Author: Lisa
Williamson
Series: N/A
Published: 1 January 2015 by David Fickling
Length: 368
pages
Source: library
Other info: This
was Lisa’s debut
Summary : Two
boys. Two secrets.
David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.
On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.
When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…
David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.
On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.
When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…
Review: David,
seen by everyone as a boy, really a girl, is continually teased and
misunderstood by everyone bar his best friends, from parents to bullies. Leo is
the new guy, with rumours about why he left his old school running around, and
he just wants to be invisible. They
become friends after Leo sticks
up for David, and they
I enjoyed watching the friendship between David and Leo, the
ups and downs and the things they tell eachother. Both narrations are well fleshed
out, and so are most of the side characters.
My favourites were probably Alicia, Essie, and Felix, who are all great
in their own way and who I want to befriends with.
I enjoyed the represntation of trans people here. I loved
the fact that we see a trans character who has already undergone some of the
transition process, and that being trans is not the only facet of their being,
they have siblings, families, friends, and romantic issues to navigate too. I
also liked the way we saw how gender expectations also influenced the trans
characters’ perceptions of themselves, such as David’s despair at his growth
spurt, defying his hopes to be small and feminine, because of the expectations
society sets for women.
I really appreciated
the look at life as a queer child in a modern, less tolerant environment. I’m
really lucky to live in a very tolerant school where our trans community, as
far as I know, are treated with respect by both staff and students, and there’s
no physical bullying. I know nationwide figures
for bullying, but like with many things, it all becomes more real, more
important, if you’re reading a more fleshed out story, be it fact or fiction,
than just looking at statistics.
I found it weird that
Leo continues to call David David and he when he’s learn David’s chosen name.
I don’t know if that’s internalised cisnormativity or something. I just noticed
and wondered why he of all people would continue
with that. It changes by the end though. Eh, I don’t know.
I really liked the look at
complex family relationships. Leo’s quest to find his father. David’s
continual hiding and eventual coming out. The support given and not given to
each child. It varies, and feeds into each character.
Emotions were had when reading this. Sadness for the environment
that allows the continued bullying. Sadness and happiness when Leo and Alicia
get together. Happiness and pride for David when coming out. Pure happiness at
the Christmas ball they put up and how happy David.
Overall: Strength
4 tea to an eyeopening story about friendship, family, and being transgender today.
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Nina xxx