Felix Ever After

Felix Ever After
AuthorKacen Callender
LanguageEnglish
GenreYoung adult novel
PublisherBalzer + Bray
Publication date
May 12, 2020
Publication placeUnited States
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]

Summary

It follows trans teenager Felix Love, grappling with identity issues as a Black, queer boy, unsure if he’s too complicated to find love.

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]

Banning

In 2023, the book was challenged but kept at Old Rochester Regional High School.[10] In 2024, the book was banned in Beaufort County, South Carolina.[11]

Awards and honors

Year Award/honor Category Result Ref.
2020 Booklist Editors' Choice Books for Youth Selection [12]
Goodreads Choice Award Young Adult Fiction Nominee [13]
2021 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults — Top 10 [14][15]
Stonewall Book Award Children's & Young Adult Honor [16][17]
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers — Selection [18]

References

  1. ^ "17 sublime books by Black LGBT+ authors you should read this Black History Month". PinkNews. October 1, 2021. Archived from the original on 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. ^ a b c "Children's Book Review: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  5. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Slattery, Kieran (May 22, 2020). "Felix Ever After". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Felix Ever After". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  10. ^ "UPDATED: Two challenged books to remain in Old Rochester libraries". Sippican. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  11. ^ Pelley, Scott; Chasan, Aliza; Schuster, Henry; Turcotte, Sarah (March 3, 2024). "See the full list of 97 books parents tried to ban from Beaufort, South Carolina school library shelves - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020. January 1, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Booklist.
  13. ^ "Felix Ever After". Goodreads. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  14. ^ Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2021. March 15, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Booklist.
  15. ^ "2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 14, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  16. ^ Morales, Macey (January 25, 2021). "ALA announces 2021 Youth Media Awards". American Library Association. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ "2021 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 5, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2022.