Review by Kirkus Book Review
High school rushes onward, sweeping Ciel into an emotional whirlwind of kisses, crushes, bullies, and drama in this follow-up to Ciel in All Directions (2021). Brazilian Canadian nonbinary ninth grader Ciel never realized they might like girls until, unexpectedly, they find themself kissing their best friend, Stephie, while comforting her in the aftermath of her latest (and supposedly final) breakup with her boyfriend. New, confusing, and exciting feelings explode inside of them, but the fireworks fizzle when Stephie decides their kiss was a mistake. As Ciel grapples with their personal romantic dramas, their school reels with conflict surrounding a set of nude photos of an underage classmate leaked by email to the whole student body. Picking up where the last book left off, this latest installment in Ciel's daily adventures shifts into high gear from the first page. Linked themes of consent, privacy, honesty, and boundary-setting connect the larger, communitywide conflict with Ciel's individual turmoil as they navigate four potential love interests, including two of their closest friends, a new friend from the cheerleading squad, and even a former bully. The rambling narration balances snark and sincerity. Ciel's openness about their queerness and neurodivergence is at once playful and vulnerable. Although the ending arrives abruptly, a cliffhanger confession leaves readers longing for Ciel's story to continue. The two previous entries in this series set in Montreal were written in French and translated; this title appears in its original English. Unapologetic and critically engaged. (Fiction. 14-17) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
