I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST

𝐈 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭
𝐁𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐏𝐮𝐬𝐡
𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: 𝟑𝟑𝟔
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐁𝐨𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬/ 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓𝐐/ 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓𝐐+
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒


When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they are thrown out of their home and must move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never met. Struggling with anxiety and the trauma of their parents' rejection, Ben confides only in Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist while trying to stay under the radar at their new school.
However, Ben's plans to quietly finish their senior year are interrupted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, takes an interest in them. As Ben and Nathan's friendship deepens, their feelings for each other shift, turning what initially seemed like a disaster into a potential new beginning for a happier life.

Ben's character lacks depth and development despite the first-person narrative. They grapple with anxiety and depression after being kicked out for coming out as nonbinary. Although their struggles are understandable, given the new school, living situation, and trauma, Ben never moves beyond wallowing in their pain. As the protagonist, the story revolves around them, but their indifference towards those who offer support and try to connect with them is frustrating. This is what I felt about the Ben character.
The way things ended with Hannah was particularly disappointing. She didn't deserve to be blamed or subjected to Ben's anger. She deserved to have her voice heard and her perspective taken into account. Every story should present multiple angles, but this one only offers Ben's feelings and opinions. This lack of depth extends to all the characters, who exist solely to support Ben without unique qualities or histories.
At first, Nathan's loud and outgoing personality was quite annoying. Extroverts like him can swiftly drain the energy of introverts like Ben. However, Nathan's persistent efforts to get to know Ben proved to be a blessing. Without Nathan, Ben would have been nearly friendless at school.
None of the other characters have any depth, including Nathan. They fail to stand on their own and merely validate Ben. The lack of character growth made for an uninteresting and unsatisfying reading experience. I wanted to appreciate this book, particularly, as it features a nonbinary main character, but it ultimately fell short for me. The language is straightforward, making it a fast-paced read.

Although the author and I might have different beliefs regarding gender, I can still appreciate their work for what it is: a moving story of love, friendship, and self-discovery. Although I had a few minor issues with the novel, I found it an enjoyable book. It had its dark moments, but it was also heartwarming, and everyone interested in pride books should read this book.

My Rating:

3/5

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