Perfect if you love:
- One Direction references
- Classic movie references
- Gulab Jamun (you have not lived until you’ve tried these)
- Complicated family dynamics
- Nuanced discussion of gender identity and sexuality
Review:
“It’s a whole new world out here, there are so many battles we have to fight. The last thing we need is fight each other.”
Whew, what a glorious book! One of the main selling points of All Kinds of Other is surely the nuanced look at sexuality and gender identity. Jules is coming to terms with being gay and outing himself to the ones he trusts doesn’t exactly go the way he wants it to. Then we have Jack, who is trying to go stealth at his new temporary school, only to be exposed as trans online and facing backlash at school. Much of the novel revolves around Jules and Jack trying to roll with the punches when people assume things based on the little they know about these two boys and it’s only toward the end that they realise that the only opinion that should matter is their own. It’s a beautiful yet hard-earned realisation that will make readers clutch the book in sympathy, wanting to reach out to the characters and assure them that everything will be alright.
While the dual POV was great to get a sense for both Jack and Jules, I admit that I wish the switches would have been more immediate as we follow Jules for a long time and then basically get the past days from Jack’s POV, which obviously adds a lot of background information and made me love Jack that much more, but also slows down the pacing and causes repetition that wasn’t always necessary. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t miss either POV for the world because they both add so much to the discussion around what it means to be trans and what it means to be gay and how to bridge the distance between two individuals who don’t yet know how to articulate what they want.
This is very much a slice-of-life novel, so there are some threads that aren’t tied up by the end, like Jules and Jack’s relationship with some of their respective family members, that I would have loved to have some resolution on. However, the somewhat open ending mirrors the uncertainty and anxiety about the coming of age process and thus is totally justified. But speaking of the complicated family dynamics and I loved that we got to see a parent who completely supports their child but makes bad choices sometimes to “fit in” with the other parents, and then have one family where support looks a lot like controlling and confining your child. There are so many nuances on how to parent in here and that resonated a lot with me. Jack and his father’s relationship was goals on so many occasions, yet the book showcased that even parents get it wrong sometimes and that making mistakes doesn’t automatically mean you’re cancelled.
Lastly, an absolute highlight (for me, at least) were the One Direction references within this story. Jules describes Jack as Zayn Malik-look alike and there’s even a Halloween scene where Jules dresses up as Harry Styles and I was here for it. I don’t know if these references are just now starting to infiltrate YA or if I only now pay attention to them since I fell down the rabbit hole last year, but please, keep the references coming. It just added that little bit of humour to Jack and Jules’ relatively serious and slowly evolving romance.
Tender and vulnerable, All Kinds of Other is the perfect read for anyone who’s scared of being their authentic self and needs that little ray of hope to show them that being yourself is always worth the risk.
All Kinds of Other is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 4th 2021.
Will you be picking up All Kinds of Other? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
In this tender, nuanced coming-of-age love story, two boys—one who is cis and one who is trans—have been guarding their hearts to protect themselves, until their feelings for each other give them a reason to stand up to their fears.
Two boys are starting at a new school.
Jules is just figuring out what it means to be gay and hasn’t totally decided whether he wants to be out at his new school. His parents and friends have all kinds of opinions, but for his part, Jules just wants to make the basketball team and keep his head down.
Jack is trying to start over after a best friend break-up. He followed his actor father clear across the country to LA, but he’s also totally ready to leave his past behind. Maybe this new school where no one knows him is exactly what he needs.
When the two boys meet, the sparks are undeniable. But then a video surfaces linking Jack to a pair of popular transgender vloggers, and the revelations about Jack’s past thrust both Jack and Jules into the spotlight they’ve been trying to avoid. Suddenly both boys have a choice to make—between lying low where it’s easier or following their hearts.
You had me at “Perfect if you love: One Direction References” LOL