Felix Ever After
AuthorKacen Callender
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreYoung adult novel
PublisherBalzer + Bray
Publication date
May 12, 2020
Pages368
ISBN978-0-06-282025-9

Felix Ever After is a young adult novel written by Kacen Callender and published in 2020 by Balzer + Bray. The story is narrated by a Black trans teen as he grapples "with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time".[1]

Reception

Time named Felix Ever After one of "The 100 Best YA Books of All Time" alongside Catcher in the Rye, The Outsiders, and others.[2]

Reviews

The book was generally well-received, including starred reviews from Booklist,[3] Publishers Weekly,[4] and School Library Journal.[5]

Booklist's Kaitlin Connor noted, "Felix's hard-fought and dramatic journey toward self-discovery will resonate with teens looking for narratives about diverse LGBTQIA characters learning to love themselves."[6] Amanda MacGregor, writing for the School Library Journal, praised the book's diverse cast of characters and the protagonist MacGregor calls "achingly relatable".[5] The Publishers Weekly said Callender created "an exhilarating cast of queer characters, many of whom are people of color, who are as relatable as they are realistic."[4] The magazine also praised the whodunit plot and all its twists, concluding the review with an overall praise of the main character and the story.[4]

Reviewing for The Horn Book, Luann Toth mentioned the "sound information and responsible psychological guidance" present in the novel without detracting from the overall experience.[7] Shelf Awareness's Kieran Slattery, noted, "Callender ... adeptly weaves a poignant bildungsroman that builds suspense as, layer by layer, new dimensions of Felix's identity are unmasked with each failed attempt to identify his tormentor."[8] Slattery continued, stating, "In a society where the lines between in-person and social media interactions blur, Callender believably captures this interconnectivity with teenagers whose identities are shaped, dismantled and reconfigured by their social media use."[8]

Kirkus Reviews offered a negative review, calling it "an exhausting read" due to the complicated story and the "devastating episodes of self-doubt and anxiety" Felix goes through.[9] The reviewer concluded Felix Ever After is a "trauma- and drama-filled demiboy's story that's not for the faint of heart."[9]

Awards and honors

Year Award/honor Result Ref.
2020 Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth Selection [10]
2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults Top 10 [11][12]
2021 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Selection [13]
2021 Stonewall Book Award Honor [14][15]
2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction Nominee [16]

References

  1. ↑ "17 sublime books by Black LGBT+ authors you should read this Black History Month". PinkNews. October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  2. ↑ "The 100 Best YA Books of All Time". Time. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  3. ↑ Bittner, Rob (May 15, 2020). "Felix Ever After". Booklist. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Children's Book Review: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  5. 1 2 MacGregor, Amanda. "Felix Ever After". School Library Journal. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  6. ↑ Conner, Kaitlin (June 5, 2020). Felix Ever After. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Booklist.
  7. ↑ Toth, Luann. "Review of Felix Ever After". The Horn Book. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Slattery, Kieran (May 22, 2020). "Felix Ever After". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Felix Ever After". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  10. ↑ Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020. January 1, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Booklist.
  11. ↑ Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2021. March 15, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Booklist.
  12. ↑ "2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 14, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  13. ↑ "2021 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 5, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  14. ↑ Morales, Macey (January 25, 2021). "ALA announces 2021 Youth Media Awards". American Library Association. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  15. ↑ Morales, Macey (January 25, 2021). "'We Are Little Feminists: Families' wins 2021 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award". American Library Association. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Felix Ever After". Goodreads. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
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