Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

“White shouldn’t be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn’t even be a default.”~ Simon Spier I’ve been hearing a lot about Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda over the past several months and it’s been on my wishlist for a while now. After learning that it’s going to be made into a movie called “Love, Simon”, I moved it to the top of my TBR list. This is an excellent story about a teenage boy who has to deal with the aftermath of coming out to everyone at his high school when another student finds out his secret and threatens to blackmail him. Here is the blurb: Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met. Incredibly funny and poignant, this twenty-first-century coming-of-age, coming out story — wrapped in a geek romance—is a knockout of a debut novel by Becky Albertalli. -- Never walk away from your computer -- Simon learned this the hard way. He walks away from his computer for just a moment, forgetting to close down his email program, which, unfortunately, gets into the wrong hands. Another student, Martin Addison, walks by Simon’s abandoned computer and discovers that Simon has been anonymously corresponding with a boy named “Blue” and the two have been discussing their lives, including being gay. Up to this point, Blue is the only one who knows that Simon is gay. Simon and Blue met via an anonymous Tumblr post and since then, have been emailing each other on almost a daily basis. Though Blue goes to the same school as Simon, neither of them know the other’s identity, thus creating a safe atmosphere to discuss those serious issues that they can’t so easily talk about with anyone else. Martin takes a screenshot of the emails and then blackmails Simon into getting his friend, Abby, to date him. -- The Blackmail Begins -- Holding up his end of the bargain, Simon invites Martin (who is seriously annoying, by the way) to hang out with him and Abby on several occasions, fearful that Martin will reveal Simon’s secret to the entire school. At this point of the book, even Simon’s best friend Leah doesn’t know that he’s gay and he wants to keep it that way — at least for the time being. Fearful that Blue would terminate his friendship with Simon if he found out that someone had taken a screenshot of their email, Simon keeps this new secret to himself as well. What worked for me in this book was that Simon didn’t struggle with being gay. He knew he was gay and fully accepted himself. He never tried to deny who he was. What he did struggle with was how his loved ones might potential react to the news. -- The Emails -- I loved reading the email exchanges between Simon and Blue, especially once they began to become more flirtatious. There was a teasing yet caring tone to their emails, leading to an amazing build-up between the two of them that wasn’t rushed or forced. It was obvious that has the days and weeks past, the connection between the two of the deepened as their friendship moved organically into something bigger. These two characters really came to life for me as their relationship blossomed and I quickly became enamored with the both of them, wishing and hoping for a happy ending for the both of them. As with any online relationship, there are the fears that crop up before we meet the person: Will they like us? What if they don’t find me attractive? What if I don’t find him/her attractive? All of these things run through Simon’s mind, making the situation all the more realistic, and I found myself having the same fears as Simon. As a ready, I wanted Simon and Blue to have their HEA. -- Coming Out Slowly -- As their relationship deepened (though it was still anonymous), they both decided that perhaps it was time to come out. First Blue to his family and then Simon to his friend Abby, leading them to discuss the fear and uncertainty they felt before finally letting the cat out of the bag. It’s apparent that it’s their feelings for each that gives them the courage to take the first steps in the coming out process. Luckily for the both of them, Blue’s parents were supportive as was Abby. Simon still not quite ready to tell anyone else though. He wants to come out on his terms at his own pace, though he does plan on telling his own parents soon. -- A Forced Coming Out -- Of course, Simon’s secret gets out (I’m not giving out any spoilers here – we learn this fact in the blurb), and everything changes for Simon. Within one day, everyone at school learns that Simon Spier is gay — and given that we know Blue is a student at Simon’s High School, it’s not too hard to figure out that he’s learned Simon’s identity as well. In fact, during an email exchange, Blue states “I think I know who you are”. Simon still doesn’t know the mysterious Blue’s identity, however, and it’s amusing to observe Simon as he studies the boys at his school, trying to guess which one of them could be Blue. He finally thinks he narrows it down to two boys. Now he just needs to figure out which one it is. Now I will say that there are some clues as to Blue’s identity sprinkled throughout the book through the author does a great job of throwing us off track and making it difficult to guess. I didn’t quite guess the identity of Blue as much as hoped. -- The Fallout -- Coming out is never easy, especially when it wasn’t your decision. We see this in the aftermath: friendships are strained (possibly lost) for good and relationships are threatened. The author did a fine job of portraying the possible fallout for a high school student being forced out of the closet. It was also cringe-worthy seeing that someone could be as cruel as Martin (though not surprising — he was a right jerk). Of course, Simon is devastated. Not only is he upset because his friendships are on shaky grounds, he feels robbed, resentful and violated. Coming out was something he wanted to do on his own terms, and because of his blackmailer, that decision was taken away from him . . .and then there’s Blue. -- The Big Reveal -- So do we eventually learn Blue’s identity? If we didn’t, it certainly would have been a frustrating book – the kind you’d throw across the room. Luckily, it didn’t come to that, and we do learn Blue’s identity — and wow! What a sweet scene! I’m guessing that it’d be difficult for many people to read this scene without tearing up. I know I was reaching for the tissues (but it a good way!). -- The Verdict -- I loved this book on so many levels, and it completely stole my heart. This book expertly showed the struggles that not just a gay teenager but that most teenagers go through on a daily basis. The book is told from Simon’s first-person point of view, and I found him lovable, funny, witty, intelligent, likable and brave; and though somewhat flawed (as we all are), he’s an all-around great kid. But most of all, I found him true to himself. I could relate to so much of what he was going through, and in this way, it felt that his character was genuine and believable. In fact, all of the characters in the book were well-rounded and realistic, and I enjoyed the dynamic between them. Simon vs the Home Sapiens Agenda is a sweet, tender and heartwarming coming-of-age story about friendship, first love, coming out and the power of friendship and family that has an appeal to everyone, both teens, and adults. I can tell you that this particular adult loved it. Though the book does deal with some tougher issues such as bullying, betrayal, and misunderstandings, the positive aspects well outweigh the negative. This book has definitely made my top reads list and is one of those books that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling at the end. A truly satisfying read. I definitely give this book 5 stars! This review originally posted on my blog at rogerhyttinen.com.

this is a book i know will stay with me forever (or at least for a long long time). if you don’t already know, this is a “gay” book. even if you feel uncomfortable or somewhat opposed to people of LGBTQ, i still believe you should read simon vs. i’ve read other novels that are LGBTQ, but i’ve never read one that was as wholeheartedly and honest as simon vs. everything was so relatable. in other novels, it was clear and obvious the characters that were LGBTQ were sorta different: in the way they act, speak, dress, etc. etc. however in simon vs., that was most certainly not the case. after reading this novel, i’ve realized that people who are LGBTQ are just like everyone else. there really isn’t a difference between gays and straights, except the preference in gender; in the end, that’s all there is. reading things from simon’s perspective, we could also see how the LGBTQ community is generally treated. it was beautiful to see people who were incredibly supportive, but also people who were just downright awful. i loved every bit of that. it was completely genuine and true. we saw everything: the good, the bad, and the ugly. my favorite aspect of the novel was how casual simon and his friends spoke of being gay. they would often joke about it – but not in anyway i found insulting or condescending. people often make this a huge deal, which i suppose it is a big deal, but sometime it shouldn’t have to be a big deal. if you think about it, being gay/straight/etc is only a big deal because people make it a big deal. why should it really matter? it’s just a small part of who we/you are. i find it similar to a person’s race. for example, it’s not like you’re going to see someone and instantly judge them because of their race (if you do, then go away). the same should be said about a persons’ sexual orientation. simon was an extremely sarcastic and funny character, so i couldn’t help but smile and grin the entire time. no, seriously, i couldn’t read this book in public because i would (literally) laugh out loud and smile to myself. people were definitely giving me strange looks, but i have no regrets because i looooooove it so much! (eventually i resorted to happily reading in my room.) the main reason why i enjoyed this book so much was because IT WAS SO CUTE. the interactions between simon and blue made me want to squeal; i couldn’t help but root for them until the very end. the relationships between everyone were truly genuine and lovely and just.. *content sigh*. his family and friends were great and everything was <3. simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda was like a diary. because the writing seemed like this, there were parts i really enjoyed, but also parts i didn’t like. i loved how we could hear and see simon’s internal dialogue. i mean, he’s hilarious and very relatable. i got to connect with simon much more because i knew what he was thinking. but, there were parts in the beginning i was left confused. since simon already knows these characters, there’s no introduction. we meet everyone and it’s like an information dump and you’re kind of left stranded like, “what’s going on?” also, there are less descriptions. i don’t describe people in my head, so it makes sense for the writing to be this way. but, i found it hard to visualize characters, places, etc. it was a quick read, which has it’s good and it’s bad. it’s a wonderful book to read in between huge series because it’s quite tiny, but because of that you’re left wanting more. the book concluded wonderfully, but since it’s so short i feel like i need just *holds fingers .00001 cm apart* that much more. overall, i loved this book. it was honest; it was hilarious; it was adorable; it was so much more. becky albertalli created a true masterpiece from beginning to end. with a easygoing prose, the story was filled with love, finding yourself, and truth for the LGBTQ community. i’ve come to realize that many people are simply ignorant to the way LGBTQ people are it may not be their intention to be condescending or offensive; they’re simply oblivious to it all. i would recommend this book to… um, everyone. *whispers* go read it. originally posted on: http://www.twirlingpages.com/2015/04/23/review-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-becky-albertalli/

People have been recommending this book to me for a solid year or more, and I've owned a copy since January, but I kept putting it off. I finally realized I had only put it off so long because it had been hyped so hard for me that I was scared I would be let down! I can safely say I wasn't. Simon is a really enjoyable narrator in that authentic, teen sort of way: he's a little bratty at times, he can be incredibly self-centered, and some of his views on things are warped (see below), but at his core, he's got a heart of gold and he's such a fun perspective to read the story through. He made my heart ache a few times over his coming-out process, because I remember how hard it was to be a closeted, queer teen, and I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything would be okay. ❤ Blue, Simon's penpal, is such a cute little guy and I loved reading the banter between these two! Sadly, someone on twitter had spoiled the secret of who Blue was a freaking week before I started reading the book. I think I would have enjoyed it so much more if I'd been able to be wrapped up in the mystery of who the penpal was, but obviously, that isn't the book's fault. The entire book is, from cover to cover, pure fluffy cuteness. There are so many little bits here and there that are sure to give you warm fuzzies and a smile. Simon would be a fantastic book to pick up to pull yourself out of a slump, because the quick pacing and the cuteness are sure to draw most YA readers out of their ruts. The banter between Simon Simon has some minor areas of being problematic here and there, but there's one specific moment worth highlighting: "I guess there are a few lesbian and bisexual girls, but I think it's different for girls. Maybe it's easier. If there's one thing the Tumblr has taught me, it's that a lot of guys consider it hot when a girl is a lesbian." This baffled me a little, but I thought, Oh, it's just the character talking, it's not like those are Becky's thoughts... or are they? It never gets challenged. It's frustrating enough in the real world to be told that bisexual women don't have hard lives (while we're simultaneously being shunned by both straight culture AND queer culture), but to see it in a book that's meant to positively portray queer characters is just sigh-worthy. Another thing that irked me a bit was Simon's trip to the gay bar in Atlanta. Out of all of the experiences that he could've had, we choose to go with the stereotype of him being picked up by a beautiful, slim, flamboyant, white blonde man who gives him drinks without checking his age? Obviously, that's an actual scenario that happens, but if you're picking Atlanta - one of the most diverse cities in the nation - as your setting, you could really do with a little more diversity than that, right? None of these are problems that were enough to make me dislike the book by any means, and I'm not trying to start any arguments or sway any opinions. These were just a few minor things that bugged me about the book, and they contributed to my lowering the rating a star.and Blue, as I mentioned, is flirty and fun and adorable and I wanted more, more more. Simon has some minor areas of being problematic here and there, but there's one specific moment worth highlighting: "I guess there are a few lesbian and bisexual girls, but I think it's different for girls. Maybe it's easier. If there's one thing the Tumblr has taught me, it's that a lot of guys consider it hot when a girl is a lesbian." This baffled me a little, but I thought, Oh, it's just the character talking, it's not like those are Becky's thoughts... or are they? It never gets challenged. It's frustrating enough in the real world to be told that bisexual women don't have hard lives (while we're simultaneously being shunned by both straight culture AND queer culture), but to see it in a book that's meant to positively portray queer characters is just sigh-worthy. Another thing that irked me a bit was Simon's trip to the gay bar in Atlanta. Out of all of the experiences that he could've had, we choose to go with the stereotype of him being picked up by a beautiful, slim, flamboyant, white blonde man who gives him drinks without checking his age? Obviously, that's an actual scenario that happens, but if you're picking Atlanta - one of the most diverse cities in the nation - as your setting, you could really do with a little more diversity than that, right? None of these are problems that were enough to make me dislike the book by any means, and I'm not trying to start any arguments or sway any opinions. These were just a few minor things that bugged me about the book, and they contributed to my lowering the rating a star. Was I disappointed in this book that had been so strongly hyped for me? No, not at all! Did I think it was as ground-breaking as many of my peers do? No, not at all. It's a cute story with some decent rep and fun characters, but I doubt I'll rush to reread it and it definitely doesn't make my "top queer contemporaries" list. I'll be sure to check out more of Becky's writing in the future, though!

This review was originally posted on the Goldilox and the Three Weres blog. It took me far too long to read this book but I was the human personification of the heart-eyes emoji by the time I was done. This was absolutely adorable and perfect! I loved that it was diverse and so positive. It's kind of like a YA You've Got Mail but without the whole enemies to lovers subplot. The only problem I had with it was that it ended. I just want more Simon and Blue goodness! And maybe an oreo milkshake. I wasn't planning to read the whole thing so quickly but once I started I just couldn’t stop. And I can't begin to explain how happy I am that I read this book. It's one of those books that will make an impact on your heart and change your way of thinking. What I loved most about it was that the book was lighthearted while making that impact. Essentially the story is about a teenager that hangs out with his friends, has a crush on someone, and rehearses for the school musical. But it is also a deeply emotional book about a teenage boy and his struggle to remain himself without being stereotyped as the gay guy or having it be his whole identity. The story follows Simon throughout his year of coming out and finding love – two things he wasn’t really planning on doing anytime soon. Through a post on the school Tumblr page, Simon finds this guy who goes by the pseudonym, Blue, who happens to be gay and not out like him. They start to talk via email without having any idea about the other person’s identity. They start to grow closer and start sharing details of their lives that they haven't shared with anyone else. They’re so adorable and they have such sweet and hilarious conversations that I couldn't help but grin like a madman the whole time I was reading. Simon was such a lovable guy and so insightful already at his age about what he wanted and how he felt about himself. He was confident and comfortable in his own skin most of the time. Of course, he had low and high points throughout the book but how everything felt real. I can't stress enough about how well-written this book was. He also had some amazing friends and family surrounding him. Simon's family was everything! I loved their interactions with each other. One of the things I loved about this book was how positive and supportive both Simon and Blue's families were. The Spiers have totally made my list of favorite fictional families. I about died laughing when they were doing the Facebook Scavenger Hunt. I also loved Simon's friend group. It was large and diverse and wasn't the same old cliche we see in some YA books. Each character was well fleshed out and had their own diverse personalities. It was so refreshing not to see the same old nerd vs jock storyline we see all the time. I loved seeing the anime kids, theater geeks, cheerleaders, and soccer players sitting at one table and being friends. It was more reminiscent of how my high school was than any other YA I've read in recent years. Since most of the characters are high school age, there was some drama and a few fights but everything was worked out in the end. I seriously loved the romance in this book! Watching Simon and Blue fall in love via email was absolutely adorable! I kept trying to figure out who Blue was the whole time and I was right! From the first line, they interacted I hoped he would be Blue and I was so glad when he actually was because I didn’t want it to be anyone else. I kind of squealed when his identity was revealed and my ship was confirmed! I came out of this reading experience with a new favorite book, a go-to Pride rec, and a persistent craving for an Oreo milkshake that did not go away until I finally got one. PSA: You'll want to have Oreos or Reese's handy while reading this because Simon's sweet tooth will get you craving all the things. I really can’t recommend this book enough. I've already started buying copies to give to friends so they can read it before the movie (which I am 100% here for!) comes out. I loved this book so much! I can't wait to read the other book Becky Albertalli has written. She has become one of my auto-buy authors after just one book.

Everyone, aka Lindsay Ribar and Dahlia Adler, told me that Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda was a Christina book. While I totally love this, it also makes me nervous. What if I let them down? And Becky’s a local author, so disliking her book could be totally awkward and angst angst angst. I worried for absolutely no reason, because freaking obviously Dahlia and Lindsay were all sorts of right, and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is just the cutest freaking book. First off, I love Simon. His voice is absolute perfection. I didn’t quite instalove on his narration, but I actually love that too. Simon takes time to open up to people. He’s not the easiest guy in the world to get to know, because he really doesn’t like having people all up in his business. While popular and friends with most everybody, Simon’s a bit reserved and judgmental. He’s a sweet guy, but he’s also stubborn and swears a lot, which also makes me love him even more. The reason Simon’s so secretive, even with his best friends, is his family. He loves them, but they’re also overwhelmingly interested. I empathize, Simon. He holds information back because people make such a big deal about it and it really makes him nervous. The family dynamics are truly perfect, though. The whole family is so loving, which doesn’t mean perfect obviously. The parents are very present and do things like grounding their kids. Also, the family traditions like Facebook status hunting and Bachelorette viewing are so adorable. Then there are the friend group dynamics. Simon’s closest friends have always been Leah and Nick, but, lately, Abby, a transfer, has become part of the group. It’s thrown off the dynamics in a big way, especially since Leah likes Nick, who likes Abby. Simon, in his typical way, is trying to avoid the drama getting to him, which in turn causes problems. Establishing groups of friends and actually giving all of them screen time is really tricky—there’s a reason most YA characters have a singular friend—but Albertalli really pulls it off. The tension between Abby and Leah is especially well-handled; it could easily have felt like girl hate, but it’s way more than that. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is framed around Simon’s email romance with a mystery guy he calls Blue. For about five seconds, I thought that was the guy’s real name and was doing some serious side-eye, but it’s all good. The rapport between Simon and Blue via email is super adorable. Though Blue doesn’t want to reveal his real identity, they also open up about a lot of stuff they don’t feel comfortable telling anyone irl. It’s so much easier to talk to people online, and that really makes their flirtation work. The two talk a lot about coming out. Simon‘s sort of about that, but I’d say it’s more about finding yourself in general. Simon and Blue do come out over the course of the book, but it’s not a huge deal. I also like that Simon talks about how revealing anything new about himself feels like coming out, and that really everyone should come out, because there’s no reason to assume someone’s straight either. Albertalli also touches on the way that casual jokes that aren’t meant to harm can really be upsetting in Simon’s relationship with his dad. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is most definitely a fluffy romance, but it is also designed top open eyes and make people consider how heteronormativity continues to be an underpinning of society. Simon, in trying to figure out who Blue is, checks out a lot of guys. I love this. He has someone he’s mentally chosen to cast as Blue in his fantasies, but he’s basically got minor crushes on several people. This is so true to my own teen experience and in YA characters are so often only into THE ONE. The dynamics in this book are just spot on. Also, I called the ship immediately and I was right and it was beautiful. Finally, remember how I mentioned Albertalli’s a local author? I actually even picked this book up free at Decatur Book Festival last August. Anyway, it’s set in Atlanta, which is a special pleasure for me. I particularly delighted in the comment that this one kid has a southern accent and how weird that is. People from most anywhere else are always asking why I don’t have an accent. The novel also reflects the diversity I’m used to seeing in my daily life. Similarly, I think the reaction to Simon being gay fit pretty well with Atlanta and what things were like in my high school. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is so good that I spent the last half of the book literally yelling AWWWW at it out loud. This is not necessarily normal behavior for me. *shoves Simon at everyone*

Atlanta area high school junior Simon is a fairly typical kid; he’s got a solid group of friends, a loving family, does well in school, and is really into musical theatre. He also has a secret: he’s got a secret pen pal he has a serious crush on that he suspects is requited...and neither one of them is quite ready to come out, despite Simon acknowledging he’d probably still be accepted and loved by his family - he’s just not there yet. However, when Simon accidentally leaves his browser on in the school library, a fellow student running for douche of the year finds it and decides to exploit it, blackmailing Simon into trying to get his best friend Abby to fall for said douchemonster. Failure to do so results in said Dmonster posting the emails on the school Tumblr, because this is a contemporary novel. I think it goes without saying that Abby can probably do better, and that Simon struggles figure out a way to protect the identity of his crush (who he really wants to meet) and what to do. Is he ready to out himself, and can he survive being outed and losing his pen pal? This book is nothing short of extraordinary - simple, yet complex. The characters aren’t perfect (Simon can be kind of an unappreciative jerk, and knows it) but I think it’s what makes this book a really strong coming out story, perhaps the best I’ve read. Real people have real nuances, and so do the humans in this book! It is, in short, excellent, because it is so, so, so completely normal and not at all contrived. It's just normal kids, doing normal things, in a normal world: a normal kid coming out of the closet and all the normal crippling anxiety that comes with it, even in a relatively supportive, relatively decent community. Nothing highly stylized or sensational, super relatable, super fabulous. It's a coming out book, but what is that if not a coming of age book? It's really the story of a young man figuring out who he is in the world and how he fits into it. Sure, it wraps up in a lovely way, and gosh darnit if I wasn’t gooey about it, but it also doesn’t totally simplify making the douchemonster a douchemonster. Even he is still just a kid, a kid who gradually comes to realize the gravity and cruelty of his actions in a way that is satisfying and heartbreaking all the same, and that there are some wrongs you can’t right or undo. It’s also welcome to discover a book that has as much diversity in the cast of characters as this does. It should come as no surprise that the author is clinical psychologist who works with teens and children and has a non-conforming gender group for them, but it should come as a surprise that this is her very first book! Well done, madam. I look forward to more! This is an extremely strong recommendation for all high school collections or YA collections, with strong adult appeal as well. In fact, it’s not a recommendation; I’d go so far as to call this required reading, of the spoonful of sugar variety! (PS. Calling this for awards - at least a Stonewall! It’s been a seriously great year for LGBTQ youth titles. Keep up the good work, publishers!)

(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Same Sex Book Reviews. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars) One great thing about having a bunch of authors on my Facebook friend list is that a lot of them post links to books they’ve read and recommend. The other day, one of them posted a link to this book on Amazon. He stated if anyone hadn’t read this book, they needed to. OK, I figured, I usually get my books for free through our blog and then write an honest review on them. But this time, I hit one click. It was only $1.99, so I figured what the heck, not a huge investment. I’m glad I clicked on it, but I’m not 100% sure what all the hype is about. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, was an entertaining, young adult level book. We meet then sixteen-year-old Simon Spier, a gay, but in the closet, young man who has been corresponding to another teen on line via email. They use anonymous names and although they know they go to the same school, they don’t know who the other is. One day Simon leaves the computer too quickly and forgets to close down his Gmail account all the way. Another teen, logging onto the computer, sees the email history between Simon and the other teen, who goes by “Blue”, and prints it out. Simon has something the other boy, Martin, doesn’t have. Lots and lots of friends, and one girl in particular that Martin has a serious crush on. Blackmail ensues, and Simon works to have his secret not be released to the whole world. What follows is a coming out tale, with a little drama and a happy ending. That said, I did have some issues with this story, which have to push my rating down. As someone who went through the “forced out” process when a friend reported me to the military and it led to my public outing and eventual discharge, I had a LOT of angst. Granted he is 16/17 and I was 21, but I think I know what I’m talking about here. There is no way that a kid being outed to his entire school would be so calm about it. The instant acceptance by all friends, family members, teachers, and most of the student body was unrealistic and the bullying events were downplayed. I found it particularly unrealistic since it took place in Georgia, which isn’t known for its liberalism. This book reads like it is written for high school students, maybe to be read in class. It is too sweet, too understanding, and just too much. We’re in love and it is happily ever after doesn’t happen in the real world like it did in this book. I thought the book was good. I’m going to rate it 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. I liked it, and it showed above average writing, but it could have used some real life angst thrown in to make it a much better and more realistic book. It was too much rainbows and unicorns and cotton candy for me. Final opinion…too sweet and not really enough substance…kind of like those ABC After School Specials that used to run back in the eighties.

Let me start out by saying that I have never, not once in my life, sat down and a read a book in its entirety without stopping. Simon Vs wasn’t exactly what I was expecting; it was so much better. Never in my life have I read a book cover to cover without stopping. From start to finish it was incredibly entertaining. Simon is such a great character, and I loved spending time in his head. He’s quirky and weird without being too over the top, and he’s completely relatable. He’s an outstanding character with amazing friends. Sure, he’s not perfect, by any means, but he’s real. His whole story is real. He has struggles between family, friends, classmates, and himself, but it’s far from your typical angst-ridden coming out story. Right away, this novel gave me very David Levithan-esque vibes (think his half of Will Grayson, Will Grayson) though less angsty and with an overall happier main character. Simon knows he’s gay, and though he’s accepted it, hasn’t told anyone yet, not even his best friends, Nick, Leah, and Abby. The only person that knows is an anonymous student at his school who goes by Blue. While keeping their identities a secret from each other, they learn more about the other person through email than most of their friends know. Blue has become Simon’s confidant, his refuge, and his first love, even if he has no idea who he is. Albertalli really outdid herself with this book. Reading it was like being wrapped up in a warm hug, with a perfect dosage of reality. She really captured the feeling of the setting and characters, making them so real that they felt like my friends, too. Typically, it’s hard for me to relate to stories set in high school, but Simon Vs sucked me in and made me feel part of the story, like I was there watching everything unfold first hand. I felt like I had transported into Simon’s world. I experienced his anger, cheered with him during his happy moments, and wanted to comfort him when he was down. I felt every single one of Simon’s emotions, good and bad. I loved absolutely everything about this book. While I didn’t want it to end, I felt the conclusion was perfect. It didn’t leave me feeling empty or confused. It was just right. Simon Vs left me with a book hangover lasting over a week. Even as I read other books, this one was still lingering in the back of my mind. I look forward to reading more of Albertalli’s work. Without a question, I give this book 5/5 stars.