“It’s more that I want to leap in and say certain things and do certain things, but I always seem to hold myself back. I think a big part of me is afraid.”
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli is a cute, quirky, utterly relatable coming-of-age story about 16-year-old Simon Spier, theatre nerd extraordinaire. He’s got a close group of friends and a happy family, but he’s come to the realization that he may not be as straight as he initially thought. Scratch that. Simon knows he’s gay, but he’s change-resistant, which leads to him consciously making the decision to stay in the closet. But when he starts emailing another boy from his school, Blue, Simon starts to open up to a complete stranger who seems to completely understand what he’s going through. Their anonymous emailing reveals favourite snacks and sexual orientations, and Simon begins to yearn for the boy behind the screen, despite not knowing who Blue really is. Then, disaster arrives in the form of a nosy classmate who accidentally discovers and reads through Simon’s emails to Blue, using the screenshots he took as leverage to blackmail Simon. This isn’t the only issue Simon’s facing: his friends are slowly drawing away from each other due to complicated dynamics, and everyday, Simon’s falling more and more in love with the mysterious Blue. In this lovely high-school romance, Simon must realign himself after being pushed out of his comfort zone, in order to keep his friends together, have a shot with a sweet guy, and maybe figure out who he is.
“I keep thinking about the idea of secret identities. Do you ever feel locked into yourself? I’m not sure if I’m making sense here. I guess what I mean is that sometimes it seems like everyone knows who I am except me.”
Albertalli brings to you a wonderful novel that perfectly empathizes with the topics of friends, high-school romance, and trying to understand who you truly are. The writing is artfully done, clearly delivering to you the inner workings of a 16-year-old boy’s mind. Simon is witty, judgy, and very gay, a lovely protagonist for the novel. His parents are embarrassing, his friends always support him, and he does pretty well at school. His emails with Blue show you how he pours out his heart and soul to this anonymous boy, and how in return, Blue gives Simon his own secrets for safekeeping. Classic high school shenanigans ensue: drinking beer, going to parties, playing pranks at school, but in a comfortable, realistic way. You are shown the inner workings of Simon Spier, a nerdy, loyal, and very gay teenager trying to understand the changes around and within him, as he goes on a journey throughout the book to understand who exactly Simon Spier is. You will laugh, cry, and completely melt at the interactions in this novel, and you will learn that there’s always something new to learn about the people you know, which isn’t always such a bad thing.
“People really are like houses with vast rooms and tiny windows. And maybe it’s a good thing, the way we never stop surprising each other.”
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