Publishers Weekly
04/17/2023
Bisexual 17-year-old Claire Kemp’s summer plans—escaping her family’s cramped apartment in Trappe, Pa., to hang out with her transgender best friend and secret crush Sophia—are dashed when she totals Lars, her beloved first car. To pay off fines from the crash, she starts working at a local nursing home, where she meets 85-year-old lesbian Lena. As Lena recounts stories from her own past that help Claire feel more confident in her queerness, Claire begins dating classmate Pen. She hopes that their budding romance will lead to her much-anticipated “sexual debut” and also help her get over her feelings for Sophia. But Sophia’s own new relationship with a controlling boy means she has less time for Claire, causing their friendship to fray. Meanwhile, familial conflicts surrounding whether or not Claire and her brother Chris, who is gay, should come out to their parents put a damper on Claire’s summer. Gow (Dear Mothman) thoughtfully unpacks a variety of issues, including economic anxiety, guilt, and identity exploration via empathetic verse poems narrated by Claire to Lars. Though its many through lines don’t always cohere, this is a sweet, encouraging read with a big heart. Major characters read as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jordan Hamessley, New Leaf Literary. (June)
From the Publisher
2024 Bank Street Best Books of the Year List
"This gem of a book made my heart sing. Timeless, vulnerable, tender, and relatable." —Sara Farizan, author of If You Could Be Mine, Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel, Here to Stay, and Dead Flip
"Gow (who is bisexual, queer, and trans), writes with authority, insight, and considerable poetic skill...The result is a highly readable, character driven exercise in literary fiction that is highly recommended." —Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
"A compelling tale that explores queerness, friendship, and love." —Kirkus
"[Gow] thoughtfully unpacks a variety of issues, including economic anxiety, guilt, and identity exploration via empathetic verse poems ..." —Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
2023-03-29
Coming out as bisexual? Not easy. Admitting you love your best friend? Potentially disastrous.
The summer before senior year, Claire Kemp totals her beloved car, Lars, her ticket to escaping her financially struggling family—mom, dad, and younger brother, Chris. Lars gave Claire the freedom to take aimless drives through the suburbs outside Philly and spend time with the person she secretly loves: her trans best friend, Sophia. Unsure whether Sophia, who dates boys, is attracted to girls too, Claire is afraid to reveal her feelings. Instead, she has her first queer sexual relationship with classmate Pen. To pay off the expenses related to her accident, Claire takes a job at a nursing home, where she befriends Lena, an 85-year-old lesbian who serves as a valuable mentor and guide. Claire also learns that Chris is closeted and gay, and the siblings’ journeys to embracing their sexualities are intertwined. Written in free verse, the first-person narration follows Claire’s inner experiences as she navigates queerness, shares her inner hopes and fears, and shows readers how to find true freedom. The story moves quickly, combining introspection with action, and is likely to appeal even to reluctant readers. Most characters read White by default.
A compelling tale that explores queerness, friendship, and love. (author’s note) (Verse fiction. 14-18)
