Ciel is a Brazilian Canadian, gender nonconforming, transgender teen about to start high school. They dream of becoming a YouTube star, but with popularity come trolls, especially when Ciel posts about trans issues (although the trolls also use racial/ethnic slurs). Their best friend Stephie, a trans girl, has always been someone Ciel could rely on, but Stephie has told Ciel she doesn’t want anyone at the high school to know she’s trans, and this strains their relationship. Ciel’s romantic relationship is having difficulties, too, since their boyfriend Eiríkur has moved back to Iceland and isn’t responding to their e-mails.
On top of this, Ciel must also fight to have their school use their proper name and pronouns, not to mention establish gender neutral bathrooms. Even the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, where one might assume they would find support, is less than welcoming and understanding. But then Ciel meets a swim star named Liam, a trans boy, who is becoming a new friend.
The 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. Notable are the many trans and other queer characters, not all of whom have the same attitudes towards LGBTQ identities and issues.
The translation from the French, by David Homel, feels occasionally a little stilted, but the many queer characters and Ciel’s first-person perspective on their life make this a recommended read.
First in a series.
