Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
I first experienced the writings of Kacen Callender when I read their book “King and the Dragonflies” last year.
It was an absolutely beautiful story and so tremendously written.
And so necessary.
Their stories–while fictional—give so much real, honest and tender insight into the lives of many teens in the LGBTQIA+ community, especially those who are also BIPOC too.
I am so so so so so glad that there are authors like them out there, speaking to and giving voice to the stories of so many kids out there who have been ignored, silenced and mistreated for WAY too long.
Here is the official summary of the book:
“Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.
When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle….
But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.
Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve.”
This is a story about a trans teen who is struggling to discover his full identity. Felix is wrestling with the question that so many young adults all over the world ask themselves over and over:
“Who am I REALLY????”
There is a plethora of dialogue in these pages between the teen characters about discovering sexuality, shedding societal and familial labels, traditional assigned gender roles and stereotyping, and true acceptance of self and of others.
The conversations feel real and raw and emotional and TRUE—and also challenge the reader to examine their OWN thoughts and behaviors in regards to these things.
The reader’s understanding and empathy will grow leaps and bounds as restrictive biases and ignorances are torn down and destroyed.
There have been PLENTY of times I have read YA books—and even adult books—-where dialogue like this feels anything BUT real and true.
Often times it feels forced or inauthentic… or has ABC After School Special vibes. Like the author is just trying too hard to address every single hot button issue of the day in the most PC way possible.
(Perfect recent example: EVERY SINGLE EPISODE of the ‘Sex and the City’ series sequel ‘And Just Like That’. 😑 OMG. CRINGEWORTHY doesn’t even cut it. IYKYK)
There is NOTHING about this story that feels inauthentic. It is the COMPLETE opposite.
This story really digs into why traditional labels of gender and pronouns are so limiting and exclusionary….and how they can be really really harmful.
Trying to fit into a teensy little box that society has created just does not make sense for a whole lot of human beings.
This is a love story–but teen romance isn’t the main focus (although there is plenty…I mean, it IS a YA book!)
Mostly it’s about the journey taken to arrive at SELF love. The pain it takes to get there, the awkwardness in figuring it all out, the doubt that tries to overcome, the obstacles that stand in the way….and the beauty that awaits when acceptance arrives. ❤
There are a few parts of the general storyline that ARE a little predictable–but that is just a part of the YA genre you come to accept when you’re a fan.
There IS frequent drug and alcohol use and sexual interactions among the teen characters that is pretty normalized. I have to admit that it would make me a bit uneasy for my own teenager to read 😬
HOWEVER…
I am not naiive enough to think that drugs and alcohol and sex aren’t a regular occurance in high school student’s lives and they have been since the dawn of forever. The kids in this story are 17 years old and I CLEARLY remember the things I got into at their age was NOT much different (sorry to my parents if you’re reading this! 😬)
Preventing a teen from reading about these things in a fictional story doesn’t do a DAMN THING to make it not happen in their lives or in their peers lives.
ALSO…those are just MINOR details of the story and of the character’s lives. Everything else in these pages is SO MUCH MORE important.
I would not prevent my teen or any other from reading it for that very reason. (although…I don’t think my kid at 15 is mature enough quite yet…but in about a year or so, most definitely!)
If you are a parent or guardian or educator of teens, read this book yourself first to make that decision for the teens in your own life.
This was a fantastic story that is messy, complicated, beautiful and just full of LOVE.
Open your heart, open your mind, and then go open this book.