Review by Booklist Review
Sixteen-year-old Barney Brown--a white British teen and a self-described "massive gay dork"--is in heaven; he's about to be elected president of Greenacre Academy's LGBTQ+ society. It's not that much of a surprise; the society has only four members, two of whom--George, white and transmasc, and Maya, Black and lesbian--are his best friends. That leaves his rival, beautiful, popular Bronte (Maya's ex), who coolly announces that, at her suggestion, the principal has declared the election will be school-wide. Barney and company launch a spirited campaign, but they're more than matched by Bronte, who, not to put too fine a point on it, cheats. On election day, a school-wide prank sends the election results spinning in a direction the club never expected. More alarming, they'll truly need to count on their new leader as the society prepares its entry into a national competition to be named Rainbow Youth's global ambassador school. Green's absolutely delightful comedic epic offers both highly captivating characters and a passionate defense of all things LGBTQIA+. An import from the UK, the book underscores the necessity of queer narratives and proves that, in the end, it all comes down to love.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The drama and politics of a student club election are exacerbated by emotionally intense relationships in this comedic and touching novel by Green (Heartbreak Boys). Sixteen-year-old white Barney Brown is convinced that he's a shoo-in for president of his English school's tiny LGBTQ+ Society; there are only four members, after all, and two of them are Barney's best friends. Then clubmate and rival Bronte O'Halloran, who is also white, persuades their principal to open the vote to the entire school. Now Barney--with the help of white, transgender George Piper and Black lesbian Maya Phillips--has to somehow convince the whole student body that he deserves the role. But as campaign season stretches on, unexpected write-in candidates and an even more unanticipated romance for Barney complicates his bid for president. Meanwhile, Barney and his clubmates prepare to submit a video application to become England's Rainbow Youth Global Ambassadors, but a classmate's harmful actions threaten their eligibility. Laugh-out-loud humor permeates the narrative, adding levity to high emotional stakes. Via clever dialogue, a complexly rendered cast, and Green's solid understanding of messy teen dynamics, this heartfelt read captures themes of first love and second chances with aplomb. Ages 14--up. (June)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Friends, enemies, and frenemies see the best and worst sides of each other when the vote for LGBTQ+ Society president is opened up to the whole school. The club supporting queer students at Barney Brown's school, Greenacre Academy, means everything to him. Passionate about its mission, the gay, White English teen is confident that he's exactly the president the club needs--and even more confident that he's a shoo-in for the role. His two best friends, George Piper and Maya Phillips, a White trans boy and Black lesbian, respectively, are the only other people choosing between Barney and Bronte O'Halloran--his opponent, Maya's ex-girlfriend, and the sworn enemy of the tightknit trio. But when Bronte convinces their principal to allow all 1,000 members of the student body to vote, a contentious election campaign is set into motion in which both candidates will do whatever it takes to win. Adding to the pressure is the news that Rainbow Youth, a national organization, will be choosing one school's queer club to represent them as global ambassadors. But even when the results of the vote come in, the drama is just beginning. The characters' relationships and dialogue are endearing and laugh-out-loud funny. It is hard not to root for these teens as they fail and succeed together. Multiple plot twists and shocking reveals make this book difficult to put down. Ideal for lovers of both juicy reality TV and inspiring LGBTQ+ documentaries. (author's note, resources, club minutes) (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
