I Wish You All The Best
Mason Deaver
Review ★★★★★
This novel by author Mason Deaver is a truly captivating work of fiction. This book is one of those rare gems that pulls the reader in, and leaves the reader wanting more.
This book is the perfect combination of heartfelt, heartbreaking, real, and optimistic. The book is well-written and features well-rounded main characters.
The plot follows nonbinary teen Ben De Backer and the fallout of them coming out to their parents. The storyline subsequently features a healthy mix of rising and falling actions. The story at its core, is simultaneously a story about loving oneself, and finding others who will too.
This book is a window into the life and mind of a nonbinary teenager, and can help others understand what falling outside the gender binary means and what the experience might look and feel like for a nonbinary person.
Notable Quotes
"I came out to my parents, and they licked me out of the house.
To think I'd been ignorant enough to believe it'd go well. I really did. I thought that we could still be this happy family, no secrets between us. I could actually be me. And I should've known better than that." (16)
"I've been mentally preparing myself to come out all over again, but I've been doing that for a while now. That was one of the things I realized early. If you're queer, your life has the potential to become one long coming-out moment. If I ever want to be called the right pronouns, I'll have to correct people and put myself out there first and who knows what could happen." (53)
"Boys aren't supposed to wear dresses. Even if I'm not a boy, even if clothing shouldn't be gendered. Whenever anyone looks at me, that's all they'll see." (169)
"Like who you're attracted to and who you are as a person are two totally different things. It's hard to explain not being confident in your own body. It just feels wrong, but only you seem to really know how and why it feels that way." (177)