The second in a series about Ciel, a Brazilian Canadian, gender nonconforming, transgender teen who has just started high school. Here, Ciel at first seems to be settling in, but life soon keeps them busy in all directions. Their YouTube channel is gaining viewers after a mention by a popular drag queen, so they are trying to create even more buzz by featuring their younger brother in his drag persona. Ciel also decides to run for a leadership position in their school’s Gender Sexuality Alliance after having to deal with the current president’s transphobia. And their feelings for their friend Liam, a trans boy, may be deepening into something more.
As in the first book, this novel offers a look at Ciel’s stream of consciousness as they go about their life, blending situations that any teen might encounter with ones specific to trans teens. Particularly notable are the many trans and other queer characters, including some new ones, not all of whom have the same attitudes towards LGBTQ identities and issues. Another delightful book that offers a sense of the diverse queer community as well as one queer character’s perspective.
Translated by Andrea Zanin.
