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All Kinds of Other: A Beautifully Written LGBTQ+ YA Novel Exploring Romance, Relationships, and Identity
In this tender, nuanced coming-of-age love story, two boys—one who is cis, and one who is trans—have been guarding their hearts, until their feelings for each other give them a reason to stand up to their fears. Two boys are starting over at a new high school. Jules is still figuring out what it means to be gay…and just how out he wants to be. Jack is reeling from a fall-out with his best friend…and isn’t ready to let anyone else in just yet. When Jules and Jack meet, the sparks are undeniable. But when a video linking Jack to a pair of popular trans vloggers is leaked to the school, the revelations thrust both boys into the spotlight they’d tried to avoid. Suddenly Jack and Jules must face a to play it safe and stay under the radar, or claim their own space in the world—together. This paperback edition includes a bonus chapter, a glimpse into the boys' special celebration of their school's homecoming dance.
432 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2021
21 people are currently reading
3816 people want to read
About the author
James Sie
6 books57 followersJAMES SIE is the author of STILL LIFE LAS VEGAS (St. Martin’s Press, 2015), a Lambda Literary Award finalist for Best Gay Fiction, and the YA novel ALL KINDS OF OTHER (Quill Tree Books, 2021) He is an award-winning playwright of literary adaptations, receiving a Joseph Jefferson Citation for his adaptation of ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS, and an After Dark Award for the original work THE ROAD TO GRACELAND. He has contributed essays for The Rumpus, Pen USA, FSG’s Book Keeping and The Advocate. In addition to writing, Sie can currently be heard as a voiceover artist in animation and audiobook narration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
May 15, 2021
So I was excited for this book. I'm a trans author and reader and I am desperate for more stories about trans kids. Unfortunately, this book let me down in a lot of ways. I'm not a reviewer, generally, so this isn't going to be formatted or expressed well, but here goes.
Let's talk about All Kinds of Other, or as I'm calling it...
TW for All Kinds of Transphobia
The fact that this book was written by a cis gay man, about the trans experience, is in itself, problematic. He discovered that trans teens go through a lot of hardship and decided that he, a cis man, was the person to write a book about those hardships. There's a reason trans people continue to ask that publishing let us write these kinds of books and I think AKoO is a perfect example of why. Reading this book I was constantly bombarded with transphobia that the 16yo trans boy was experiencing. Constantly. All 401 pages of this felt like I was seeing trans pain over and over and over again without anything correct it or counter act it. And I get that in the real world, there isn't always someone who can educate the bigots, that we're not protected from outright transphobia and hate crimes, but to read a book for teens, about trans teens, where the only experience is trans pain, never trans joy, that just hurts.
To break it down for you. This book, written by a cis gay man, contains:
1) a trans girl getting hate crimed at her school and then also abused by her parents. This is then pretty much glossed over and only talked about as a way for the trans MC to experience and reflect on trans pain.
2) the trans MC/LI dealing with constant transphobia from students, parents, his sister, the school, etc.
3) the trans MC gets outed to the whole school fairly early on BY ANOTHER TRANS STUDENT and it's explained that it's a really not okay thing to do and then it's just glossed over again.
4) people talking to the gay MC/LI about how he's lucky he found out that LI was trans bc, you know, "she's a girl and you're gay sooooo" which is never actually really addressed beyond the gay MC correcting the pronouns???? No other part of that was given a response, no one is ever truly corrected, and no one ever really tries to make amends for this. It's basically forgotten about or left for the reader and the trans MC to be reminded about over and over and over again.
5) super "supportive" parents who sit idly by while the trans MC gets shat on constantly
6) people constantly going "oh being gay is fine but being trans is a choice or being trans is too much or too complicated or etc"
7) the trans MC getting literally assaulted by a school bully and then going into a restorative justice meeting where nothing happens and the school doesn't really do anything at all. Both students get 2 days of suspension, they have the meeting, and then that's that.
8) I've already said it, but again, there is just constant transphobia on every page??? And the author said he didn't want to depict the trans teen experience through "rose-colored glasses" but please stop. Not once in this book is there any kind of trans joy. Not once is any of the transphobia or its effect on the trans MC ever addressed or corrected. Not once. This isn't okay.
I recognize that the author was trying to shed light on a lot of issues that transgender teens face, but unfortunately, this novel became a bombardment of triggering content, and of trans pain. A story of a trans teenager is not a story that a cis author should've written because the above happens. All readers get is pain, and transphobia, over and over, with no real resolution, correction, or anything to balance it. He says he talked to a lot of trans teens and members of the transgender community while writing this novel, but the way the trans experience was treated in this novel was heartbreaking to me.
Let's talk about All Kinds of Other, or as I'm calling it...
TW for All Kinds of Transphobia
The fact that this book was written by a cis gay man, about the trans experience, is in itself, problematic. He discovered that trans teens go through a lot of hardship and decided that he, a cis man, was the person to write a book about those hardships. There's a reason trans people continue to ask that publishing let us write these kinds of books and I think AKoO is a perfect example of why. Reading this book I was constantly bombarded with transphobia that the 16yo trans boy was experiencing. Constantly. All 401 pages of this felt like I was seeing trans pain over and over and over again without anything correct it or counter act it. And I get that in the real world, there isn't always someone who can educate the bigots, that we're not protected from outright transphobia and hate crimes, but to read a book for teens, about trans teens, where the only experience is trans pain, never trans joy, that just hurts.
To break it down for you. This book, written by a cis gay man, contains:
1) a trans girl getting hate crimed at her school and then also abused by her parents. This is then pretty much glossed over and only talked about as a way for the trans MC to experience and reflect on trans pain.
2) the trans MC/LI dealing with constant transphobia from students, parents, his sister, the school, etc.
3) the trans MC gets outed to the whole school fairly early on BY ANOTHER TRANS STUDENT and it's explained that it's a really not okay thing to do and then it's just glossed over again.
4) people talking to the gay MC/LI about how he's lucky he found out that LI was trans bc, you know, "she's a girl and you're gay sooooo" which is never actually really addressed beyond the gay MC correcting the pronouns???? No other part of that was given a response, no one is ever truly corrected, and no one ever really tries to make amends for this. It's basically forgotten about or left for the reader and the trans MC to be reminded about over and over and over again.
5) super "supportive" parents who sit idly by while the trans MC gets shat on constantly
6) people constantly going "oh being gay is fine but being trans is a choice or being trans is too much or too complicated or etc"
7) the trans MC getting literally assaulted by a school bully and then going into a restorative justice meeting where nothing happens and the school doesn't really do anything at all. Both students get 2 days of suspension, they have the meeting, and then that's that.
8) I've already said it, but again, there is just constant transphobia on every page??? And the author said he didn't want to depict the trans teen experience through "rose-colored glasses" but please stop. Not once in this book is there any kind of trans joy. Not once is any of the transphobia or its effect on the trans MC ever addressed or corrected. Not once. This isn't okay.
I recognize that the author was trying to shed light on a lot of issues that transgender teens face, but unfortunately, this novel became a bombardment of triggering content, and of trans pain. A story of a trans teenager is not a story that a cis author should've written because the above happens. All readers get is pain, and transphobia, over and over, with no real resolution, correction, or anything to balance it. He says he talked to a lot of trans teens and members of the transgender community while writing this novel, but the way the trans experience was treated in this novel was heartbreaking to me.
June 19, 2021
All Kinds of Other is a great story about two boys exploring their gender and sexuality. They have instant chemistry but don’t know if they are ready for each other. Jules doesn’t know if he is ready to come out at school. Jack moves to LA with his dad to have a fresh start. Jack was a popular transgender vlogger before he moved. When a video surfaces, Jack and Jules have to decide what this means for them. All Kinds of Other is a great coming of age novel. Jack and Jules are dealing with trying to fit in while figuring out who they are. The story is told from Jack and Jules’s alternating perspectives. It was very interesting to get into both of the characters’ heads. Jules is struggling to decide if he should come out at school, and Jack is struggling if he should tell people he is transgender. I enjoyed reading about their struggles and journey. Sie does a great job making the reader feel how Jack and Jules feel. I do not personally have many experiences with transgender people so have been reading novels to help educate myself. I highly recommend All Kinds of Other for anyone looking for a novel exploring gender and sexuality.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by James Sie, Shaan Dasani and Rain Valdez and enjoyed their narration. They did a great job bringing Jules and Jack to life.
Thank you Megan Beatie Communications, Epic Reads, and Harper Audio for All Kinds of Other.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
I listened to the audiobook narrated by James Sie, Shaan Dasani and Rain Valdez and enjoyed their narration. They did a great job bringing Jules and Jack to life.
Thank you Megan Beatie Communications, Epic Reads, and Harper Audio for All Kinds of Other.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
May 16, 2021
all these people giving 4 or 5 stars please let me know who paid you'all because i'm really in need of money.....not trying to be rude.
this is the biggest disappointment of the year.
just lost a whole day reading it and for what? to have a headache with the amount of terrible things i had to read, and let me tell you...........this isn't one of those books that people are assholes and there's a lot of bad situations but in the end people learn.....no, in the end you just discover that even the person you thought was a safe case, wasn't. completely horrifying!
this is the biggest disappointment of the year.
just lost a whole day reading it and for what? to have a headache with the amount of terrible things i had to read, and let me tell you...........this isn't one of those books that people are assholes and there's a lot of bad situations but in the end people learn.....no, in the end you just discover that even the person you thought was a safe case, wasn't. completely horrifying!
May 28, 2021
I can vividly imagine cis people reading this book and talking about how much they loved it and how much they learned.
For me as a trans reader it was extremely painful and triggering. I can‘t go into detail right now but please read this review that sums it up pretty well. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
We need more books that don‘t center around trans pain and especially not in the way this book did. Please, dear authors, think of trans readers. I don‘t even want to imagine what books like this do to trans teens.
For me as a trans reader it was extremely painful and triggering. I can‘t go into detail right now but please read this review that sums it up pretty well. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
We need more books that don‘t center around trans pain and especially not in the way this book did. Please, dear authors, think of trans readers. I don‘t even want to imagine what books like this do to trans teens.
May 18, 2021
Adorable, transphobic, word bursts, humorous, serial killers #1-3, heartbreaking. Arghh! I don’t know what rating to give!
Okay, I’m trying to write a coherent review, and hopefully, I know what to rate it in the end.
I really liked Jules and Jack, two new kids at the same high school. The way they looked at each other, wanted to be with another. Jack calling Jules a Baby Giraffe Boy. So, so cute. This story is anything but cute, though. Yeah, Jules and Jack are two adorable cinnamon buns. But some things that happen aren’t sweet at all.
I loved the writing. It’s fast-paced, even restless at times.
All the words are just galloping out of the stable.
Jack is describing the conversation he has with Jules, and this could also be the description of James Sie’s writing. It’s jumpy like a foal, humorous at times, and the restlessness adds tension to the story, Jules trying to come out, Jack going stealth ... But ... Then there were the Adam and Evie parts ... There’s restlessness and restlessness. And an overwhelming amount of restlessness. No capitals, numbers instead of words, abbreviations, no dots, and no logical sentences. I hated it. And I hated myself for hating these parts because ... they were so important and painful and heartbreaking. I just wanted them to be written with some kind of punctuation, so I could indulge them and feel them and let them flood over me.
At about 25% of the story, those parts were over, and I could finally focus on the story. It’s moving, thought-provoking and it covers hard-hitting topics such as transphobia. I’m not sure if this is a great story for trans teens, because of the transphobia. I read some reviews of trans people, and they had very different opinions. So, it depends on how much this story triggers someone individually, I guess. What I do believe is that this is a great story for everyone else in the LGBTQ+ community and everyone who’s straight. I loved to read both Jack’s and Jules’s voices, their doubts, their questions, and their fears.
While reading the first part of the book, I was convinced that I’d rate this story no more than three stars. In the end, I believe this is a beautiful and significant story. Even though I didn’t like the writing in the Adam & Evie parts, I could understand the importance of those Tumblr posts, and I loved the rest of the story. So a well-deserved four stars instead of three!
Oh, and the serial killers ... those are just Jack’s roommates ...
Okay, I’m trying to write a coherent review, and hopefully, I know what to rate it in the end.
I really liked Jules and Jack, two new kids at the same high school. The way they looked at each other, wanted to be with another. Jack calling Jules a Baby Giraffe Boy. So, so cute. This story is anything but cute, though. Yeah, Jules and Jack are two adorable cinnamon buns. But some things that happen aren’t sweet at all.
I loved the writing. It’s fast-paced, even restless at times.
All the words are just galloping out of the stable.
Jack is describing the conversation he has with Jules, and this could also be the description of James Sie’s writing. It’s jumpy like a foal, humorous at times, and the restlessness adds tension to the story, Jules trying to come out, Jack going stealth ... But ... Then there were the Adam and Evie parts ... There’s restlessness and restlessness. And an overwhelming amount of restlessness. No capitals, numbers instead of words, abbreviations, no dots, and no logical sentences. I hated it. And I hated myself for hating these parts because ... they were so important and painful and heartbreaking. I just wanted them to be written with some kind of punctuation, so I could indulge them and feel them and let them flood over me.
At about 25% of the story, those parts were over, and I could finally focus on the story. It’s moving, thought-provoking and it covers hard-hitting topics such as transphobia. I’m not sure if this is a great story for trans teens, because of the transphobia. I read some reviews of trans people, and they had very different opinions. So, it depends on how much this story triggers someone individually, I guess. What I do believe is that this is a great story for everyone else in the LGBTQ+ community and everyone who’s straight. I loved to read both Jack’s and Jules’s voices, their doubts, their questions, and their fears.
While reading the first part of the book, I was convinced that I’d rate this story no more than three stars. In the end, I believe this is a beautiful and significant story. Even though I didn’t like the writing in the Adam & Evie parts, I could understand the importance of those Tumblr posts, and I loved the rest of the story. So a well-deserved four stars instead of three!
Oh, and the serial killers ... those are just Jack’s roommates ...
April 30, 2021
cws: transphobic slurs., homophobic slurs, transphobic violence, outing, misgendering
This was simultaneously not a very easy book to read, and one I didn't want to put down at all. This book was extremely heavy but also super cute all at the same time. And it covered so many topics in really great ways from trans and cis dating dynamics, unconscious cis exclusion of trans people and issues, and complexities in trans interaction and life.
This book is about Jules and Jack, both 15 years old and both in a new school and new environment and not knowing their next steps in life. Jules is peak baby-gay and doesn't know how open he wants to be, and Jack has recently moved across the country, and has decided to try to live stealth after a very negative experience in his old city.
This book is really great. I was hooked in right away. Sie added a level of mystery to the book with past blog entries and unspoken events that made you want to learn more about to know these characters and keep reading. I really enjoyed the little blurbs of adamandevie before each chapter.
I love the characters in this book. Jules is so adorable. Watching him come into his own was a really lovely experience. And Jack has such depth to his character, I just wanted to give him a hug. They were really cute too whenever they interacted. Their relationship felt very real to me. Not over the top not loveydovey, and there are complications to them getting together, but their interactions always felt authentic.
I do wish we got a little more depth into the side characters- especially the high school students. We do get a good grasp of Jules Mom and Jack's dad. But for their friends, we only see their personalities but it's all surface level beyond what they contribute to Jules and Jack's story.
As I noted earlier, this book does hit on a lot of issues that affect the trans community heavily. I can't go on too much about how in detail this book gets about trans issues without getting pretty spoilery- but a lot of the messages in this book are easy to see and really poignant.
This book is great. It's not an easy read and it covers some very hard topics, but I really enjoyed the story it told and the messages that come with it. 4.5/5
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
This was simultaneously not a very easy book to read, and one I didn't want to put down at all. This book was extremely heavy but also super cute all at the same time. And it covered so many topics in really great ways from trans and cis dating dynamics, unconscious cis exclusion of trans people and issues, and complexities in trans interaction and life.
This book is about Jules and Jack, both 15 years old and both in a new school and new environment and not knowing their next steps in life. Jules is peak baby-gay and doesn't know how open he wants to be, and Jack has recently moved across the country, and has decided to try to live stealth after a very negative experience in his old city.
This book is really great. I was hooked in right away. Sie added a level of mystery to the book with past blog entries and unspoken events that made you want to learn more about to know these characters and keep reading. I really enjoyed the little blurbs of adamandevie before each chapter.
I love the characters in this book. Jules is so adorable. Watching him come into his own was a really lovely experience. And Jack has such depth to his character, I just wanted to give him a hug. They were really cute too whenever they interacted. Their relationship felt very real to me. Not over the top not loveydovey, and there are complications to them getting together, but their interactions always felt authentic.
I do wish we got a little more depth into the side characters- especially the high school students. We do get a good grasp of Jules Mom and Jack's dad. But for their friends, we only see their personalities but it's all surface level beyond what they contribute to Jules and Jack's story.
As I noted earlier, this book does hit on a lot of issues that affect the trans community heavily. I can't go on too much about how in detail this book gets about trans issues without getting pretty spoilery- but a lot of the messages in this book are easy to see and really poignant.
This book is great. It's not an easy read and it covers some very hard topics, but I really enjoyed the story it told and the messages that come with it. 4.5/5
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
May 7, 2021
I think I'll need about 5 to 10 business days to recover from the emotional turmoil this book has put me through.
I'm always a little wary when I see cis authors write trans experiences - not because I don't trust they did their homework, but because it's just mindboggling to me that someone who did not go through all, well, this could ever get what it's like to be trans. Sometimes I, a certified trans person (here, I have like a bajillion official doctor papers to prove it) don't get what it's like to be trans for other trans people.
But than James Sie started writing from Jules' perspective, from a cis perspective, and I was like, oh, okay, this might actually be okay. Seeing a cis guy fall in love with a trans guy? That might even be better. That might even restore my faith that one day I'll find love and happiness and all those shiny, unrealistic feeling-sounding-smelling things. It might even give me major Druck vibes, which is always a plus.
Then! James Sie switches to Jack's POV and the alarms go off. No, James, buddy, don't go there! Don't ruin this for us!
And-
Then-
He nailed it. Or at least, it felt very very real. The ugly kind of real? The holy shit that's fucking upsetting but this how it really is real?
*SPOILER*
Take the scene where Jack and Jules finally talk after the video is sent around. Sure, Jules asks some wrong questions that he shouldn't, but Jack is also so impatient, so angry with him that I honestly had to put the book down because it felt too fucking real. This is me when I have to explain myself and my experiences and my existence to well-meaning people over and over again. This is me understanding that they genuinely don't mean bad, that they might even want to understand me and that without communication and honesty we will never amount to anything, but also me feeling that being trans is fucking exhausting and just once, just fucking once, it would be so nice if someone would just know things without me having to tell them.
*End SPOILER*
I also loved the characters in this book, because every single one of them felt like they had their own backstories. How none of them were villains or saints, but a mixture of both. Even the parents who were definitely assholes sometimes, felt like you understood where they were coming from. It didn't justify their words or actions, but it did remind me that just because you have kids, you don't suddenly stop having you own issues, and that dealing with your things and your kids' things (in this economy!) can be really messy sometimes.
This book does offer hope and encouragement, but it also doesn't sugarcoat things. Sure, one day I'd love to read a trans story that is just funny and light-hearted and does not deal with all the ugly parts of being trans. That would be like a breath of fresh air.
But it could also never feel this real.
(Also there were so many lines that just went straight for my heart. "i knew these people thought faggot was better than being trans. so i shut up. i was happy 2 be just a faggot 2 them. how wrong is that." James Sie, sir, that was UNCALLED for.)
I'm always a little wary when I see cis authors write trans experiences - not because I don't trust they did their homework, but because it's just mindboggling to me that someone who did not go through all, well, this could ever get what it's like to be trans. Sometimes I, a certified trans person (here, I have like a bajillion official doctor papers to prove it) don't get what it's like to be trans for other trans people.
But than James Sie started writing from Jules' perspective, from a cis perspective, and I was like, oh, okay, this might actually be okay. Seeing a cis guy fall in love with a trans guy? That might even be better. That might even restore my faith that one day I'll find love and happiness and all those shiny, unrealistic feeling-sounding-smelling things. It might even give me major Druck vibes, which is always a plus.
Then! James Sie switches to Jack's POV and the alarms go off. No, James, buddy, don't go there! Don't ruin this for us!
And-
Then-
He nailed it. Or at least, it felt very very real. The ugly kind of real? The holy shit that's fucking upsetting but this how it really is real?
*SPOILER*
Take the scene where Jack and Jules finally talk after the video is sent around. Sure, Jules asks some wrong questions that he shouldn't, but Jack is also so impatient, so angry with him that I honestly had to put the book down because it felt too fucking real. This is me when I have to explain myself and my experiences and my existence to well-meaning people over and over again. This is me understanding that they genuinely don't mean bad, that they might even want to understand me and that without communication and honesty we will never amount to anything, but also me feeling that being trans is fucking exhausting and just once, just fucking once, it would be so nice if someone would just know things without me having to tell them.
*End SPOILER*
I also loved the characters in this book, because every single one of them felt like they had their own backstories. How none of them were villains or saints, but a mixture of both. Even the parents who were definitely assholes sometimes, felt like you understood where they were coming from. It didn't justify their words or actions, but it did remind me that just because you have kids, you don't suddenly stop having you own issues, and that dealing with your things and your kids' things (in this economy!) can be really messy sometimes.
This book does offer hope and encouragement, but it also doesn't sugarcoat things. Sure, one day I'd love to read a trans story that is just funny and light-hearted and does not deal with all the ugly parts of being trans. That would be like a breath of fresh air.
But it could also never feel this real.
(Also there were so many lines that just went straight for my heart. "i knew these people thought faggot was better than being trans. so i shut up. i was happy 2 be just a faggot 2 them. how wrong is that." James Sie, sir, that was UNCALLED for.)
June 20, 2021
2nd read (june 2021)
as i predicted in my initial review for this book, this one has been INCREDIBLY divisive!!
looking at other reviews by trans people, it’s pretty 50/50 on people completely loving this book and completely hating it!! (like of all the reviews by trans people i found there’s pretty much nothing between a 2 star and a 4.5 which was kind of funny to me)
i can 1000000% see why a lot of people didn’t like this and there were a lot of things clear to me, especially in my second read since i’ve read more reviews and thought more about this book, that !! probably didn’t need to be in this book !! (one thing that i didn’t notice so much in the first read but bothered me here was when jack sees someone who i presume is androgynous looking and just . knows they’re nonbinary ??? but doesn’t think that about anyone else ??? that plays right into stereotypes that we’re supposed to look a certain way and would be fine and an important issue to put in a book if it was addressed and,,it wasn’t)
personally, though, this story ended up being really important to me. the writing is so poetic and i fell in love with the characters and, while the transphobia was incredibly hard to read about as a trans person (and knowing this was probably written by a cis person), this story just spoke to me so much and i found it so beautiful
do i recommend this book though ?? yes i’ve read it twice now and it’s one of my all time favourites but, quite honestly, no?? or at least no unless you have read a LOT of reviews and are 100% sure this is something you want to read!! because i DID find this very challenging to read at points and i also think this story can be interpreted in very different ways
(when i figure out how to do that link things on goodreads reviews i will link some other reviews by people who had very different opinions on this book !! especially by other trans man reviewers because, while i do identify as trans, the main trans character in this book is a trans man which i am not)
(also i originally rated this 4.5 but . it’s kind of been living rent free in my brain since i read it like three months ago and it means a lot to me so the rating goes UP)
1st read (march 2021)
you know when you finish a book and can’t tell if you loved it or completely despised it and there’s no in between?? yeah
so this book is about two boys who’ve started a new school and meet each other and their relationship and all that stuff, and i guess the point of the book is about one of the characters being trans, jack
i have!! many thoughts!! i found the way the trans rep was written a little uncomfortable (in a bad way) because the transphobia he was dealing with was so so intense throughout the whole book. i don’t think this ruined the book for me but i am pretty sure a lot of other trans people might not like it?? because it’s definitely one of those books where the trans character has to go through so so much shit to just get a slither of a happy ending so!! if you’re going into this one i highly highly HIGHLY recommend reading through trigger warnings and reviews to make sure this is the right book for you
so, a couple of things that bothered me about this book - something happens in around the last 5% which?? i am very much not sure how i feel about and was probably not handled very well??? but i shall Think more on that
also, throughout the book various characters were making transphobic and racist comments and while it was mentioned at the time, i think it definitely could’ve been called out more, especially for one character in particular. this book did do a good job at highlighting transphobia within cis gay communities but i just wish that, when the book was showing people make these comments, it was more explicitly said ‘this is wrong’
(also can less ya books have unnecessary outing scenes?? cool thanks)
we didn’t really get to know many of the characters, but there was the main two characters. jack was definitely the most fleshed out and i really liked reading the parts in his pov, he goes through SO much shit throughout the book and while i wish it was more acknowledged that he goes through a bunch of trauma during this, i did really like the way he was written
jules?? is a character who definitely could’ve been expanded on more, but i still really liked reading about him, he was kind of awkward and quiet but also a jock?? we love it. one thing that bothered me about his characterisation was the whole ‘wow so admirable!! he willingly wants to date a trans person wow’
is this really a romance book?? honestly not until right at the end, but when it is god it is so tender and that is one of the things that made me really like this book. when a romance is so soft and tender and lovely i simply Cannot function no type of critical review for that part nope just softness
this book also is definitely intriguing!! and the writing style helps that!!! the first maybe thirty or forty percent?? was SO hard to put down because i just desperately wanted to know what was happening, and the writing style helped ease you into that interest. it’s so easy to read but so beautiful at times, especially towards the end
this is one of those books that feels unresolved, you finish and it’s like !! how can it end there that is absolutely shit there’s SO many loose threads but then!! i don’t know thinking more about it as this beautiful whole thing i think it kind of worked like this??
there’s so much more that could’ve been expanded on, characters that needed to be explored, one particular friendship that i had expected there to be more of, but i kind of enjoy when books feel inconclusive but not in a bad way?? like when they feel incomplete but also whole??? does not make any sense?? (no, no it does not)
so yeah!! this review is a mess!! because my thoughts are a mess!! is my rating way too high?? probably. when more reviews come in, especially from trans readers, and i reflect on my thoughts of this book a little more there’s a very good chance i will lower my rating, change my opinion. but!! for now, i enjoyed this book, it single-handedly ended my reading slump, the ending was so soft, and i would be very hesitant to recommend this to anyone. (no one ever said i have consistent thoughts ok!!!)
thank you to the publisher for the review copy!!
rep: jewish gay mc, trans biracial (Indian, white) gay mc, nonbinary side character, mlm side characters, trans girl side character
tw: deadnaming (deadname not mentioned in text), homophobia, transphobia, use of homophobic & transphobic slurs, racist comments, outing, misgendering, bullying,
as i predicted in my initial review for this book, this one has been INCREDIBLY divisive!!
looking at other reviews by trans people, it’s pretty 50/50 on people completely loving this book and completely hating it!! (like of all the reviews by trans people i found there’s pretty much nothing between a 2 star and a 4.5 which was kind of funny to me)
i can 1000000% see why a lot of people didn’t like this and there were a lot of things clear to me, especially in my second read since i’ve read more reviews and thought more about this book, that !! probably didn’t need to be in this book !! (one thing that i didn’t notice so much in the first read but bothered me here was when jack sees someone who i presume is androgynous looking and just . knows they’re nonbinary ??? but doesn’t think that about anyone else ??? that plays right into stereotypes that we’re supposed to look a certain way and would be fine and an important issue to put in a book if it was addressed and,,it wasn’t)
personally, though, this story ended up being really important to me. the writing is so poetic and i fell in love with the characters and, while the transphobia was incredibly hard to read about as a trans person (and knowing this was probably written by a cis person), this story just spoke to me so much and i found it so beautiful
do i recommend this book though ?? yes i’ve read it twice now and it’s one of my all time favourites but, quite honestly, no?? or at least no unless you have read a LOT of reviews and are 100% sure this is something you want to read!! because i DID find this very challenging to read at points and i also think this story can be interpreted in very different ways
(when i figure out how to do that link things on goodreads reviews i will link some other reviews by people who had very different opinions on this book !! especially by other trans man reviewers because, while i do identify as trans, the main trans character in this book is a trans man which i am not)
(also i originally rated this 4.5 but . it’s kind of been living rent free in my brain since i read it like three months ago and it means a lot to me so the rating goes UP)
1st read (march 2021)
you know when you finish a book and can’t tell if you loved it or completely despised it and there’s no in between?? yeah
so this book is about two boys who’ve started a new school and meet each other and their relationship and all that stuff, and i guess the point of the book is about one of the characters being trans, jack
i have!! many thoughts!! i found the way the trans rep was written a little uncomfortable (in a bad way) because the transphobia he was dealing with was so so intense throughout the whole book. i don’t think this ruined the book for me but i am pretty sure a lot of other trans people might not like it?? because it’s definitely one of those books where the trans character has to go through so so much shit to just get a slither of a happy ending so!! if you’re going into this one i highly highly HIGHLY recommend reading through trigger warnings and reviews to make sure this is the right book for you
so, a couple of things that bothered me about this book - something happens in around the last 5% which?? i am very much not sure how i feel about and was probably not handled very well??? but i shall Think more on that
also, throughout the book various characters were making transphobic and racist comments and while it was mentioned at the time, i think it definitely could’ve been called out more, especially for one character in particular. this book did do a good job at highlighting transphobia within cis gay communities but i just wish that, when the book was showing people make these comments, it was more explicitly said ‘this is wrong’
(also can less ya books have unnecessary outing scenes?? cool thanks)
we didn’t really get to know many of the characters, but there was the main two characters. jack was definitely the most fleshed out and i really liked reading the parts in his pov, he goes through SO much shit throughout the book and while i wish it was more acknowledged that he goes through a bunch of trauma during this, i did really like the way he was written
jules?? is a character who definitely could’ve been expanded on more, but i still really liked reading about him, he was kind of awkward and quiet but also a jock?? we love it. one thing that bothered me about his characterisation was the whole ‘wow so admirable!! he willingly wants to date a trans person wow’
is this really a romance book?? honestly not until right at the end, but when it is god it is so tender and that is one of the things that made me really like this book. when a romance is so soft and tender and lovely i simply Cannot function no type of critical review for that part nope just softness
this book also is definitely intriguing!! and the writing style helps that!!! the first maybe thirty or forty percent?? was SO hard to put down because i just desperately wanted to know what was happening, and the writing style helped ease you into that interest. it’s so easy to read but so beautiful at times, especially towards the end
this is one of those books that feels unresolved, you finish and it’s like !! how can it end there that is absolutely shit there’s SO many loose threads but then!! i don’t know thinking more about it as this beautiful whole thing i think it kind of worked like this??
there’s so much more that could’ve been expanded on, characters that needed to be explored, one particular friendship that i had expected there to be more of, but i kind of enjoy when books feel inconclusive but not in a bad way?? like when they feel incomplete but also whole??? does not make any sense?? (no, no it does not)
so yeah!! this review is a mess!! because my thoughts are a mess!! is my rating way too high?? probably. when more reviews come in, especially from trans readers, and i reflect on my thoughts of this book a little more there’s a very good chance i will lower my rating, change my opinion. but!! for now, i enjoyed this book, it single-handedly ended my reading slump, the ending was so soft, and i would be very hesitant to recommend this to anyone. (no one ever said i have consistent thoughts ok!!!)
thank you to the publisher for the review copy!!
rep: jewish gay mc, trans biracial (Indian, white) gay mc, nonbinary side character, mlm side characters, trans girl side character
tw: deadnaming (deadname not mentioned in text), homophobia, transphobia, use of homophobic & transphobic slurs, racist comments, outing, misgendering, bullying,
May 4, 2021
4.5
*Netgalley arc*
This book gave me many feelings. Many many feelings. It was at times really hard to read: so much transphobia, bullying, ignorance, too too much, and my heart was just breaking and cringing. I couldn't understand why was it so hard for people to just be mean, and I still don't understand even knowing fully well how this happens too many times, no matter how the world is changing.
Jack and Jules were two very different boys with different experiences and different upbringings. Jules lives with a mom who is already dealing with personal issues and thinks she knows what's best for her son instead of, you know, asking him.
Jack has a supportive family (minus the sister who really annoyed me the only time she was on page because how could she be so unnecessarily rude?) and he's in California with his dad only for a few months. Jack doesn't want to be the "trans kid", he just wants to exist but of course it doesn't end well.
For a school so progressive that had two queer homecoming kings, there was too much bullying related to queerphobia and racism that nobody noticed nor knew how to act about. And they wondered why kids don't confide in authoritative figures. Of course they don't. Not being a US teen, I have no idea how the situation is right now but I guess these episodes aren't rare and this breaks my heart.
The story was hard to read and it made me want to scream and hug both Jack and Jules. Jack might've acted not all too well all the times; he was new to being out himself, afraid of being bullied, learning things as they came. He grew so much in these pages. I would've done a couple things differently but that's me. We all act our way and face difficulties in different ways.
Easy to follow with two very likeable characters, I enjoyed it a lot.
Check out own voices reviews for their take on how issues were handled here.
*Netgalley arc*
This book gave me many feelings. Many many feelings. It was at times really hard to read: so much transphobia, bullying, ignorance, too too much, and my heart was just breaking and cringing. I couldn't understand why was it so hard for people to just be mean, and I still don't understand even knowing fully well how this happens too many times, no matter how the world is changing.
Jack and Jules were two very different boys with different experiences and different upbringings. Jules lives with a mom who is already dealing with personal issues and thinks she knows what's best for her son instead of, you know, asking him.
Jack has a supportive family (minus the sister who really annoyed me the only time she was on page because how could she be so unnecessarily rude?) and he's in California with his dad only for a few months. Jack doesn't want to be the "trans kid", he just wants to exist but of course it doesn't end well.
For a school so progressive that had two queer homecoming kings, there was too much bullying related to queerphobia and racism that nobody noticed nor knew how to act about. And they wondered why kids don't confide in authoritative figures. Of course they don't. Not being a US teen, I have no idea how the situation is right now but I guess these episodes aren't rare and this breaks my heart.
The story was hard to read and it made me want to scream and hug both Jack and Jules. Jack might've acted not all too well all the times; he was new to being out himself, afraid of being bullied, learning things as they came. He grew so much in these pages. I would've done a couple things differently but that's me. We all act our way and face difficulties in different ways.
Easy to follow with two very likeable characters, I enjoyed it a lot.
Check out own voices reviews for their take on how issues were handled here.
May 3, 2021
I’m going to apologize in advance, because it will be a full on miracle if this review turns out to be anything else but a babbling mess. I only just turned the last page of All Kinds of Other, and I am full of so many emotions that it feels as if there is no more space in my brain for anything else today. All I know is that I want to shove a copy of this story into as many hands as possible, and hover uncomfortably over them until they finish reading. Perhaps occasionally throwing in a “RIGHT?” now and then as they hopefully come to the same revelations that I did. It has been such a long time since a book made me feel this way.
I have been separated from the world of new release books for a fair amount of time, so this is the first time that I have discovered a story featuring a relationship between a cis and a trans boy. However I can say for certain that James Sie handles this with the utmost love, and respect. Jules and Jack are two very different people, with two very different life experiences. Although they both fall into the same ever-widening umbrella of the LGBTQ+ community, there is never a push to make it feel as though that is the one thing that defines them. Sie writes characters that have such depth. They are real people, real teens, struggling to navigate in a world that is ever changing in the way that it handles acceptance and allyship. There are parts of this story that might be hard for some people to read, because of triggers like transphobic violence, outing, and misgendering. I will warn of that ahead of time. Still, I think it’s important to remember that these are all very real things that are faced daily by so many people.
What really hit me hard was the vast divide between how Jules and Jack were accepted, by literally everyone they met. It never occurred to me that transphobia existed even in the “safe” spaces. I don’t want to spoil anything big, but one of my favorite parts of this novel was when the GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) realized that they weren’t actually being inclusive. That by the very name of the club they were choosing to invalidate those that did not fall on that very small spectrum. By this point in the story there had been multiple examples where Jack was alienated simply because he didn’t fall in that neat little set of boxes. These few paragraphs just really ran that home for me though. No wonder Jack was trying to fly under the radar. How hard it must be to be yourself, when who you are is only accepted in pieces.
Ah, I could talk about this book for ages. In fact, if anyone wants to have a discussion about this after you read my review and this book, please let me know. This is such an excellent story, that I truly feels need to be read by the masses. There are some parts that are tough, and those that are dark. There are missteps by adults, hurtful things said by loved ones, and the kind of pain that can only be understood by those who are trying to carve out a big enough space for themselves in world that wants to keep them small. There are also bright spots. Words of encouragement and love, true gestures, and the kind of relationship that comes from truly finding what it is that you want. That’s what life is though, isn’t it? A little messy. A little beautiful. All part of the process.
Read this.
I have been separated from the world of new release books for a fair amount of time, so this is the first time that I have discovered a story featuring a relationship between a cis and a trans boy. However I can say for certain that James Sie handles this with the utmost love, and respect. Jules and Jack are two very different people, with two very different life experiences. Although they both fall into the same ever-widening umbrella of the LGBTQ+ community, there is never a push to make it feel as though that is the one thing that defines them. Sie writes characters that have such depth. They are real people, real teens, struggling to navigate in a world that is ever changing in the way that it handles acceptance and allyship. There are parts of this story that might be hard for some people to read, because of triggers like transphobic violence, outing, and misgendering. I will warn of that ahead of time. Still, I think it’s important to remember that these are all very real things that are faced daily by so many people.
What really hit me hard was the vast divide between how Jules and Jack were accepted, by literally everyone they met. It never occurred to me that transphobia existed even in the “safe” spaces. I don’t want to spoil anything big, but one of my favorite parts of this novel was when the GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) realized that they weren’t actually being inclusive. That by the very name of the club they were choosing to invalidate those that did not fall on that very small spectrum. By this point in the story there had been multiple examples where Jack was alienated simply because he didn’t fall in that neat little set of boxes. These few paragraphs just really ran that home for me though. No wonder Jack was trying to fly under the radar. How hard it must be to be yourself, when who you are is only accepted in pieces.
Ah, I could talk about this book for ages. In fact, if anyone wants to have a discussion about this after you read my review and this book, please let me know. This is such an excellent story, that I truly feels need to be read by the masses. There are some parts that are tough, and those that are dark. There are missteps by adults, hurtful things said by loved ones, and the kind of pain that can only be understood by those who are trying to carve out a big enough space for themselves in world that wants to keep them small. There are also bright spots. Words of encouragement and love, true gestures, and the kind of relationship that comes from truly finding what it is that you want. That’s what life is though, isn’t it? A little messy. A little beautiful. All part of the process.
Read this.
May 10, 2021
Content warnings at end of review
This book was difficult to get through but absolutely worth it. The reason it was hard to read was the prevalence of transphobia in this book, even (and especially?) from characters who were queer and claimed to be allies. A lot of characters had very little understanding about what it meant to be trans and it took well well into the book for some of them to realize they had been wrong. Some of them never did.
The relationship between the two MC's is absolutely heart-breaking and adorable and meaningful. I really loved watching them fall for each other and work to overcome the obstacles that were holding them back and grow as people.
I wasn't as big of a fan of the side characters in this book, so they weren't fun. That didn't mean they were badly written though.
Overall, I loved this book and its discussions of what it means to be other, have multiple identifiers, and work through internalized hatred.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
This book was difficult to get through but absolutely worth it. The reason it was hard to read was the prevalence of transphobia in this book, even (and especially?) from characters who were queer and claimed to be allies. A lot of characters had very little understanding about what it meant to be trans and it took well well into the book for some of them to realize they had been wrong. Some of them never did.
The relationship between the two MC's is absolutely heart-breaking and adorable and meaningful. I really loved watching them fall for each other and work to overcome the obstacles that were holding them back and grow as people.
I wasn't as big of a fan of the side characters in this book, so they weren't fun. That didn't mean they were badly written though.
Overall, I loved this book and its discussions of what it means to be other, have multiple identifiers, and work through internalized hatred.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
July 1, 2021
- I didn’t even make it two chapters in.
- I have no clue why the fuck I picked this book up from my library, but to quote other reviewers, this book is transphobic. It’s basically trauma porn, and it’s just trans pain written by someone who is part of the lgbtqia+ community, but the thing is, no one, no author, should write an experience they know nothing about (like racism, homophobia, etc). The author doesn’t know trans struggles, yet this is a whole story about trans pain.
- it says how much respect I have for this book when it was my go to weapon against a spider in my room 🧍🏼♀️
- I have no clue why the fuck I picked this book up from my library, but to quote other reviewers, this book is transphobic. It’s basically trauma porn, and it’s just trans pain written by someone who is part of the lgbtqia+ community, but the thing is, no one, no author, should write an experience they know nothing about (like racism, homophobia, etc). The author doesn’t know trans struggles, yet this is a whole story about trans pain.
- it says how much respect I have for this book when it was my go to weapon against a spider in my room 🧍🏼♀️
June 2, 2021
I just finished this book and am bawling my eyes out. So. Yeah.
February 24, 2021
This book broke my heart in a hundred different ways!
All Kinds of Other is a queer YA romance and coming of age story featuring Jules- who is just coming out as gay, and Jack- who is reinventing himself after falling out with his best friend. Jules is cis and Jack is trans, and their romance is nuanced and sweet, an instant crush turning into a deeper connection that faces a big trial when videos of Jack vlogging his transition get out.
I loved this book so much! I was immediately drawn into these characters and their families, some supportive and some who think they are. I liked the dynamic between Jules and his friends, and Jack and his parents, especially his dad who he is staying with in LA.
And EVIE!! Evie is the best friend of Jack, and her story slowly comes out as we learned what caused the big fight between them, and I loved her spirit and got teary as everything is revealed. The struggles of Evie, Jack, and the other trans characters are authentically portrayed, and I was glad that even at the GSA at Jack's LA school, the issue of trans exclusivity among the queer community was addressed. I really want to read a sequel featuring Evie, and even Dhyllin, who is a jerk but I think is struggling with his own identity issues.
This is a fantastic YA coming-of-age queer romance, that addresses some very important issues and immerses the reader in memorable characters and a sincere romance.
Trigger warnings of bullying and transphobic behaviors, including dead naming.
Thank you MB Communications for this gifted book in exchange for an honest review.
All Kinds of Other is a queer YA romance and coming of age story featuring Jules- who is just coming out as gay, and Jack- who is reinventing himself after falling out with his best friend. Jules is cis and Jack is trans, and their romance is nuanced and sweet, an instant crush turning into a deeper connection that faces a big trial when videos of Jack vlogging his transition get out.
I loved this book so much! I was immediately drawn into these characters and their families, some supportive and some who think they are. I liked the dynamic between Jules and his friends, and Jack and his parents, especially his dad who he is staying with in LA.
And EVIE!! Evie is the best friend of Jack, and her story slowly comes out as we learned what caused the big fight between them, and I loved her spirit and got teary as everything is revealed. The struggles of Evie, Jack, and the other trans characters are authentically portrayed, and I was glad that even at the GSA at Jack's LA school, the issue of trans exclusivity among the queer community was addressed. I really want to read a sequel featuring Evie, and even Dhyllin, who is a jerk but I think is struggling with his own identity issues.
This is a fantastic YA coming-of-age queer romance, that addresses some very important issues and immerses the reader in memorable characters and a sincere romance.
Trigger warnings of bullying and transphobic behaviors, including dead naming.
Thank you MB Communications for this gifted book in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2021
this book was incredible.
it had me in tears so many times and i think it's one of those stories that will stick with me forever. i'm so glad that we've gotten to a point where get to read trans stories like these and relate to them and cry over them. these characters were lovable, the main romance was adorable and it made me remember that i am not the only one with experiences like these. that i'm not the only one.
please read this may 4th
it had me in tears so many times and i think it's one of those stories that will stick with me forever. i'm so glad that we've gotten to a point where get to read trans stories like these and relate to them and cry over them. these characters were lovable, the main romance was adorable and it made me remember that i am not the only one with experiences like these. that i'm not the only one.
please read this may 4th
June 29, 2021
Rich characters, absorbing read.
This book pulled me in immediately. James Sie created some real boys who I immediately cared about, with real families I bought. So many YA books gloss over the fact that teenagers have parents who sometimes completely screw up their lives. I felt for Jules and Jack in all their awkward teenage moments, in the hopelessness of just trying to get through high school. I fell for them and worried about them and looked up and I had finished the book which has a deeply satisfying ending.
This book pulled me in immediately. James Sie created some real boys who I immediately cared about, with real families I bought. So many YA books gloss over the fact that teenagers have parents who sometimes completely screw up their lives. I felt for Jules and Jack in all their awkward teenage moments, in the hopelessness of just trying to get through high school. I fell for them and worried about them and looked up and I had finished the book which has a deeply satisfying ending.
June 2, 2021
A really good book for students that are transgender, know someone who is or are just curious about what that means. I love that Jack’s family is so supportive but you still see how many challenges are thrown into Jack’s path. I was also happy to read about a school that takes seriously their role of creating safe spaces for kids. I know there are schools that actively do this, but I don’t get to read about them very often.
May 7, 2021
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: homophobia, transphobia, hate crime, assault, deadnaming, outting, misgendering
Reading Jules and Jack's story discusses the ways my heart can break. The ways that queer youth are lacking support systems for unsupportive parents, for finding the language that unlocks doors, and to handle all this land in between. How our friends can love us, support us, encourage us, but shouldn't be our only lifeline. All Kinds of Others starts out as a story about friendship, of coming to terms with our mistakes, and the way the world sees us. But it quickly turns into an emotional story about queer teens fighting against a homophobia and transphobic society.
The ways that people we love may 'seem' like allies and support systems, which crumble in the wind. And the importance of acknowledging our mistakes, challenging our beliefs, and love. While I immediately loved Jules POV, my favorite ended up being Jack. The ways that society sees BIPOC teens differently based on their perceived gender. All the transphobia he deals with in unexpected places and in plain sight. The challenges he has in his family with acceptance. All Kinds of Others made my heart ache. My heart raged. My heart cried.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
TW: homophobia, transphobia, hate crime, assault, deadnaming, outting, misgendering
Reading Jules and Jack's story discusses the ways my heart can break. The ways that queer youth are lacking support systems for unsupportive parents, for finding the language that unlocks doors, and to handle all this land in between. How our friends can love us, support us, encourage us, but shouldn't be our only lifeline. All Kinds of Others starts out as a story about friendship, of coming to terms with our mistakes, and the way the world sees us. But it quickly turns into an emotional story about queer teens fighting against a homophobia and transphobic society.
The ways that people we love may 'seem' like allies and support systems, which crumble in the wind. And the importance of acknowledging our mistakes, challenging our beliefs, and love. While I immediately loved Jules POV, my favorite ended up being Jack. The ways that society sees BIPOC teens differently based on their perceived gender. All the transphobia he deals with in unexpected places and in plain sight. The challenges he has in his family with acceptance. All Kinds of Others made my heart ache. My heart raged. My heart cried.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
dnf-2016-onward
July 13, 2021marking this as a dnf after 12% which isn't very far into the book--usually i would just move on without adding it to goodreads. but after reading a lot of reviews from trans people i feel pretty wary of this so i wanted to save it as a dnf as a reminder to myself why i put it down.
and just from a standpoint of personal enjoyment, i had some mixed feelings from the get go anyway. just wasn't clicking for me. i was unsure of whether i wanted to continue which is why i looked up reviews in the first place!
and just from a standpoint of personal enjoyment, i had some mixed feelings from the get go anyway. just wasn't clicking for me. i was unsure of whether i wanted to continue which is why i looked up reviews in the first place!
Read
May 28, 2021It's 3 am so I'll try to get this right:
I don't even know how to rate this book. I'm not sure I'm entitled to being this angry when I'm not a trans person myself... but I'm still pissed so there you have it.
It was a festival of trans pain, and for it to be written by a cis gay man just... really makes me tired. Yeah, I've read some reviews by trans people who felt like this author had written a fairly true description of some trans experiences and he obviously did good research, but I've also read terribly hurt reviews by trans people who felt like this book was crossing all kinds of lines.
And I agree.
Sometimes, it's not your place to show certain narratives, if they don't apply to you.
You want to uplift trans people and trans stories? amazing! do that! but this is taking advantage of trans pain. And it was brutal, no matter how you look at it.
And you know what? there were so many problematic comments that were left unattended, that it just felt... I dunno, negligent? even ignorant. I don't need the main cis character to give a crash course on gender vs biological sex to every transphob in his neighborhood, but I do expect the constant problematic remarks to have some kind of educational resolution, if only for the cis gay readers that are most definitely a target audience for this book.
It's a solid book, overall... but I was just really disappointed.
I don't even know how to rate this book. I'm not sure I'm entitled to being this angry when I'm not a trans person myself... but I'm still pissed so there you have it.
It was a festival of trans pain, and for it to be written by a cis gay man just... really makes me tired. Yeah, I've read some reviews by trans people who felt like this author had written a fairly true description of some trans experiences and he obviously did good research, but I've also read terribly hurt reviews by trans people who felt like this book was crossing all kinds of lines.
And I agree.
Sometimes, it's not your place to show certain narratives, if they don't apply to you.
You want to uplift trans people and trans stories? amazing! do that! but this is taking advantage of trans pain. And it was brutal, no matter how you look at it.
And you know what? there were so many problematic comments that were left unattended, that it just felt... I dunno, negligent? even ignorant. I don't need the main cis character to give a crash course on gender vs biological sex to every transphob in his neighborhood, but I do expect the constant problematic remarks to have some kind of educational resolution, if only for the cis gay readers that are most definitely a target audience for this book.
It's a solid book, overall... but I was just really disappointed.
May 22, 2021
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, Transphobia, Bullying, Outing, Violence
I received a physical copy All Kinds of Other by James Sie from an imprint of Harper Collins, but all opinions are my own. The book follows Jules and Jack as they navigate a new school while struggling with their own identities. It has alternating POV's from the two that give you a glimpse into what each is going through, Jules as a gay man and Jack as a gay trans-man.
In the book, James Sie shines in their writing of the mindset of YA characters without it reading as dated. It never comes across as an author out of touch with the characters and settings. They have mastered the forced, casual indifference of teenagers. The characters' perspectives are instinctually relatable, no matter what age you are. They confront the toxic culture of kids trying so hard to fit into a preconceived box and in the process sacrificing themselves. This is a universal truth for any teenager, and I think even adults and others can relate.
There's a childish simplicity to the way things are stated - however that doesn't negate how profound they can be. The book portrays a naive innocence to the anxiety of the youthful journey that comes with discovering sexuality and gender identity. It adds to the wide-eyed viewpoint that arrives from immersing yourself in the main characters' universes. There's nothing eloquent about some of the writing or dialogue, but in the absence of it there are meaningful truths that ring through the reader.
James Sie expertly blends the intersections of a person's identity and how it contributes to who they are. They confront harmful stereotypes and challenge what they mean for a person whose identity people assume to know based on certain behaviors. I think the book takes the micro-aggressions and flippant comments faced by LGBTQ+ kids every day and shows how that pain builds over time into a crescendo.
Amidst the typo-ridden confessional blog posts dotting the book, there is such strong emotion that is almost too overwhelming to capture with any words. The author was uniquely able to demonstrate communication in the modern age without it coming across as cringe. The tentative romance errs on the side of caution at first through hesitant text messages and short conversations. They write the evolution of a relationship in today's society as the most natural thing in the world
I can often forget how freeing it can feel to read YA contemporary until I inevitably pick one up again. This is not to say the genre is less important or somehow easier to read, but rather it stems from experiences we all share. The book possesses that kind of undeniable fun that comes directly from the author's writing style. It's the kind of book that has you breaking into a smile in public that will earn you strange stares yet you can't be bothered to care.
I definitely recommend a reader keep a close eye on the trigger warnings I listed above before starting the book. There are rampant examples of homophobia and transphobia that I don't want to pretend aren't there. The book is cute and fun at times but also addresses triggering topics pretty frequently without beating around the bush. If these are topics you find triggering you may want to keep them in mind.
All Kinds of Other by James Sie has the makings of any great ya contemporary novel with a fresh and diverse take on the genre. It moves the reader unlike any other and provides a connection to the characters, whether you have experienced what they do or not. I can say with certainty that this is a book that managed to win over my heart in the short time I was engrossed in its pages. I have full confidence others will experience the same when picking it up.
I received a physical copy All Kinds of Other by James Sie from an imprint of Harper Collins, but all opinions are my own. The book follows Jules and Jack as they navigate a new school while struggling with their own identities. It has alternating POV's from the two that give you a glimpse into what each is going through, Jules as a gay man and Jack as a gay trans-man.
In the book, James Sie shines in their writing of the mindset of YA characters without it reading as dated. It never comes across as an author out of touch with the characters and settings. They have mastered the forced, casual indifference of teenagers. The characters' perspectives are instinctually relatable, no matter what age you are. They confront the toxic culture of kids trying so hard to fit into a preconceived box and in the process sacrificing themselves. This is a universal truth for any teenager, and I think even adults and others can relate.
There's a childish simplicity to the way things are stated - however that doesn't negate how profound they can be. The book portrays a naive innocence to the anxiety of the youthful journey that comes with discovering sexuality and gender identity. It adds to the wide-eyed viewpoint that arrives from immersing yourself in the main characters' universes. There's nothing eloquent about some of the writing or dialogue, but in the absence of it there are meaningful truths that ring through the reader.
James Sie expertly blends the intersections of a person's identity and how it contributes to who they are. They confront harmful stereotypes and challenge what they mean for a person whose identity people assume to know based on certain behaviors. I think the book takes the micro-aggressions and flippant comments faced by LGBTQ+ kids every day and shows how that pain builds over time into a crescendo.
Amidst the typo-ridden confessional blog posts dotting the book, there is such strong emotion that is almost too overwhelming to capture with any words. The author was uniquely able to demonstrate communication in the modern age without it coming across as cringe. The tentative romance errs on the side of caution at first through hesitant text messages and short conversations. They write the evolution of a relationship in today's society as the most natural thing in the world
I can often forget how freeing it can feel to read YA contemporary until I inevitably pick one up again. This is not to say the genre is less important or somehow easier to read, but rather it stems from experiences we all share. The book possesses that kind of undeniable fun that comes directly from the author's writing style. It's the kind of book that has you breaking into a smile in public that will earn you strange stares yet you can't be bothered to care.
I definitely recommend a reader keep a close eye on the trigger warnings I listed above before starting the book. There are rampant examples of homophobia and transphobia that I don't want to pretend aren't there. The book is cute and fun at times but also addresses triggering topics pretty frequently without beating around the bush. If these are topics you find triggering you may want to keep them in mind.
All Kinds of Other by James Sie has the makings of any great ya contemporary novel with a fresh and diverse take on the genre. It moves the reader unlike any other and provides a connection to the characters, whether you have experienced what they do or not. I can say with certainty that this is a book that managed to win over my heart in the short time I was engrossed in its pages. I have full confidence others will experience the same when picking it up.
June 7, 2021
2.8 stars
cw: transphobia, homophobia, racist microaggressions, forced outing, hate crimes, misgendering, transphobia.
(am I so deprived of south asian trans mascs in ya fiction that i’m giving this almost 3 stars?)
so. this book. my feelings are Complicated and it’s taken a while to gather them enough to write this.
i went into this knowing barely anything about it. i was kinda maybe expecting a cute trans romance – no i didn’t read the synopsis – but that didn’t last long.
because this book is full to the brim with transphobia. every kind you can think of. microaggressions, constant invalidation, hate crimes, violence, a forced outing, the use of slurs. it actually hurt to read. it does not gloss over difficult things, and i don’t recommend this if you’re looking for trans joy.
but I still loved this book. it broke me to pieces and i loved every second of it. i was rooting for jack, so hard throughout it. i’ve never needed a character to be happy more intensely than i needed that for him (spoiler alert that doesn’t happen; it would interrupt the continuous trans pain 🙄)
not to mention that he’s a brown, south asian, queer, trans character?? his descriptions took me back to my zayn-malik-one-direction phase and i can’t say i hated it. (also the pierced eyebrow seriously i’m slightly in love with this character)
i’ve read reviews by other trans masc people about the trans representation in this book. personally, i really liked it, but then, i didn’t find out it was written by a cis man till after i was done. and that makes a lot of aspects a little weird. why is every trans character in this book subjected to so much pain? why is it so heavily laden with transphobia? did we have to watch jules look for ‘clues’ to jack’s transness after he found out? did we have to watch that through jules’ eyes at all? shouldn’t that have been a moment centering jack?? the trans person?? who was just outed??
and that’s the main reason i don’t love jules with all my heart. character growth is great! but i don’t buy it. because not only was his initial reaction awful, he also 1. invaded jack’s privacy by watching his videos when jack was so obviously uncomfortable with that. is it so hard to just? google it? 2. 3. did a horrible job of calling out transphobia. so even though he’s an adorable stumbling baby giraffe, who’s gay but doesn’t know what to do with that, even though his romance with jack was beautiful, there’ll always be a part of me that thinks jack deserves better.
i loved the writing style. it was poetic but not overdone. i loved going back and seeing everything from jack’s perspective. i liked how the dual pov’s were woven together, switching from one to another at the exact right time. i loved the hopeful, open ending.
i did not like finding out who outed jack to the school. we didn’t need a ‘plot twist’ here. i was perfectly content believing it was dhyllin. i didn’t need an ‘explanation.’ some people are just assholes. dhyllin was one of them.
also the racist microaggressions that were barely addressed GOD i hated that.
also there was that bit where lowell says something about needing more ‘full-on, conforming, cisgender, m4m gays to attend’ the gsa and i get what was trying to be done but all it did was make me mad.
yeah…the only thing i really like about this book was jack (except him assuming kacey was nonbinary was weird? how the hell do you look at someone and guess their gender? especially when a trans character does it? i mean, i know he passes but he didn’t always, so he should know that gender identity is not something we can perceive??)
i know this isn’t a coherent review because my feelings about this book are genuinely a mess? but what I do know is that this is not a book that should’ve been written by a cis person. this doesn’t even feel like it was written for trans readers. it feels like something cis people would read and convince themselves they understand the Trans Experience™ .
cw: transphobia, homophobia, racist microaggressions, forced outing, hate crimes, misgendering, transphobia.
(am I so deprived of south asian trans mascs in ya fiction that i’m giving this almost 3 stars?)
so. this book. my feelings are Complicated and it’s taken a while to gather them enough to write this.
i went into this knowing barely anything about it. i was kinda maybe expecting a cute trans romance – no i didn’t read the synopsis – but that didn’t last long.
because this book is full to the brim with transphobia. every kind you can think of. microaggressions, constant invalidation, hate crimes, violence, a forced outing, the use of slurs. it actually hurt to read. it does not gloss over difficult things, and i don’t recommend this if you’re looking for trans joy.
but I still loved this book. it broke me to pieces and i loved every second of it. i was rooting for jack, so hard throughout it. i’ve never needed a character to be happy more intensely than i needed that for him (spoiler alert that doesn’t happen; it would interrupt the continuous trans pain 🙄)
not to mention that he’s a brown, south asian, queer, trans character?? his descriptions took me back to my zayn-malik-one-direction phase and i can’t say i hated it. (also the pierced eyebrow seriously i’m slightly in love with this character)
i’ve read reviews by other trans masc people about the trans representation in this book. personally, i really liked it, but then, i didn’t find out it was written by a cis man till after i was done. and that makes a lot of aspects a little weird. why is every trans character in this book subjected to so much pain? why is it so heavily laden with transphobia? did we have to watch jules look for ‘clues’ to jack’s transness after he found out? did we have to watch that through jules’ eyes at all? shouldn’t that have been a moment centering jack?? the trans person?? who was just outed??
and that’s the main reason i don’t love jules with all my heart. character growth is great! but i don’t buy it. because not only was his initial reaction awful, he also 1. invaded jack’s privacy by watching his videos when jack was so obviously uncomfortable with that. is it so hard to just? google it? 2. 3. did a horrible job of calling out transphobia. so even though he’s an adorable stumbling baby giraffe, who’s gay but doesn’t know what to do with that, even though his romance with jack was beautiful, there’ll always be a part of me that thinks jack deserves better.
i loved the writing style. it was poetic but not overdone. i loved going back and seeing everything from jack’s perspective. i liked how the dual pov’s were woven together, switching from one to another at the exact right time. i loved the hopeful, open ending.
i did not like finding out who outed jack to the school. we didn’t need a ‘plot twist’ here. i was perfectly content believing it was dhyllin. i didn’t need an ‘explanation.’ some people are just assholes. dhyllin was one of them.
also the racist microaggressions that were barely addressed GOD i hated that.
also there was that bit where lowell says something about needing more ‘full-on, conforming, cisgender, m4m gays to attend’ the gsa and i get what was trying to be done but all it did was make me mad.
yeah…the only thing i really like about this book was jack (except him assuming kacey was nonbinary was weird? how the hell do you look at someone and guess their gender? especially when a trans character does it? i mean, i know he passes but he didn’t always, so he should know that gender identity is not something we can perceive??)
i know this isn’t a coherent review because my feelings about this book are genuinely a mess? but what I do know is that this is not a book that should’ve been written by a cis person. this doesn’t even feel like it was written for trans readers. it feels like something cis people would read and convince themselves they understand the Trans Experience™ .
June 30, 2021
To quote another review, by user Theo Adelberg, "I recognize that the author was trying to shed light on a lot of issues that transgender teens face, but unfortunately, this novel became a bombardment of triggering content, and of trans pain."
I wanted to like this novel, and I respect the author for TRYING to write a book that might be helpful for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming teens, but... I wish there had been a sensitivity read? There was just SO much trans pain in this novel with very little resolution, or even addressing that said pain was deeply traumatic and FULLY would need a lot of hard work and therapy to heal.
Reminded me a lot of STAY GOLD by Tobly McSmith, except McSmith *is trans* so it felt slightly less like... WOW LET'S CAPITALIZE ON TRANS PAIN. Which, again, I DO NOT think was the Author's Intent, but it just felt really really pain-filled and hard to read. Actually the level of Trauma And Suffering here lowkey also reminds me of CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY by Steven Salvatore, but again there you've got a genderqueer author writing a book narrated by a genderqueer main. So??? I DUNNO.
I hate leaving low-starred reviews on books, especially books by LGBTQIA authors -- I am friends with queer and trans authors, and I know how much it hurts them to see when people don't like their work. But I just wish this book hadn't been Every Chapter Includes Either Homophobia Or Transphobia Or Both, and then at the end uhhh I guess it's a somewhat happy ending? Like. Argh.
I wanted to like this novel, and I respect the author for TRYING to write a book that might be helpful for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming teens, but... I wish there had been a sensitivity read? There was just SO much trans pain in this novel with very little resolution, or even addressing that said pain was deeply traumatic and FULLY would need a lot of hard work and therapy to heal.
Reminded me a lot of STAY GOLD by Tobly McSmith, except McSmith *is trans* so it felt slightly less like... WOW LET'S CAPITALIZE ON TRANS PAIN. Which, again, I DO NOT think was the Author's Intent, but it just felt really really pain-filled and hard to read. Actually the level of Trauma And Suffering here lowkey also reminds me of CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY by Steven Salvatore, but again there you've got a genderqueer author writing a book narrated by a genderqueer main. So??? I DUNNO.
I hate leaving low-starred reviews on books, especially books by LGBTQIA authors -- I am friends with queer and trans authors, and I know how much it hurts them to see when people don't like their work. But I just wish this book hadn't been Every Chapter Includes Either Homophobia Or Transphobia Or Both, and then at the end uhhh I guess it's a somewhat happy ending? Like. Argh.
May 29, 2021
James Sie has crafted what should become known as a YA masterpiece. His characters, Jack and Jules, are well drawn high school kids, who are attracted to one another but are each uncomfortable showing their feelings. Sie beautifully captures first love with all its attendant moments of freak out and bliss, which are even more fragile for a Gay kid and a Trans kid, neither of whom is ready to fully share who they are to the rest of their high school. Sie also shows how easily bullying occurs at this age, with outsiders of any kind easily attracting unwanted attention. The characters are given the freedom to act badly and disappoint themselves and others, just as we all did at this age, but redemption arrives as Jules and Jim each find the strength and self-love to move on from past mistakes and allow themselves to accept love while showing their true selves. This is a great book for anyone looking for insight into the stress and fear of being different at a time of life that so highly prizes conformity.
June 6, 2021
This book is perfect. It is a beautiful, real, humble and perceptive exploration of many different life experiences in one, tightly-woven novel. It is an exploration of gender, sexuality, identity, adolescence (both entering it and parenting it), cyberbullying, betrayal, individuation, and love. Sie brilliantly creates each character distinctly so that every person’s voice is unique to them. I could see, hear and feel each person, and found myself missing them dearly once I finished the book. All Kinds Of Other manages to be funny and poignant, suspenseful and reassuring, tragic and romantic all at once. I highly recommend it.
May 2, 2021
All Kinds of Other by James Sie is the kind of book that I love to discover in the YA genre. The story is important, nuanced and emotional. The characters are great. James Sie doesn't gloss over things that are hard-hitting because they actually happen to people.
Jules just wants to play basketball at his new school. Yeah, he's also trying to figure out his sexuality, but that's not his priority. He's not uncomfortable in his skin - he's just trying to figure things out without his friends deciding for him.
Jack is new in town. His Dad is on a mission to potentially change his life by having a go at being an actor and Jack is along for the ride. From Jack's perspective, it's a new beginning at a new school where he can be the guy he wants to be with no questions about his past. Jack is still reeling from a breakup with his best friend, so it seems like a good time to flee.
One of the main characters is cisgender and one is trans. Both young men are learning about themselves and learning about their friends and families at the same time. Isn't that the way it goes? As we reveal pieces of ourselves, sometimes we find that people support us unconditionally, sometimes, sadly, we find that people don't "approve".
There's a lot going on in this story, but the author manages it sweetly and with a splash of humour. When the two young men become close and begin to realize that they may be more than friends everything is derailed when old YouTube videos surface that outs one of them as being trans.
The outing is significant for a few reasons. In this day and age, it's so easy for us to put things on social media that we think will never come back to haunt us. The problem is that once things are online… there's no way to ever be certain that they are gone. Outing is something that many people simply don't understand. Outing is a horrible thing to happen - in particular to a young person. No one should have to reveal anything about themselves unless they are willing and ready to do so. Being outted can scar people emotionally and it can put them in very dangerous situations.
Sie explores a lot of things in this book. I can't speak to Sie's personal experience with issues faced by trans folks, but the book read as authentic to me. One of the main characters discusses a lot of issues and emotions with respect to being trans and this book would be a great way for someone to begin to understand what it might be like to be a trans teen.
This book is a lovely combination of funny moments, love, awesome friends, and some hard-hitting issues. Sie achieves a great balance of things and the novel never feels overwhelming even though some of the things that happen to the characters are difficult to read.
Jules just wants to play basketball at his new school. Yeah, he's also trying to figure out his sexuality, but that's not his priority. He's not uncomfortable in his skin - he's just trying to figure things out without his friends deciding for him.
Jack is new in town. His Dad is on a mission to potentially change his life by having a go at being an actor and Jack is along for the ride. From Jack's perspective, it's a new beginning at a new school where he can be the guy he wants to be with no questions about his past. Jack is still reeling from a breakup with his best friend, so it seems like a good time to flee.
One of the main characters is cisgender and one is trans. Both young men are learning about themselves and learning about their friends and families at the same time. Isn't that the way it goes? As we reveal pieces of ourselves, sometimes we find that people support us unconditionally, sometimes, sadly, we find that people don't "approve".
There's a lot going on in this story, but the author manages it sweetly and with a splash of humour. When the two young men become close and begin to realize that they may be more than friends everything is derailed when old YouTube videos surface that outs one of them as being trans.
The outing is significant for a few reasons. In this day and age, it's so easy for us to put things on social media that we think will never come back to haunt us. The problem is that once things are online… there's no way to ever be certain that they are gone. Outing is something that many people simply don't understand. Outing is a horrible thing to happen - in particular to a young person. No one should have to reveal anything about themselves unless they are willing and ready to do so. Being outted can scar people emotionally and it can put them in very dangerous situations.
Sie explores a lot of things in this book. I can't speak to Sie's personal experience with issues faced by trans folks, but the book read as authentic to me. One of the main characters discusses a lot of issues and emotions with respect to being trans and this book would be a great way for someone to begin to understand what it might be like to be a trans teen.
This book is a lovely combination of funny moments, love, awesome friends, and some hard-hitting issues. Sie achieves a great balance of things and the novel never feels overwhelming even though some of the things that happen to the characters are difficult to read.
May 22, 2021
I loved it. The author has done well in ensuring readers are able to feel various emotions while reading this story. I'll admit that the start was a little slow. However, the story does pick up in pace after a while. The ending is bitter-sweet. The story as a whole was enjoyable and I wasn't able to put it down. I would definitely recommend this story to others.
There's a lot of things that are offered in the story from being trans, gay, having extremely controlling parents, a highly diverse school and more. Jules and Jack were amazing and resilient through it all. I won't share any details about this tho since I don't want to spoil the story.
I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
There's a lot of things that are offered in the story from being trans, gay, having extremely controlling parents, a highly diverse school and more. Jules and Jack were amazing and resilient through it all. I won't share any details about this tho since I don't want to spoil the story.
I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
April 5, 2021
i reallyyyyy enjoyed this book. it comes out in may, go read it. there’s some very relatable gay content and it’s quite funny. i enjoy the characters and am tired so review coming soon!
the transphobia in this book made me more angry than i have been in a very long time. trigger warning for both homophobia and transphobia.
the transphobia in this book made me more angry than i have been in a very long time. trigger warning for both homophobia and transphobia.
September 22, 2021
the use of trans pain and transphobia on this book is literally the worst thing i’ve ever seen
the author tried to make a case but he actually MADE IT WORSE
this is pure torture and i would never recommend to any trans person - or anyone, really. it’s trash
the author tried to make a case but he actually MADE IT WORSE
this is pure torture and i would never recommend to any trans person - or anyone, really. it’s trash
June 5, 2021
I’M CRYING!!!
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