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The Evolving Truth of Ever-Stronger Will
Will, an agender teen, struggles with the haunting aftermath of parental abuse as they forge a new life and love in this novel that is perfect for fans of If These Wings Could Fly and Last Night at the Telegraph Club.
Will is a 17-year-old on the cusp of freedom: freedom from providing and caring for their abusive, addicted mother, freedom from their small town with an even smaller mindset, and the freedom from having to hide who they truly are. When their drug dealer mother dies months before their 18th birthday, Will is granted their freedom earlier than expected. But their mother’s last words haunt Will: She cursed them with her dying breath, claiming her death was their fault. Soon their mother’s drug-dealing past threatens Will’s new shiny future, leaving Will scrambling to find their beloved former foster mother Raz before Child Protective Services or local drug dealers find them first. But how do you reconnect with family and embark on a new love when you’re convinced you destroy everything you touch?
Will is a 17-year-old on the cusp of freedom: freedom from providing and caring for their abusive, addicted mother, freedom from their small town with an even smaller mindset, and the freedom from having to hide who they truly are. When their drug dealer mother dies months before their 18th birthday, Will is granted their freedom earlier than expected. But their mother’s last words haunt Will: She cursed them with her dying breath, claiming her death was their fault. Soon their mother’s drug-dealing past threatens Will’s new shiny future, leaving Will scrambling to find their beloved former foster mother Raz before Child Protective Services or local drug dealers find them first. But how do you reconnect with family and embark on a new love when you’re convinced you destroy everything you touch?
272 pages, Hardcover
First published July 18, 2023
2 people are currently reading
2435 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 23, 2024
This book sent tears streaming down my face in the most hurt-comfort way possible, and I know it will stay with me for a really long time. It's a truly beautiful story of healing after abuse, learning to accept help from the people who love you, and carving out a little (found) family for yourself.
It's told in second person POV, which is notorious for never working, yet here it works so perfectly, and it was the exact right choice for this book. It worked especially well in the audiobook, beautifully narrated by Vico Ortiz.
I truly truly loved the relationships in this book, the support that was shown, the connections Will had and made. Plus, I loved seeing a romance between two non-binary kids!
It's told in second person POV, which is notorious for never working, yet here it works so perfectly, and it was the exact right choice for this book. It worked especially well in the audiobook, beautifully narrated by Vico Ortiz.
I truly truly loved the relationships in this book, the support that was shown, the connections Will had and made. Plus, I loved seeing a romance between two non-binary kids!
June 14, 2024
Content warnings: references to parental abuse (including putting child in the garbage when they were a toddler, then physical abuse, psychological abuse, gaslighting), death of parent, drug mentions, misgendering, physical assault, threat of gun violence, bullying, foster care system mentions.
Rep: Will (MC) is autistic, agender, demisexual demiromantic. Side queer characters.
This was phenomenal.
From the first second this book started playing, I was enraptured. The narrator is amazing, and I've enjoyed their narrations in the past, and they were literally the perfect fit for this book.
Will, oh Will.
This kid, y'all. They have been through so much in their 17 years on earth, and they deserve a damn hug. And a damn break.
Growing up bouncing around the foster care system, only to find a home in someone they loved, to then be torn away and put back with their abusive mother just because they're related made my heart hurt.
There's no words I can express to properly capture just how phenomenal I found this book
Rep: Will (MC) is autistic, agender, demisexual demiromantic. Side queer characters.
This was phenomenal.
From the first second this book started playing, I was enraptured. The narrator is amazing, and I've enjoyed their narrations in the past, and they were literally the perfect fit for this book.
Will, oh Will.
This kid, y'all. They have been through so much in their 17 years on earth, and they deserve a damn hug. And a damn break.
Growing up bouncing around the foster care system, only to find a home in someone they loved, to then be torn away and put back with their abusive mother just because they're related made my heart hurt.
There's no words I can express to properly capture just how phenomenal I found this book
November 18, 2023
I really appreciated this book. It felt like a very needed hug.
Will has been through so much and this book is about them learning to just live their life for the first time without abuse. Getting things in order, finding new friends and old family members they can trust. It's about moving on to better things and it was so lovely to read about.
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Will has been through so much and this book is about them learning to just live their life for the first time without abuse. Getting things in order, finding new friends and old family members they can trust. It's about moving on to better things and it was so lovely to read about.
I talk about books here: Instagram / TikTok / Linktree
September 2, 2024
Maya MacGregor has done it again with another beautifully written 5 star queer novel that I simply couldn’t put down.
Their debut YA novel, The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester, was my first ever ARC and has held a special place in my heart for the last 2 years. When I saw they were releasing another novel, I immediately requested it and I am so glad I did.
The Evolving Truth of Ever-Stronger Will follows our main character Will, an agender teenager after they witness their abusive mother’s death just a few months before turning 18. They will do just about anything to avoid going back into the foster system, including pretending their mother is still alive. Will has been working, paying the bills and acting as the responsible person in the family for so long that barely anything changes, until their mother’s secrets start to catch up with them.
The thing I love the most about MacGregor’s novels is the amount of diversity and representation, as well as the authenticity of emotions and the realistic struggles each character faces. The novel is told in second person, which is very different from what I usually read but worked perfectly to give an inside view in to Will’s emotions, how much of their life was affected by their past trauma and how they begin to slowly heal over the course of the novel.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a heartfelt novel with queer and neurodiverse representation.
There are some heavy topics in this one, which include child abuse, physical and physiological abuse, parental death, foster care, drugs, gun violence and misgendering, so I would recommend reviewing the trigger warnings before picking it up.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Astra Publishing house for providing me with an eARC for review.
I post about diverse & queer novels @niksreadss on Instagram
Their debut YA novel, The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester, was my first ever ARC and has held a special place in my heart for the last 2 years. When I saw they were releasing another novel, I immediately requested it and I am so glad I did.
The Evolving Truth of Ever-Stronger Will follows our main character Will, an agender teenager after they witness their abusive mother’s death just a few months before turning 18. They will do just about anything to avoid going back into the foster system, including pretending their mother is still alive. Will has been working, paying the bills and acting as the responsible person in the family for so long that barely anything changes, until their mother’s secrets start to catch up with them.
The thing I love the most about MacGregor’s novels is the amount of diversity and representation, as well as the authenticity of emotions and the realistic struggles each character faces. The novel is told in second person, which is very different from what I usually read but worked perfectly to give an inside view in to Will’s emotions, how much of their life was affected by their past trauma and how they begin to slowly heal over the course of the novel.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a heartfelt novel with queer and neurodiverse representation.
There are some heavy topics in this one, which include child abuse, physical and physiological abuse, parental death, foster care, drugs, gun violence and misgendering, so I would recommend reviewing the trigger warnings before picking it up.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Astra Publishing house for providing me with an eARC for review.
I post about diverse & queer novels @niksreadss on Instagram
August 22, 2023
Oh. My. Word.
This is undoubtedly one of the best books I’ve read, not just this year, but in my entire life. Brimming with heart and feeling and, well, sheer force of will, The Evolving Truth of Ever-Stronger Will is a book that grabbed me by the hands and didn’t let go until the very last page.
I have never read an entire novel set in second person pov before, but I was blown away by this author’s command of the English language, as the second person point of view not only worked perfectly for me, but also added to the story in a way that I don’t think would’ve been possible any other way. We see such an intimate, detailed, heartwrenching glimpse into Will’s life that it only makes sense we read as if we are in their shoes ourselves - which we are not, but we see more than they trust any other characters with at first, so this style of narration works beautifully to complement that, that feeling of really being immersed in a story and its main character.
The relationships were all lovely, and realistic. No one was absolutely perfect and nor were their circumstances, but that conflict and nuance made it feel like… when Will talked things over with some characters, and they both reached understanding, it felt like one of those rest stops you take on a long hike, tired and weary but glad to have a moment to take in the view. The depth and care that MacGregor writes all of their characters with is astounding, and I genuinely felt as if they were real people, that’s how realistic and complicated they all were.
The author says at the end of the book that they wrote the book they wanted as a child. I’m not a child, but I’m still a young queer person, and so… I am honestly floored right now. Many aspects of Will’s life were also truths and realities that I needed a story about when I was younger, and I am so indescribably glad that I have them now, put into words better than I could but in a way that will resonate with I think all who read this. But the aspects of Will’s life that I didn’t relate to resonated too - and I feel like that’s important to mention in this review. I connected with Will, wholly and truly, in a way that I have with few other characters, and not only is that incredible skill on the author’s part, but it is also so so important, for I’m glad that this story will reach those who need it, but I’m also glad that it will reach those who don’t need it in quite the same way, but who need it to learn and see how to be a better ally, or more empathetic, or just to have a good cry. That is always important too, and MacGregor has written this book in such a way that it will resonate with both groups.
Know its subject matter first, but… pick up this book if you relate, and pick it up if you don’t. You’ll feel and learn and relate, and experience practically all human emotions in the span of a few hours. This is a beautifully written book, with characters who latch onto your heart and don’t let go. Don’t miss it.
This is undoubtedly one of the best books I’ve read, not just this year, but in my entire life. Brimming with heart and feeling and, well, sheer force of will, The Evolving Truth of Ever-Stronger Will is a book that grabbed me by the hands and didn’t let go until the very last page.
I have never read an entire novel set in second person pov before, but I was blown away by this author’s command of the English language, as the second person point of view not only worked perfectly for me, but also added to the story in a way that I don’t think would’ve been possible any other way. We see such an intimate, detailed, heartwrenching glimpse into Will’s life that it only makes sense we read as if we are in their shoes ourselves - which we are not, but we see more than they trust any other characters with at first, so this style of narration works beautifully to complement that, that feeling of really being immersed in a story and its main character.
The relationships were all lovely, and realistic. No one was absolutely perfect and nor were their circumstances, but that conflict and nuance made it feel like… when Will talked things over with some characters, and they both reached understanding, it felt like one of those rest stops you take on a long hike, tired and weary but glad to have a moment to take in the view. The depth and care that MacGregor writes all of their characters with is astounding, and I genuinely felt as if they were real people, that’s how realistic and complicated they all were.
The author says at the end of the book that they wrote the book they wanted as a child. I’m not a child, but I’m still a young queer person, and so… I am honestly floored right now. Many aspects of Will’s life were also truths and realities that I needed a story about when I was younger, and I am so indescribably glad that I have them now, put into words better than I could but in a way that will resonate with I think all who read this. But the aspects of Will’s life that I didn’t relate to resonated too - and I feel like that’s important to mention in this review. I connected with Will, wholly and truly, in a way that I have with few other characters, and not only is that incredible skill on the author’s part, but it is also so so important, for I’m glad that this story will reach those who need it, but I’m also glad that it will reach those who don’t need it in quite the same way, but who need it to learn and see how to be a better ally, or more empathetic, or just to have a good cry. That is always important too, and MacGregor has written this book in such a way that it will resonate with both groups.
Know its subject matter first, but… pick up this book if you relate, and pick it up if you don’t. You’ll feel and learn and relate, and experience practically all human emotions in the span of a few hours. This is a beautifully written book, with characters who latch onto your heart and don’t let go. Don’t miss it.
September 28, 2023
4.5 stars
Thank you Astra and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I just have to say that I LOVE the way Maya MacGregor writes. I read The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester earlier this year and it’s easily one of my all time favourite books, and this one is just as beautiful and heart-wrenching as that one.
Both books are very different, and yet they tackle some similar themes in a very nuanced, honest way. You can tell it’s personal, that it means a lot to the author, and that makes it mean a lot to the reader, too.
Will is such a beautiful, broken character. Their journey through trauma and distrust of a system that had repeatedly failed them, their journey through life believing they deserve bad things, making it to a point where they could maybe start to believe they weren’t a monster after all…all of it was so achingly raw and real and vulnerable and I’m not ashamed to say I teared up multiple times.
I loved the people in Will’s life, too. The relationships they managed to forge with different people the more they allowed themselves to trust made my heart swell. Everyone from Matt to the school counsellor were just beautiful. The kinds of people everyone deserves in their lives.
I especially loved their relationship with Hannah and the way privilege was discussed between these two. Hannah’s knee-jerk reaction to defend herself followed by her heartfelt apology and genuine attempts to be a better friend and ally.
I will admit, though, that the second person narrative style really didn’t work for me and is the only reason this isn’t five stars. It took me until over halfway to truly feel comfortable with reading in second person, and even once I was used to it, it somehow made me feel less connected to Will instead of more, which I assume is the desired effect. This is honestly just a personal preference issue, though, and I absolutely still recommend giving it a go even if you’re unsure about second person narratives.
Thank you Astra and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I just have to say that I LOVE the way Maya MacGregor writes. I read The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester earlier this year and it’s easily one of my all time favourite books, and this one is just as beautiful and heart-wrenching as that one.
Both books are very different, and yet they tackle some similar themes in a very nuanced, honest way. You can tell it’s personal, that it means a lot to the author, and that makes it mean a lot to the reader, too.
Will is such a beautiful, broken character. Their journey through trauma and distrust of a system that had repeatedly failed them, their journey through life believing they deserve bad things, making it to a point where they could maybe start to believe they weren’t a monster after all…all of it was so achingly raw and real and vulnerable and I’m not ashamed to say I teared up multiple times.
I loved the people in Will’s life, too. The relationships they managed to forge with different people the more they allowed themselves to trust made my heart swell. Everyone from Matt to the school counsellor were just beautiful. The kinds of people everyone deserves in their lives.
I especially loved their relationship with Hannah and the way privilege was discussed between these two. Hannah’s knee-jerk reaction to defend herself followed by her heartfelt apology and genuine attempts to be a better friend and ally.
I will admit, though, that the second person narrative style really didn’t work for me and is the only reason this isn’t five stars. It took me until over halfway to truly feel comfortable with reading in second person, and even once I was used to it, it somehow made me feel less connected to Will instead of more, which I assume is the desired effect. This is honestly just a personal preference issue, though, and I absolutely still recommend giving it a go even if you’re unsure about second person narratives.
March 28, 2024
no quería que terminara.
me sentí tan identificade con will en relación a su identidad. mi corazón se rompió con cada experiencia de su vida, pero luego se reparó con el final.
gracias. de verdad, gracias.
me sentí tan identificade con will en relación a su identidad. mi corazón se rompió con cada experiencia de su vida, pero luego se reparó con el final.
gracias. de verdad, gracias.
November 27, 2023
Trigger Warnings: death of a patron, child abuse, mental abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, drugs, mentions of death by overdose
Will, an agender teen, is only a few months away from turning 18 - finally an adult, and finally able to have freedom away from their abusive, addicted mother. When their mother dies suddenly, Will is granted freedom earlier than expected, but her dying words haunt Will. Soon, their mother’s drug-dealing past comes back and threatens Will’s shiny new future, leaving them to scramble to find a past foster they haven’t heard from in years. And, they need to do this all before Child Protective Services finds out Will’s been left on their own.
I really enjoyed that this was written in second person. Besides fanfiction, I’ve never read a novel in this form and I’ve got to say, this works so well! And it makes perfect sense to use it for a character who is nonbinary or genderfluid.
The imperfections of the characters of this novel is what made this novel so perfect. Not one single person was the most amazing person ever - they all had their faults, their traumas, their own realistic story, and that made this beautiful.
I’m excited for those to need this story to get their hands on it. And I’m excited for those who may not necessarily need this story, but can learn from this story, because it’s all so important. With the amazing writing that is from Maya MacGregor you get so much representation that isn’t forced at all, it’s just who they are and that’s that.
Overall, I will be highly recommending this book to so many people. Though I will give a bit of a heavy warning to check the Trigger Warnings and to be gentle with yourself.
*Thank you Astra Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Will, an agender teen, is only a few months away from turning 18 - finally an adult, and finally able to have freedom away from their abusive, addicted mother. When their mother dies suddenly, Will is granted freedom earlier than expected, but her dying words haunt Will. Soon, their mother’s drug-dealing past comes back and threatens Will’s shiny new future, leaving them to scramble to find a past foster they haven’t heard from in years. And, they need to do this all before Child Protective Services finds out Will’s been left on their own.
I really enjoyed that this was written in second person. Besides fanfiction, I’ve never read a novel in this form and I’ve got to say, this works so well! And it makes perfect sense to use it for a character who is nonbinary or genderfluid.
The imperfections of the characters of this novel is what made this novel so perfect. Not one single person was the most amazing person ever - they all had their faults, their traumas, their own realistic story, and that made this beautiful.
I’m excited for those to need this story to get their hands on it. And I’m excited for those who may not necessarily need this story, but can learn from this story, because it’s all so important. With the amazing writing that is from Maya MacGregor you get so much representation that isn’t forced at all, it’s just who they are and that’s that.
Overall, I will be highly recommending this book to so many people. Though I will give a bit of a heavy warning to check the Trigger Warnings and to be gentle with yourself.
*Thank you Astra Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
April 2, 2025
This book!!!!!!! It's so so good, and I'm grateful for it. It strikes the perfect balance of pain and hope for a queer YA story. I've never read a character like Will (or really anyone else in the story for that matter) and I love them. I also pretty much never see books written in second person and it WORKED. It worked so well. The one thing that didn't really work for me, and I didn't even understand that this was supposed to be happening until I saw it noted on the author's website, was the supernatural elements? Which is why Francis's phone would charge on its own, etc? But that was really unclear and unresolved, and that felt more like a plot mover than an actual choice for the story. I'm very willing to forgive it though.
I listened to the audiobook which was well done except I thought I was losing my mind because the reader mispronounces so many words???????? Like, so many words. At first I thought maybe I'd been pronouncing things wrong all my life, but then it just started getting extreme. That seems like a huge oversight for an audiobook but I will not hold that against the author here.
I listened to the audiobook which was well done except I thought I was losing my mind because the reader mispronounces so many words???????? Like, so many words. At first I thought maybe I'd been pronouncing things wrong all my life, but then it just started getting extreme. That seems like a huge oversight for an audiobook but I will not hold that against the author here.
April 16, 2024
“Your name is Will because that’s what it takes to live among people who hate you for no other reason than that you exist.
So. Will. Will the Monster, here we are, and here you are.
Your life is about to change.
Ready?”
Oh. My.
Maya MacGregor did it again.
And once again, I'm left speechless. And in awe. Utter, speechless awe.
Will is an agender teen on the cusp of freedom. Six weeks away from their 18th birthday, Francis, their biological abusive drug-dealing mother, dies of a heart attack, leaving Will to figure out what they can do to not fall back into the hands of CPS (Child Protective Services), who did nothing but fail them over and over again, and be free once and for all.
While going through Francis' stuff before throwing it all away and get rid of her nauseating stench of roses, weed and tobacco, Will and their best (and only) friend Hannah come across a box containing letters, so many letters, all of them addressed to Will... They were written over the past four years by Raz, the only foster care mum who ever truly cared about Will and from whom Will was taken away by a now falsely-sober Francis just when they were about to be adopted.
And yes, Will knows they're a monster. Who else would be happy of their biological mother's death? They don't deserve to be happy. They don't deserve to be left in peace by school bully Levy. They don't deserve a life in which they don't have to take care, at 17 years old, about paying electricity bills or Francis' booze and cooking dinner every day. But maybe... maybe they get to have this one thing. Maybe they can find Raz and be a family with her, for real this time.
This is the book I wish I could have written. The book I wish I'd had when I was a teenager, when I needed a release for my anger and pain, when I needed a comforting hug.
I loved every single thing about it: every quote, every word, every dot.
Everything felt carefully, purposefully chosen to make this book the queer YA masterpiece it is.
I loved how nothing is black and white and everything is a spectrum of grays, up for grabs to be challenged and turned upside down, to make you question instead of giving established answers.
One of my favorite scenes is the "fight/argument" between Will and Hannah (chapter 18). In a world where it's becoming harder and harder to have conversations between people with different opinions that don't end up in never talking to each other again because you just cannot accept someone who thinks differently from you, it was bold and refreshing to see how differences of ideals and life experiences do not necessarily have to break people apart. You instinctually lean towards Will's side - after all, Hannah is blinded by her privilege and can't quite see nor understand Will's situation and harsh reality - but can you really blame her for not understanding something that is so foreign to her? And could it also be that Will is themself blinded by their own circumstances, their own prejudices and erected shields to see possibilities beyond what they've experienced so far? Does Will also fall prey to hypocrisy?
Can there be a point of empathetic contact - a conversation - instead of sticking to your own irreconcilable stances?
The second person narration hit me like a wave on its way to become a tsunami. Check mate move. Pure genius. I bow to Maya, deep deep bow. The way you feel everything on your skin: the pain, the despair, the anger, the panic, the incredulity, the slowly yet incontrovertibly blossoming happiness… all these raw emotions sinking into you through a throbbing yet healing papercut.
It’s my first time encountering it and I honestly didn’t think it could work for me – let alone work so damn well – but goodness me, it did. It absolutely fucking did and it shook me to my core and I loved every single second of it.
And Julian. Sweet, precious Julian. You deserve the world but the world doesn't deserve you, you beautiful beautiful soul.
All I'll say about it is that this book has the most tender, wholesome kiss. It was as delicate as a daisy’s petal, as intense as an electric shock, as strong and powerful as a hurricane (chapter 21 – a meaningful number to me, and no, I do not believe in coincidences).
“You are both nonbinary people in a world that doesn’t want to understand you, let alone romance you. You know this. Julian knows this. In some small way, you feel a surge of defiance.”
This book is a punch in the gut.
This book is a silent, desperate cry of help into the void of a world that either doesn't care or is straight up against you.
This book is finding your voice, your place in that complicated, messed up world.
This book is a warm, comforting hug.
This book is a quiet yet resilient whisper in your ear, saying you can weather this seemingly unending storm and hold on tight, there is someone right over there, beyond the dark clouds and the thunders, someone who loves you and is waiting with open arms, waiting to give you what you've been missing your whole life.
This book is the Odissey and the happy ending you never thought you deserved all along.
This book is the Will to exist, to take up space and belong and the journey that leads right to all that.
TW: abandonment, transphobia, bullying, alcohol and drug use, death of a parent, emotional abuse, child abuse, stalking.
April 1, 2024
Wow. This was stunning. I have no notes.
I'm honestly not surprised by how much I loved this because I adored this author's debut and know that they are definitely an autobuy author for me now. Everything about this book works. It's powerful and emotional and so full of hope that I teared out multiple times listening to it. The audiobook is fantastic. Cannot recommend it enough.
Agender autistic demiro demisexual MC
I'm honestly not surprised by how much I loved this because I adored this author's debut and know that they are definitely an autobuy author for me now. Everything about this book works. It's powerful and emotional and so full of hope that I teared out multiple times listening to it. The audiobook is fantastic. Cannot recommend it enough.
Agender autistic demiro demisexual MC
featured
September 18, 2024Will from The Evolving Truth of Ever-Stronger Will is demiromantic demisexual!
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
August 18, 2024
4.5
there's nothing funny to say
there's nothing funny to say
May 15, 2024
A great book with characters you cant help but love - great plot twists and the tense it was written in was really interesting and they definitely made it work! I’ve read their other book which I loved so i think this author is definitely going on my instant buy list!
October 23, 2023
*thank you net galley and the publisher for giving me an arc copy in exchange for an honest review*
where do i start with this?
i guess i’ll start here: the book was okay.
the writing style is second person which is something i’ve never experienced in a full length novel. i enjoyed that aspect of the writing. i did not enjoy the rest of the writing.
this book is very stream of consciousness. which is not a writing choice i particularly like. the chapters had no reason to be chapters, like there was no discernible reason they were broken up in the way they were. it brought me out of the story slightly when there were bombs dropped and then will continued to just ramble on for a few pages.
and i don’t know if it’s just because i had an arc copy but this author seems allergic to double f’s for some reason.
i did like will though. they were resilient and all their hesitations and self sacrificing was on par with what they experienced. and i’m glad they got the happy ending they deserved.
i wish it was contrived a bit better though. things just kind of…happened? and there wasn’t ever really a rhyme or reason for a lot of the stuff that went wrong or right and just felt like plot points were thrown in for the sake of padding out the book.
overall, it was a semi-enjoyable read that i flew through with some amazing talks about sexuality, gender identity, family, love, friendship, and abuse. i’d recommend if you want a book that actually fleshes out those topics and deals with them appropriately.
where do i start with this?
i guess i’ll start here: the book was okay.
the writing style is second person which is something i’ve never experienced in a full length novel. i enjoyed that aspect of the writing. i did not enjoy the rest of the writing.
this book is very stream of consciousness. which is not a writing choice i particularly like. the chapters had no reason to be chapters, like there was no discernible reason they were broken up in the way they were. it brought me out of the story slightly when there were bombs dropped and then will continued to just ramble on for a few pages.
and i don’t know if it’s just because i had an arc copy but this author seems allergic to double f’s for some reason.
i did like will though. they were resilient and all their hesitations and self sacrificing was on par with what they experienced. and i’m glad they got the happy ending they deserved.
i wish it was contrived a bit better though. things just kind of…happened? and there wasn’t ever really a rhyme or reason for a lot of the stuff that went wrong or right and just felt like plot points were thrown in for the sake of padding out the book.
overall, it was a semi-enjoyable read that i flew through with some amazing talks about sexuality, gender identity, family, love, friendship, and abuse. i’d recommend if you want a book that actually fleshes out those topics and deals with them appropriately.
August 12, 2024
I predicted I would return to Maya MacGregor’s work again! They are an author of several YA-specific specialties—namely, indecisively paranormal stories, and writing troubled but fleshed-out nonbinary teens. Will’s story isn’t really meant to be enjoyed, at least not most of it, but I liked this book more than it’s predecessor (“The Many Half-Lived Lives Of Sam Sylvester”). Maybe I could technically say I enjoyed some parts, such as Will finally being able to live outside of hyper-vigilance enough for them to get to focus on some less pressing matters…like their blossoming crush on a friend that I am conveniently excluding the name of, and being able to experience some of the fun things they never got to have growing up(like hosting a sleepover, and going back to school shopping). I am glad they got to have a happy ending. I was worried sick for them a lot of the time.
I can’t say whether it would’ve been better to have a physical copy on hand—I used a librofm credit, and that slowed my pace a bit, which gave some of the harder scenes some teeth to sink into my memory. But I will say that the narration brought a bit of life to all the characters. Will’s self-loathing was sometimes tedious(it could be repetitive. And I live with people who think like that), but I was able to clearly hear their anger and grief. There were a lot of moments in the book dissecting Will’s lack of closure due to Francis’s death, and that was interesting but difficult to listen to.
(This is a really specific footnote, but I also think awkward joy, and wistfulness were narrated well. I dunno. I don’t have much else to say, this is what happens when I lose my self control for a month or two and listen to yet another audiobook narrated by an obvious fave. Am I even qualified to leave feedback?? Someone shut me up) (and completely unrelated, last narration-focused comment. send help. i am never going to read “yaas” text messages the same way ever again.🧍)
I loved how much nuance there was. None of the characters are perfect people, there’s sometimes clash because of the different kinds of backgrounds everyone comes from, and a couple characters definitely have some biases to unlearn(Hannah being a big one, since she comes from an upper middle class background with a loving family and can’t fully understand Will’s situation). Conflict is something that occurs pretty frequently, because…of course it does, we need physical and emotional stakes, but it’s resolved with a lot of respect and maturity when it’s within the main friend group, even if that resolution takes a few chapters. And still, they feel like teenagers! This is one of the first YA books I’ve read where there’s both a clear and realistic difference between the behaviors of the teenage and adult characters.
And the romance was sweet. It’s paced well(kinda has to be, Will is aspec), doesn’t take away from the focus of the story, and I’m always a sucker for t4t. I just wasn’t as moved by it as other reviewers were, for some reason?? Maybe it had to do with some of the writing flaws(see: next paragraph)?
Stream of consciousness and second-person POV isn’t a combination that’s going to mesh with everyone, especially because some parts are purposefully not grammatically correct(they feel more like dialogue or an unpolished journal entry), but I thought it directly placed the reader into Will’s mind. I liked the sometimes poetic style of writing, too, but I have to admit a couple different ideas got repetitive…
A couple points also docked off for some of the slang/dialogue feeling Strange, the weird paranormal undertones that never got answered, and a particularly awkward character introduction(can we have normal ways to introduce nonbinary characters, please??). But this was a surprisingly beautiful story of moving on from abuse and growing past it. I can see myself recommending this to two people max. Haha.
I can’t say whether it would’ve been better to have a physical copy on hand—I used a librofm credit, and that slowed my pace a bit, which gave some of the harder scenes some teeth to sink into my memory. But I will say that the narration brought a bit of life to all the characters. Will’s self-loathing was sometimes tedious(it could be repetitive. And I live with people who think like that), but I was able to clearly hear their anger and grief. There were a lot of moments in the book dissecting Will’s lack of closure due to Francis’s death, and that was interesting but difficult to listen to.
(This is a really specific footnote, but I also think awkward joy, and wistfulness were narrated well. I dunno. I don’t have much else to say, this is what happens when I lose my self control for a month or two and listen to yet another audiobook narrated by an obvious fave. Am I even qualified to leave feedback?? Someone shut me up) (and completely unrelated, last narration-focused comment. send help. i am never going to read “yaas” text messages the same way ever again.🧍)
I loved how much nuance there was. None of the characters are perfect people, there’s sometimes clash because of the different kinds of backgrounds everyone comes from, and a couple characters definitely have some biases to unlearn(Hannah being a big one, since she comes from an upper middle class background with a loving family and can’t fully understand Will’s situation). Conflict is something that occurs pretty frequently, because…of course it does, we need physical and emotional stakes, but it’s resolved with a lot of respect and maturity when it’s within the main friend group, even if that resolution takes a few chapters. And still, they feel like teenagers! This is one of the first YA books I’ve read where there’s both a clear and realistic difference between the behaviors of the teenage and adult characters.
And the romance was sweet. It’s paced well(kinda has to be, Will is aspec), doesn’t take away from the focus of the story, and I’m always a sucker for t4t. I just wasn’t as moved by it as other reviewers were, for some reason?? Maybe it had to do with some of the writing flaws(see: next paragraph)?
Stream of consciousness and second-person POV isn’t a combination that’s going to mesh with everyone, especially because some parts are purposefully not grammatically correct(they feel more like dialogue or an unpolished journal entry), but I thought it directly placed the reader into Will’s mind. I liked the sometimes poetic style of writing, too, but I have to admit a couple different ideas got repetitive…
A couple points also docked off for some of the slang/dialogue feeling Strange, the weird paranormal undertones that never got answered, and a particularly awkward character introduction(can we have normal ways to introduce nonbinary characters, please??). But this was a surprisingly beautiful story of moving on from abuse and growing past it. I can see myself recommending this to two people max. Haha.
October 20, 2023
Another great read from Maya MacGregor!
The story follows Will, and their journey after the sudden death of their abusive mother. They go searching for their old foster mother, discover secrets about their mother’s life, and make new friends with their newfound freedom.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
This book is one of the few, perhaps the only, that I’ve ever read that’s in second person. Because of this it somehow felt both intimate and detached at the same time, which was incredibly effective for a character that has dealt with so much trauma.
As is indicated in the title, while the book is about someone recovering from a traumatic past, it’s much more about the recovery than about the trauma itself. Across the course of the book we get to see Will grow in confidence and become more self-assured. Their character arc was so strong and compelling, as we watched them grow and begin to flourish.
This isn’t a journey that Will goes on alone, and I really liked the wider cast of characters. Their friendships were strong but full of complexities, with all the ups and downs of real friendship – especially teenage friendship. On the flip side, while Will is initially (and understandably) sceptical of the help adults can offer them, it was really great to see them realise that it’s much more nuanced too.
While I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as MacGregor’s debut, it’s still a really great book that takes the reader on an emotional journey.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
The story follows Will, and their journey after the sudden death of their abusive mother. They go searching for their old foster mother, discover secrets about their mother’s life, and make new friends with their newfound freedom.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
This book is one of the few, perhaps the only, that I’ve ever read that’s in second person. Because of this it somehow felt both intimate and detached at the same time, which was incredibly effective for a character that has dealt with so much trauma.
As is indicated in the title, while the book is about someone recovering from a traumatic past, it’s much more about the recovery than about the trauma itself. Across the course of the book we get to see Will grow in confidence and become more self-assured. Their character arc was so strong and compelling, as we watched them grow and begin to flourish.
This isn’t a journey that Will goes on alone, and I really liked the wider cast of characters. Their friendships were strong but full of complexities, with all the ups and downs of real friendship – especially teenage friendship. On the flip side, while Will is initially (and understandably) sceptical of the help adults can offer them, it was really great to see them realise that it’s much more nuanced too.
While I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as MacGregor’s debut, it’s still a really great book that takes the reader on an emotional journey.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
August 8, 2023
I carefully read and fully agreed with the author's note at the end of the book concerning the importance of trauma narratives. However, I personally felt that the trauma became overwhelming without a strong enough balance of hope to prevent the triggering aspects of the storyline overtaking the purpose of the novel. Perhaps it had to do with the second person narrative, but I felt being addressed as 'you' for everything Will suffers immensely triggering. Obviously people can choose to read the book or not, depending on their own histories of abuse, but I do think the choice to 'assault' the reader with the events of the novel directly was perhaps misguided, considering that the book was largely written for those who already understand and empathise Will's experiences all too well, and so risks provoking secondary trauma. I do think this is a responsibility trauma narratives need to bear in mind. With that said, I was rooting for Will throughout, and the book engenders powerful emotions, and I really liked the depiction of agender rep.
cw: child abuse; domestic violence; child endangerment; child abandonment; parental neglect; trauma; financial abuse of a minor; drug abuse.
rep: agender MC; secondary character with Tourette Syndrome.
I am grateful to have received an ARC of this book from Astra Publishing House via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
cw: child abuse; domestic violence; child endangerment; child abandonment; parental neglect; trauma; financial abuse of a minor; drug abuse.
rep: agender MC; secondary character with Tourette Syndrome.
I am grateful to have received an ARC of this book from Astra Publishing House via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
September 7, 2023
I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are mine.
A stunning, evocative, and important young adult contemporary!
I found this to be both beautifully poetic and heart-wrenchingly sad. I would definitely recommend a trigger warning somewhere, as the trauma Will recalls and goes through can be quite intense.
This is a love letter to queer kids making their way through a world that is often callous at best and cruel at worst to them. In the afterword the author mentions this is the book they wanted as a child, and I feel that in the depths of my soul.
This is queer identity and personhood, families of blood and choice, the gentle care of friends who really see you. It's also an exploration of abuse: the way it can change you, often in ways you won't know or understand for a very long time. It's grief, it's anger, it's bitter joy.
And the whole thing is in second person POV! I definitely went in wary, but MacGregor's use of this oft-maligned perspective was masterful. Will's heart, their emotional state, their grief - it's all front and centre, close to the reader in a way that I don't often see.
In conclusion: I highly recommend this, just be aware of the intensity of the subject matter at hand, and I cannot wait for 'The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester'!
A stunning, evocative, and important young adult contemporary!
I found this to be both beautifully poetic and heart-wrenchingly sad. I would definitely recommend a trigger warning somewhere, as the trauma Will recalls and goes through can be quite intense.
This is a love letter to queer kids making their way through a world that is often callous at best and cruel at worst to them. In the afterword the author mentions this is the book they wanted as a child, and I feel that in the depths of my soul.
This is queer identity and personhood, families of blood and choice, the gentle care of friends who really see you. It's also an exploration of abuse: the way it can change you, often in ways you won't know or understand for a very long time. It's grief, it's anger, it's bitter joy.
And the whole thing is in second person POV! I definitely went in wary, but MacGregor's use of this oft-maligned perspective was masterful. Will's heart, their emotional state, their grief - it's all front and centre, close to the reader in a way that I don't often see.
In conclusion: I highly recommend this, just be aware of the intensity of the subject matter at hand, and I cannot wait for 'The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester'!
July 8, 2024
The first thing you note is the way the book is written in second person, which is quite unusual for a novel. I remember books like this when I was younger, or reading to my kids, where you choose your own adventure, but without the turn to page ** after a selection of decisions to make. It took some getting used to, but it was very cleverly written.
Will is agender, and lives with their alcoholic mother who abandoned them many years before but then claimed them back. It starts with the mother dying just before Will’s 18th birthday. Can they make it until they come of age without the authorities finding out?
Will also misses their foster mother, Raz who was going to adopt them just before they were taken back by their mother. Can they find her and get the help they need?
Then there are Will’s friends, Hannah and Matt, two siblings who have had very different lives to Will but are there for them. And, then Will meets Julian who they form an instant connection with, and they are looking for Raz too.
The book has plenty of twists and turns, with lots of other stuff going on as well as being a coming of age story. Altogether a really interesting read and I’d be happy to read more from Maya McGregor. Maybe something set in the UK would be nice.
The two books are not connected and you do not have to read either one first.
Will is agender, and lives with their alcoholic mother who abandoned them many years before but then claimed them back. It starts with the mother dying just before Will’s 18th birthday. Can they make it until they come of age without the authorities finding out?
Will also misses their foster mother, Raz who was going to adopt them just before they were taken back by their mother. Can they find her and get the help they need?
Then there are Will’s friends, Hannah and Matt, two siblings who have had very different lives to Will but are there for them. And, then Will meets Julian who they form an instant connection with, and they are looking for Raz too.
The book has plenty of twists and turns, with lots of other stuff going on as well as being a coming of age story. Altogether a really interesting read and I’d be happy to read more from Maya McGregor. Maybe something set in the UK would be nice.
The two books are not connected and you do not have to read either one first.
February 17, 2026
I picked this up because I'm working on my own story about an agender person who survived horrible childhood abuse. I really wanted to like this one.
I should have read this one instead of listening to the audiobook. It felt like Vico Ortiz used an AI version of their voice with all the words that were mispronounced. I couldn't actually commit to any tension because I kept being taken out of any immersion by hearing "char-grinned" instead of chagrined, for example, a dozen times a chapter. I'm glad they got a nonbinary person to represent a nonbinary character, but having listened to several books narrated by Vico now, surely there are other nonbinary audiobook narrators out there. I want to go back and reread this with a physical copy eventually and see if I like it better that way.
I also didn't care for the second-person perspective, but it wasn't something I disliked enough to DNF. It was at least different and interesting. I think first person would have been far better.
All that said, I liked the characters and the setting well enough. I just wish I could have actually connected with them more without being taken out of the story every few minutes.
I should have read this one instead of listening to the audiobook. It felt like Vico Ortiz used an AI version of their voice with all the words that were mispronounced. I couldn't actually commit to any tension because I kept being taken out of any immersion by hearing "char-grinned" instead of chagrined, for example, a dozen times a chapter. I'm glad they got a nonbinary person to represent a nonbinary character, but having listened to several books narrated by Vico now, surely there are other nonbinary audiobook narrators out there. I want to go back and reread this with a physical copy eventually and see if I like it better that way.
I also didn't care for the second-person perspective, but it wasn't something I disliked enough to DNF. It was at least different and interesting. I think first person would have been far better.
All that said, I liked the characters and the setting well enough. I just wish I could have actually connected with them more without being taken out of the story every few minutes.
October 31, 2023
Leí el ARC gracias a NetGalley y desde el primer capítulo me gustó (si soy honesta, desde la portada).
Qué libro tan precioso, tiene muchos temas que no suelen abordarse y son necesarios, tiene representación que no es común verse y yo sé que las personas que lean este libro podrán sentirse comprendidos y abrazados.
Me gusta que esté escrito en segunda persona. Es la primera vez que leo un libro así y creo que funciona muy bien aquí porque te adentra más a la historia y sientes todo como si te estuviera pasando a ti; hace que te identifiques aunque no estés pasando por esas cosas. Entiendes más a Will y por qué piensa como lo hace.
Recomiendo este libro a todos, creo que puede ayudar a entender temas con los que no están familiarizados, o en lo contrario, sentirse comprendidos (como escribí anteriormente).
Quiero mucho a Will y a (casi) todos los personajes.
Gracias por escribir este libro.
Qué libro tan precioso, tiene muchos temas que no suelen abordarse y son necesarios, tiene representación que no es común verse y yo sé que las personas que lean este libro podrán sentirse comprendidos y abrazados.
Me gusta que esté escrito en segunda persona. Es la primera vez que leo un libro así y creo que funciona muy bien aquí porque te adentra más a la historia y sientes todo como si te estuviera pasando a ti; hace que te identifiques aunque no estés pasando por esas cosas. Entiendes más a Will y por qué piensa como lo hace.
Recomiendo este libro a todos, creo que puede ayudar a entender temas con los que no están familiarizados, o en lo contrario, sentirse comprendidos (como escribí anteriormente).
Quiero mucho a Will y a (casi) todos los personajes.
Gracias por escribir este libro.
May 29, 2025
I don't know why it took me so long to pick this up! This is definitely a new favorite YA book. Maya MacGregor just knows how to break the YA mold and create something that feels so fresh and unique. Books about teens in foster care is already a niche space, but to have a book about a teen is foster care who is also queer and autistic is such a gift. This is a heartfelt story of healing from abuse and accepting love and care into your life. The found family Will gains over the course of this novel is a beautiful thing. Raz was everything to me and the relationship between her and Will was so special! I also loved Julian's character so much and their relationship with Raz and Will. The second-person narration was also a great stylistic choice that gave this novel extra emotional weight and impact. I know this is a book that will make others feel seen and give many teen readers a new perspective. Maya MacGregor please write more YA contemporary!
September 16, 2023
Reading this in second person added to the story and provided an extra intensity to it.
- - -
“So. Will. Will the Monster, here we are, and here you are.
Your life is about to change.
Ready?”
“Sometimes the only way we can unravel the tangled mess of lies others have told us about ourselves is to step outside it, just for a little while. To look at ourselves from a distance and consider how we would feel about watching our lives play out through the eyes of someone who loves us.
Sometimes that's the only way we can catch even the barest flickering glimmer that tells us we are allowed to love ourselves.”
“So take a moment.
Close your eyes.
Take a breath.
Good. That’s good.
Open your eyes.
Here’s the part where you decide what happens next.”
- - -
“So. Will. Will the Monster, here we are, and here you are.
Your life is about to change.
Ready?”
“Sometimes the only way we can unravel the tangled mess of lies others have told us about ourselves is to step outside it, just for a little while. To look at ourselves from a distance and consider how we would feel about watching our lives play out through the eyes of someone who loves us.
Sometimes that's the only way we can catch even the barest flickering glimmer that tells us we are allowed to love ourselves.”
“So take a moment.
Close your eyes.
Take a breath.
Good. That’s good.
Open your eyes.
Here’s the part where you decide what happens next.”
June 24, 2025
3.75
i quite enjoyed this book! i flew through it really quickly, the simple, straightforward writing style and quick pace certainly worked in the book’s favor. i really loved the use of the second person, it enabled the reader to feel extra invested, like you were truly experiencing the story for yourself— making this a very special read. also, as a marylander, seeing the state the story was set in being so present throughout the course of the book was really exciting— i lit up whenever a location i recognized popped up! i do think that the characters and their relationships could have been a little bit further fleshed out, but overall it got done what needed to be done, and i really enjoyed this book! the ending really had me tearing up as well :3
i quite enjoyed this book! i flew through it really quickly, the simple, straightforward writing style and quick pace certainly worked in the book’s favor. i really loved the use of the second person, it enabled the reader to feel extra invested, like you were truly experiencing the story for yourself— making this a very special read. also, as a marylander, seeing the state the story was set in being so present throughout the course of the book was really exciting— i lit up whenever a location i recognized popped up! i do think that the characters and their relationships could have been a little bit further fleshed out, but overall it got done what needed to be done, and i really enjoyed this book! the ending really had me tearing up as well :3
November 14, 2023
Well-written. Intense. Laudable. Lovely. Maya MacGregor's The Evolving Truth of Ever-Stronger Will can be described by all of these adjectives and more. Reading Will's story through the second person perspective was a little jarring to me at first, but ultimately this narrative style makes the book infinitely more intimate and impactful, and I cannot imagine reading it through any other point of view. I am so appreciative of this beautiful book and am grateful it has a home on my bookshelf now.
Thank you to Astra Books for my copy of this book, won in a Goodreads giveaway. And thank you to Maya MacGregor for their message in the book's dedication. 💛🤍💜🖤
Thank you to Astra Books for my copy of this book, won in a Goodreads giveaway. And thank you to Maya MacGregor for their message in the book's dedication. 💛🤍💜🖤
January 10, 2024
This book was written in second-person, which is really unusual. It was a little difficult to get used to, because it felt like the main character was speaking to themselves in the narration. I think this is the only book I've ever read that is written entirely in second-person. But, getting past that, this book is amazing. The characters feel real and the situations are heartbreakingly evoked. Complicated emotions are handled delicately and adeptly. The world created here is one that gives the reader hope for the future.
April 10, 2024
i NEED more people to read this book, it was so incredible and i just didn’t want to put it down. almost every single character is so lovable, and i could really tell that the author put their whole heart and soul into this. i really can’t wait to read their other works, because this book was truly beautiful and i’m putting it on my list of favorite books this year :’)
seriously, if you haven’t read it already, PLEASE DO- it has great queer rep, a super engaging second person pov, found family, and way more.
seriously, if you haven’t read it already, PLEASE DO- it has great queer rep, a super engaging second person pov, found family, and way more.
November 12, 2025
A truly wonderful book. This story is so needed; not only do trans people deserve to have their stories told, but non-trans people need to listen to those stories. It’s a distressing topic, and the abuse is tough to read about, but the hopeful ending made it worth the read. I found the use of 2d person POV especially intriguing, as it gave the intensely person story a bit of distance and deeper perspective. I would definitely recommend.
July 2, 2023
Thank you Edleweiss+ for the eARC! There is a lot to enjoy in this book (agender representation, a sweet romance, found family) and I think teens will empathize with Will's experience of fear, abuse, and feeling neglected. However, I usually like second person POV but the writing style just wasn't my jam.
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