will be doing it while hiding who he really is.
The entire plot of this book is a story is a study in democratic pillow talk. The kind of political strategy that says 'we're with you. we want to help you. it gets better.' with no real action behind it at all. Mark's father is a democrat, and while they'd have you believe they're the party of progression, this book makes it quite clear that the difference between the two-party system in the US is basically non-existent. Mark feels like he needs to make the big promises he knows he can't really keep to win the election because that's what we've been given our entire lives in this country.
The characters are diverse both in race and orientation/how they identify, and I loved seeing a guy asexual character. I feel like so many times it's a girl and yes I'm also a girl but it's nice to see the guys being repped out there too. Mark's friends call him on his shit when he's being a shit, but mostly they're a group of queer found family who have been drawn to each other for their 'otherness'. Safety in numbers, and I loved seeing this group come together for each other.
Overall, a really, really enjoyed this book, big dramatic speeches and all.
If you don't like reading about politics or dramatic monologues or kids who are smarter than you, this book isn't for you. That said, you'd be missing out terribly if you didn't read it.
Mark Adams is new to Utopia Heights. He moved with his mom to get away from his old life and his old name and his old gender identity. Mostly, to get away from his politician father who refuses to acknowledge that he has a son instead of the daughter he thought he had. Mark has been enmeshed in politics since childhood and when he sees one of his friends bullied for their sexual orientation, he decides the only way to make true change is to run for student body president. The only trick will be doing it while hiding who he really is.
The entire plot of this book is a story is a study in democratic pillow talk. The kind of political strategy that says 'we're with you. we want to help you. it gets better.' with no real action behind it at all. Mark's father is a democrat, and while they'd have you believe they're the party of progression, this book makes it quite clear that the difference between the two-party system in the US is basically non-existent. Mark feels like he needs to make the big promises he knows he can't really keep to win the election because that's what we've been given our entire lives in this country.
The characters are diverse both in race and orientation/how they identify, and I loved seeing a guy asexual character. I feel like so many times it's a girl and yes I'm also a girl but it's nice to see the guys being repped out there too. Mark's friends call him on his shit when he's being a shit, but mostly they're a group of queer found family who have been drawn to each other for their 'otherness'. Safety in numbers, and I loved seeing this group come together for each other.
Overall, a really, really enjoyed this book, big dramatic speeches and all.
June 7, 2021
When I first started reading this I thought it took itself a little too seriously, but by the end, the characters had stolen my heart. I think especially looking at it from the perspective of someone outside the USA the amount of effort they put into their school president elections seems a bit ridiculous? I'm not sure you'd enjoy this book if you weren't at least somewhat interested in USA politics, because it's full of it. At the same time, I really enjoyed the main character's development. I was on edge because I was sure there was going to be a forced outing scene, and there wasn't, so that's a huge bonus because I hate that trope with a passion. I also loved how the tension with the main character's dad was handled, because I've seen too many books just brush behaviour aside because 'family'. Topics in this book were handled thoughtfully and with a lot of heart, so if it sounds like something you'd enjoy you should pick it up!
Thanks to Harper360 for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Thanks to Harper360 for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on my Blog, Twitter, and Instagram.
May 12, 2021
Tw: homophobia, transphobia
This book follows Mark, who is a transgender teen who after seeing acts of homophobia in his school, decides to run for student body president.
If you like politics and diverse reads, this is the book for you. It has trans, bi, pan, asexual, aromantic, lesbian, non-binary, and poc representation and I felt it was aimed at queer people everywhere who feel like they’re underrepresented in media.
I really liked this book and what it represented. The author is also a trans man so I can trust the transgender representation is well written.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book.
This book follows Mark, who is a transgender teen who after seeing acts of homophobia in his school, decides to run for student body president.
If you like politics and diverse reads, this is the book for you. It has trans, bi, pan, asexual, aromantic, lesbian, non-binary, and poc representation and I felt it was aimed at queer people everywhere who feel like they’re underrepresented in media.
I really liked this book and what it represented. The author is also a trans man so I can trust the transgender representation is well written.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book.
February 22, 2021
4.5
Main rep: transmasc, Pan, gay, Jewish
Side rep: bi, ace, aro, lesbian, non-binary, genderqueer, demigirl, POC, Muslim
CW: transphobia, homophobia, dead-naming, underage drug usage, underage drinking, anxiety attacks, bullying
Main rep: transmasc, Pan, gay, Jewish
Side rep: bi, ace, aro, lesbian, non-binary, genderqueer, demigirl, POC, Muslim
CW: transphobia, homophobia, dead-naming, underage drug usage, underage drinking, anxiety attacks, bullying
April 12, 2023
I had seen this book being compared to The West Wing and since then I really wanted to read it, and the book gets it!!! This comparison is so well made, and it's not just because it's about politics, but it's because the book encapsulates the hope and belief in people doing the right thing that the show has, it brings in the inspiration of building a greater world to this highschool scenario!!!
A warning that like the show, the book continues the tradition of shitty fathers, who treat their sons as less, who lack showing them any respect, and it hurts how his father is!!! In the entire book Mark truly looks up to President Jed Bartlet as an inspiration (the book includes such specific references that are excellent, and also mentions to Veep, Parks and Recreation and Scandal - Meli Grant being another inspiration!!!), and then as it's own "Two Cathedrals" scene, and when you hear it from a trans boy, there's another beautiful and heart-wrenching layer added to it!!!
Then the romance and the friend group, with a such strong found family vibe was beautiful to read!!! Again The West Wing’s idea of community, of building each other up and supporting one another, but with an entire diverse and queer cast, where the family you make is so important!!! The book gives you an incredible and angsty “I wanted you to fight for me” type scene for a platonic relationship and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted - they matter as much as a romantic scene and that’s important!!!
This is just a beautiful queer book, that while still dealing with difficult topics, it's above everything else hopeful, it's queer joy!!!! It's made for this new generation growing up, so they can believe in better and I truly can't hope enough that kids who need it, find this book!!!
A warning that like the show, the book continues the tradition of shitty fathers, who treat their sons as less, who lack showing them any respect, and it hurts how his father is!!! In the entire book Mark truly looks up to President Jed Bartlet as an inspiration (the book includes such specific references that are excellent, and also mentions to Veep, Parks and Recreation and Scandal - Meli Grant being another inspiration!!!), and then as it's own "Two Cathedrals" scene, and when you hear it from a trans boy, there's another beautiful and heart-wrenching layer added to it!!!
Then the romance and the friend group, with a such strong found family vibe was beautiful to read!!! Again The West Wing’s idea of community, of building each other up and supporting one another, but with an entire diverse and queer cast, where the family you make is so important!!! The book gives you an incredible and angsty “I wanted you to fight for me” type scene for a platonic relationship and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted - they matter as much as a romantic scene and that’s important!!!
This is just a beautiful queer book, that while still dealing with difficult topics, it's above everything else hopeful, it's queer joy!!!! It's made for this new generation growing up, so they can believe in better and I truly can't hope enough that kids who need it, find this book!!!
Read
June 22, 2021“Dad deals with my transness the way republicans deal with global warming: complete and categorical denial."
Mark Adams is the son of a congressman, and it shows. He spends his free time working hard to achieve Ivy-League-level grades and staying up to date with the latest news in politics. But being the son of a politician also means that Mark has to put on a front to avoid damaging his dad’s career—meaning Mark can’t tell anyone he’s trans. Mark agrees to go to a new school and keep his true self a secret, all while his father still pretends he has a daughter. Mark’s low-profile at school doesn’t last long when he decides to run for student-body president, inspired by an unfair instance of another queer kid being bullied at school. Faced by his father’s discouragement, a journalist on his tail, and a bully competitor, Mark must use all of his heart and political know-how to do what’s right.
The (Un)popular Vote is a funny, complex read exploding with queerness that’s perfect for political nerds. I give my praise after having read (or listened, rather, to my first YA audiobook) the whole novel, but I will admit it was hard to get into in the beginning. Mark and his friends are passionate about doing the right thing, but at first it sounded a lot like teenagers taking themselves too seriously in a cloying, exaggerated way; however, as the book went on, I felt more affection for Mark’s group of friends. There was excellent queer representation and inclusion of characters in the novel that everyone can see themselves in, all written in a way that didn’t feel forced or tokenizing. I will warn any prospective readers that this book had quite a few vivid descriptions of bullying, including homophobic slurs, so it may be difficult for some readers to enjoy. The most stunning part of the book was its ability to discern that good and bad are not just defined by political lines. Mark’s transphobic father is a democratic politician, which Jasper Sanchez astutely points out, doesn’t mean he can’t also be a bigot. If you’re looking for your next political drama to binge, The (Un)popular Vote might just be a winner.
Content Warnings: Transphobia, homophobia, dead-naming, hate-speech, underage drug usage, underage drinking, absent/unsupportive parent, discussion of mental illness, bullying, some violence, foul language
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @pinereadsreview and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
Mark Adams is the son of a congressman, and it shows. He spends his free time working hard to achieve Ivy-League-level grades and staying up to date with the latest news in politics. But being the son of a politician also means that Mark has to put on a front to avoid damaging his dad’s career—meaning Mark can’t tell anyone he’s trans. Mark agrees to go to a new school and keep his true self a secret, all while his father still pretends he has a daughter. Mark’s low-profile at school doesn’t last long when he decides to run for student-body president, inspired by an unfair instance of another queer kid being bullied at school. Faced by his father’s discouragement, a journalist on his tail, and a bully competitor, Mark must use all of his heart and political know-how to do what’s right.
The (Un)popular Vote is a funny, complex read exploding with queerness that’s perfect for political nerds. I give my praise after having read (or listened, rather, to my first YA audiobook) the whole novel, but I will admit it was hard to get into in the beginning. Mark and his friends are passionate about doing the right thing, but at first it sounded a lot like teenagers taking themselves too seriously in a cloying, exaggerated way; however, as the book went on, I felt more affection for Mark’s group of friends. There was excellent queer representation and inclusion of characters in the novel that everyone can see themselves in, all written in a way that didn’t feel forced or tokenizing. I will warn any prospective readers that this book had quite a few vivid descriptions of bullying, including homophobic slurs, so it may be difficult for some readers to enjoy. The most stunning part of the book was its ability to discern that good and bad are not just defined by political lines. Mark’s transphobic father is a democratic politician, which Jasper Sanchez astutely points out, doesn’t mean he can’t also be a bigot. If you’re looking for your next political drama to binge, The (Un)popular Vote might just be a winner.
Content Warnings: Transphobia, homophobia, dead-naming, hate-speech, underage drug usage, underage drinking, absent/unsupportive parent, discussion of mental illness, bullying, some violence, foul language
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @pinereadsreview and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
June 8, 2021
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: homophobia & transphobia, deadnaming on page, bullying, hate speech/slurs
2.8
Mark grew up in the political world- watching his father run, canvassing for elections, setting news alerts for the biggest stories. And politics is something that can't be taken out of his life, even after his father removes himself. They have a deal: Mark can live as the teenage boy he knows he is, if he stays stealth, stays away from politics, and doesn't do a thing to connect himself to his father or complicate his run at governor. It's a promise he has no trouble making, until homophobic bullying leaves his friend in a possibly future ruining suspension, with no one willing to do a thing about it. The new class president might be able to change things- and stop the conservative, hate-mongering candidate- but can he really break his word to his father?
I really wanted to love this book, and I really, really didn't. What I leaned from this book is never take a comparison to Red, White & Royal Blue as an actual endorsement.
What did meet my expectations is the amount of diversity. Besides the trans main character you have a cast of characters with varying sexual and romantic preferences, as well as a character who comes out as nonbinary. And the love interest is very Jewish, and very connected to his faith, which is really nice to see.
There's also a good amount of catharsis in this book. "The good fight" narrative is always popular, and it doesn't soften itself, so it's satisfying in the way it tears towards the victory. A major obstacle in this book, other than The Man and conservatives/queerphobic people, is obviously Mark's father, and that catharsis moment is one I feared would fall flat and didn't.
There are almost moments where you do really root for Mark, or at least his campaign, and one of the things that did make me root was the disinterest in a soft "it gets better" stance of future progression. There's a fierceness and a refusal to budge that I respect a lot.
However, this book made me so angry and frustrated. Angry, because Mark is terrible and I hate him. I'm all for main characters who are flawed, or even unlikable, but Mark is clearly supposed to be a likable character and just fails at that. He's irritating, selfish, pretentious, and barely feels like an actual character. He is, without a doubt, made up of about half Alex Claremont-Diaz and while a trans, high school version of Alex sounds great in theory the execution is terrible. He lacks all of the relatability, likability, and willingness to learn that Alex does, and instead feels like nothing but a political voice to text option.
Part of the reason Mark feels that way is because the dialogue is not organic at all. This book is made up of monologue after monologue of big, dramatic speeches which not only is not the way people talk, but took any really weight off of them because they got overused. The characters in this book even beyond Mark feel like political sock puppets. No high schooler talks like these high schoolers, no one quotes politics or history as much as these high schoolers, no one care that much about the student handbook. Had all of those interests been only traits of Mark it may have worked- special interests exist- but instead this is apparently set in a world where teenagers all have a deep knowledge and investment in those things.
That doesn't just go for the political things- it also goes hand in hand with the clunky way Sanchez attempts to educate people. While the diversity is a positive factor in this book, and it's good that is gets brought to the surface at times, it gets brought up in ways that feel like I'm watching a poorly acted high school assembly on Diversity™. There are strangely phrased questions meant to set up learning moments, and learning moments out of the blue that then get highlighted for a paragraph or two of internal monologuing. I do think that it's good to have some education- though in implicitly queer media, I think there should be an assumption that the reader doesn't need a 101 class- but this is definitely not the way to do it.
And the story in general just didn't do it for me. There's a romance at work here that has its moments, and is, in general, very sweet, but runs into the same problems I have with the rest of the book. For one thing, Mark himself making terrible, terrible, self-centered decisions. But also a lack of build up to an organic place or a realistic quality. The same way that Mark's decision to run for president didn't feel like an organic choice or have enough context on page to make that leap, the romance starts after the characters have a single, non-deep conversation and then all bets are apparently off and we're meant to assume that was a life changing enough conversation for them both to suddenly think of each other differently. Also, cute as it sometimes is, the chemistry just wasn't there for me.
I am, as always, really glad that there are stories like this on the shelf- trans main characters in general make me really happy, the diversity on page is something you wouldn't have been able to find a decade ago. And I know I'm probably going to be in the minority of people who honestly really don't like this book, just because of the celebration of queerness alone working for people (which is valid). But this is a book I didn't enjoy reading basically at all.
TW: homophobia & transphobia, deadnaming on page, bullying, hate speech/slurs
2.8
Mark grew up in the political world- watching his father run, canvassing for elections, setting news alerts for the biggest stories. And politics is something that can't be taken out of his life, even after his father removes himself. They have a deal: Mark can live as the teenage boy he knows he is, if he stays stealth, stays away from politics, and doesn't do a thing to connect himself to his father or complicate his run at governor. It's a promise he has no trouble making, until homophobic bullying leaves his friend in a possibly future ruining suspension, with no one willing to do a thing about it. The new class president might be able to change things- and stop the conservative, hate-mongering candidate- but can he really break his word to his father?
I really wanted to love this book, and I really, really didn't. What I leaned from this book is never take a comparison to Red, White & Royal Blue as an actual endorsement.
What did meet my expectations is the amount of diversity. Besides the trans main character you have a cast of characters with varying sexual and romantic preferences, as well as a character who comes out as nonbinary. And the love interest is very Jewish, and very connected to his faith, which is really nice to see.
There's also a good amount of catharsis in this book. "The good fight" narrative is always popular, and it doesn't soften itself, so it's satisfying in the way it tears towards the victory. A major obstacle in this book, other than The Man and conservatives/queerphobic people, is obviously Mark's father, and that catharsis moment is one I feared would fall flat and didn't.
There are almost moments where you do really root for Mark, or at least his campaign, and one of the things that did make me root was the disinterest in a soft "it gets better" stance of future progression. There's a fierceness and a refusal to budge that I respect a lot.
However, this book made me so angry and frustrated. Angry, because Mark is terrible and I hate him. I'm all for main characters who are flawed, or even unlikable, but Mark is clearly supposed to be a likable character and just fails at that. He's irritating, selfish, pretentious, and barely feels like an actual character. He is, without a doubt, made up of about half Alex Claremont-Diaz and while a trans, high school version of Alex sounds great in theory the execution is terrible. He lacks all of the relatability, likability, and willingness to learn that Alex does, and instead feels like nothing but a political voice to text option.
Part of the reason Mark feels that way is because the dialogue is not organic at all. This book is made up of monologue after monologue of big, dramatic speeches which not only is not the way people talk, but took any really weight off of them because they got overused. The characters in this book even beyond Mark feel like political sock puppets. No high schooler talks like these high schoolers, no one quotes politics or history as much as these high schoolers, no one care that much about the student handbook. Had all of those interests been only traits of Mark it may have worked- special interests exist- but instead this is apparently set in a world where teenagers all have a deep knowledge and investment in those things.
That doesn't just go for the political things- it also goes hand in hand with the clunky way Sanchez attempts to educate people. While the diversity is a positive factor in this book, and it's good that is gets brought to the surface at times, it gets brought up in ways that feel like I'm watching a poorly acted high school assembly on Diversity™. There are strangely phrased questions meant to set up learning moments, and learning moments out of the blue that then get highlighted for a paragraph or two of internal monologuing. I do think that it's good to have some education- though in implicitly queer media, I think there should be an assumption that the reader doesn't need a 101 class- but this is definitely not the way to do it.
And the story in general just didn't do it for me. There's a romance at work here that has its moments, and is, in general, very sweet, but runs into the same problems I have with the rest of the book. For one thing, Mark himself making terrible, terrible, self-centered decisions. But also a lack of build up to an organic place or a realistic quality. The same way that Mark's decision to run for president didn't feel like an organic choice or have enough context on page to make that leap, the romance starts after the characters have a single, non-deep conversation and then all bets are apparently off and we're meant to assume that was a life changing enough conversation for them both to suddenly think of each other differently. Also, cute as it sometimes is, the chemistry just wasn't there for me.
I am, as always, really glad that there are stories like this on the shelf- trans main characters in general make me really happy, the diversity on page is something you wouldn't have been able to find a decade ago. And I know I'm probably going to be in the minority of people who honestly really don't like this book, just because of the celebration of queerness alone working for people (which is valid). But this is a book I didn't enjoy reading basically at all.
Read
June 12, 2021TW: transphobia, homophobia, bullying
The [Un]Popular Vote is about a trans boy named Mark. Everything he's learned about politics has come from his congressman father. To protect his father's image, Mark promises to stay stealth and keep his past hidden, letting everyone at his new school believe he's cis. When he sees a terrible and offensive candidate for student body president, he can't help but decide to run against them.
This was okayyy. I liked the idea behind it but I'm once again tired of reading a book with a trans mc / queer characters that just get hate crimed a lot. Also why is no one writing trans girl books? While I love the influx of trans stories being told in the YA sphere it just feels very boy.
The hate wasn't as bad as it could have been (I say because I have read worse, yikes) but it was still there. Mark's father was terrible but also at times he just felt like a caricature of a transphobic parent and instead of a complex dynamic between them, he just felt like villain mcbadguy who would also deadname and misgender Mark through the entire book.
I liked Mark and his friend group though and how they were all queer. Mark is a baddie who gets into all of this because he stood up for someone being bullied and I'm like hell yeah man do your thing.
Maybe I just don't care about politics and I especially don't care about student politics but I never really connected to the plot otherwise. And unfortunately the romance never really wowed me.
But oh my god the cover is so cute.
The [Un]Popular Vote is about a trans boy named Mark. Everything he's learned about politics has come from his congressman father. To protect his father's image, Mark promises to stay stealth and keep his past hidden, letting everyone at his new school believe he's cis. When he sees a terrible and offensive candidate for student body president, he can't help but decide to run against them.
This was okayyy. I liked the idea behind it but I'm once again tired of reading a book with a trans mc / queer characters that just get hate crimed a lot. Also why is no one writing trans girl books? While I love the influx of trans stories being told in the YA sphere it just feels very boy.
The hate wasn't as bad as it could have been (I say because I have read worse, yikes) but it was still there. Mark's father was terrible but also at times he just felt like a caricature of a transphobic parent and instead of a complex dynamic between them, he just felt like villain mcbadguy who would also deadname and misgender Mark through the entire book.
I liked Mark and his friend group though and how they were all queer. Mark is a baddie who gets into all of this because he stood up for someone being bullied and I'm like hell yeah man do your thing.
Maybe I just don't care about politics and I especially don't care about student politics but I never really connected to the plot otherwise. And unfortunately the romance never really wowed me.
But oh my god the cover is so cute.
June 20, 2021
4.5 but rounding up for the sake of the début novel.
I might be out of the loop, but this is the first YA story I’ve read that has some serious student body issues going that are not prom related.
Not to dismiss any other queer YA out there that was either a coming out story or dealing with any other personal issues, but this one tackles bigger (even though still on the school level) political issues in a school setting and that was refreshing to me.
The pop cultural references were Scandal, the West Wing and Veep, rather than Harry Potter and the profound knowledge of US politics and literature classics was a bit over my head and pretentious, but it works…
The plot kept going from adorably naive (I will change the world) to hopelessly frustrating (that man is an asshole!) and while it got a bit tiresome at certain points, I also thing it was done in purpose to reflect some other points mentioned in plot (no spoilers).
The representation and inclusion among the characters is impressing and the Mark’s self awareness sometimes came at the right time to smack my privileged perspective along with his own.
So overall, a great read & highly recommended to all Simon, Felix, and co fans out there
I might be out of the loop, but this is the first YA story I’ve read that has some serious student body issues going that are not prom related.
Not to dismiss any other queer YA out there that was either a coming out story or dealing with any other personal issues, but this one tackles bigger (even though still on the school level) political issues in a school setting and that was refreshing to me.
The pop cultural references were Scandal, the West Wing and Veep, rather than Harry Potter and the profound knowledge of US politics and literature classics was a bit over my head and pretentious, but it works…
The plot kept going from adorably naive (I will change the world) to hopelessly frustrating (that man is an asshole!) and while it got a bit tiresome at certain points, I also thing it was done in purpose to reflect some other points mentioned in plot (no spoilers).
The representation and inclusion among the characters is impressing and the Mark’s self awareness sometimes came at the right time to smack my privileged perspective along with his own.
So overall, a great read & highly recommended to all Simon, Felix, and co fans out there
June 14, 2021
i love teenagers who go crazy for politics
May 13, 2023
i spent this whole book trying to figure out who is supposed to be on the cover
June 2, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
This is a book with a message. It’s standing proud and tall on a soapbox, and I for one am more than willing to buy the soap. There seems to be this thought in popular culture about people being “different” in the right way. A person can be quirky — you know, the funny one, the sassy one, the geeky one, the alternative one — so long as it’s digestible in it’s pop culture approved packaging.
This book is light on the angst and heavy on the characterization. The pacing is very fast, with the story taking place over a few weeks, and the writing is wonderful. If you want a book filled with hope, optimism, heart, and love, read this book. It’s also just a really, really good book. Mark’s careful romance with Ralph, and his relationship with his mother, his father, and even himself is so well done … and I have added this author on my “to stalk” list.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
This is a book with a message. It’s standing proud and tall on a soapbox, and I for one am more than willing to buy the soap. There seems to be this thought in popular culture about people being “different” in the right way. A person can be quirky — you know, the funny one, the sassy one, the geeky one, the alternative one — so long as it’s digestible in it’s pop culture approved packaging.
This book is light on the angst and heavy on the characterization. The pacing is very fast, with the story taking place over a few weeks, and the writing is wonderful. If you want a book filled with hope, optimism, heart, and love, read this book. It’s also just a really, really good book. Mark’s careful romance with Ralph, and his relationship with his mother, his father, and even himself is so well done … and I have added this author on my “to stalk” list.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
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