14 April 2015

Alex as Well by Alyssa Brugman



Title: Alex as Well
Author: Alyssa Brugman
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Goodreads Summary:


Alex is ready for things to change, in a big way. Everyone seems to think she’s a boy, but for Alex the whole boy/girl thing isn’t as simple as either/or, and when she decides girl is closer to the truth, no one knows how to react, least of all her parents. Undeterred, Alex begins to create a new identity for herself: ditching one school, enrolling in another, and throwing out most of her clothes. But the other Alex—the boy Alex—has a lot to say about that. Heartbreaking and droll in equal measures, Alex As Well is a brilliantly told story of exploring gender and sexuality, navigating friendships, and finding a place to belong. 


Review:

"There are moments in life when something happens and it changes everything forever. You make one decision, and after that you can't go back. It doesn't even have to be a big thing."

When I read that, I was instantly like "Wow." Books just get more fabulous when there are quotes in them. This book is loaded with lessons. Plus, I didn't worry about boredom while reading Alex as Well because the chapters are short and well-divided. 

I wanted to read this book the moment I saw the cover. IT'S GORGEOUS! The huge pink lips attracted me. It’s simple, and it matches the plot.



NOTE: I'm not really sure what to use: he or she, but I'm going with she, since that's what Alex wants.

The story was told in Alex Stringfellow's point of view. What I liked about it is that it's like Alex is speaking to the reader. It's amazing how she's fully aware that I was getting some sort of confused with the whole two-Alexes thing. To show her mother's reactions and opinions and some other stuff, there was this motherhood forum which was extremely exciting to me, especially the comments (You'll understand once you read it)! The comments showed how other people saw the situation. It seemed like a real website to me.

Alex's parents didn't know how to react when she decided to be a girl. She has been taking testosterone for a long time, and then suddenly decided to stop. Aside from her parents, almost nobody even knew her situation. She had ovaries and a noodle. Her parents decided to make her a boy (someone has to decide on something), but she didn't feel like it. It looked like she was never happy with herself. 

Alex has a strong personality and it shows. She can be disrespectful, and I think that's one of the reasons why her parents get so stressed when it comes to dealing with her.
"I've always dreamed of having a little girl, and going clothes shopping with her, and this is some creepy perversion of that dream. It's horrifying, and I know I'm not dealing with it well at all."

I think that her parents want to be good ones, but they just don't get their daughter/son (and vise versa). Alex can be confusing. She actually became a girl that can actually be a boy who chose to be a girl but suddenly like-likes girls. 

The summary's right: Alex as Well is heartbreaking and droll in equal measures, and I'm satisfied with this read.



RATING: 4/5


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