Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Reviewed by: Kelley Blue - Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 10, 2015

Review

Sixteen year old Simon Spier knows that he's gay, he just hasn't felt the need to tell anyone yet. His only confidant is his anonymous email pen pal, Blue. His exchanges with Blue are becoming so preoccupying that the very careful and private Simon risks using a public computer at his school library one day and then forgets to sign out of his email. It just so happens that the next person to use the computer is a classmate who is desperate to get a date with Simon's magnetic best friend Abby. He's so desperate that he reluctantly blackmails Simon, threatening to release screenshots of his emails with Blue if Simon doesn't get him a shot with Abby. When Simon doesn't exactly follow through, he's outed on the school's Tumblr. What follows is the story of how Simon's coming-out impacts not just his relationship with Blue, but with each of his friends and family members. Author Becky Albertalli is a clinical psychologist experienced working with teenagers, and thus her characters feel like completely real and authentic teens. The dialog is spot-on, including the emails between Simon and Blue, which intersperse the action. This is a device that's been used before, but it's very well done here, showing the arc of their relationship, the longing, tensions, and misunderstandings. Though completely current, there is something timeless about the way that Simon experiences high school and first love. This book was a delight from start to finish, and is highly recommended for those that enjoy contemporary teen fiction with wit and heart. I would only fault it for being a little too precious at times, especially towards the end, but this doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment. A recommended purchase for general teen fiction and LGBTQ collections.

Overall Book Score: very good