I saw that someone else was reading the new Becky Albertalli book so I had to order it straight away! I didn't even know she had a new one, but of course I love her work so I had to buy it. I had a gift voucher so it didn't cost me anything. I picked it up not long after it arrived.
Imogen is eighteen and lives in upstate New York with her parents and her sister. Her sister is gay and has been out for years, she's just a year younger than Imogen. Imogen's two best friends, Gretchen and Lili, are both also queer. Gretchen is bisexual and Lili is pan. Gretchen is also very immersed in queer culture and she has a lot of opinions about being in the community and so on. Lili only came out the year before, and she's now at college just a short drive away. Imogen wants to go to the same college but so far she hasn't visited her friend. That's because she can see that Lili has found a new queer family at college and Imogen feels a bit left out.
Because she's straight, right? She always has been and she always will be. She's the best ally for her sister and her friends! She's in the Pride Alliance at school, and if someone needs to call her out (like Gretchen does, lots) on her straight privilege then she's always willing to accept that and learn from it. So what if her favourite film has always been But I'm A Cheerleader? So what if she's had crushes on girls for as long as she can remember? It doesn't mean anything, does it? She's everyone's straight friend!
But then she goes to visit Lili at college. This is where the book starts and I will admit that I was very confused with the sheer numbers of characters that she meets to begin with - but I guess that's true to life because she DOES meet all of Lili's friends all at once and they are all desperate to know her and want to like her. Then Lili tells her that she MIGHT have told all her new friends a little lie - that she and Imogen used to date. So all of Lili's friends think that Imogen is bisexual.
It does make sense as to why Lili has done this, later in the book, but to begin with I thought it was a bit of a daft storyline. But I went with it. As Imogen does too! She has a brilliant weekend, joining in with the in jokes and all Lili's friends.
And there's Tessa. She and Imogen hit it off immediately, and continue their flirting even when Imogen has gone home.
But Imogen is straight... isn't she?
This is a brilliant book about working out who you are. I know that Becky got hounded out of the closet before she wanted to be, a few years ago, and I think that has informed her writing here. In a very good way! I loved how Imogen came out to herself little bit by little bit, asking herself what her sexuality it, what sexuality means, all of that stuff. I loved how she fell in love with Tessa, who was a brilliant love interested. I loved the ending when everything went to shit and some people behaved badly - that bit felt very real to me and while you understood it, it was also heartbreaking to read. I loved how friendships disintegrated and how Imogen dealt with that - that felt like a universal thing whatever your sexuality.
I am giving this five out of five and would thoroughly recommend it!
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