Review: Alex As Well by Alyssa Brugman

Alex As Well by Alyssa Brugman

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT

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Alex is ready for things to change, in a big way.
Everyone seems to think she’s a boy, but for Alex the
whole boy/girl thing isn’t as simple as either/or, and when she decides girl is closer to the truth, no one knows how to react, least of all her parents. Undeterred, Alex begins to create a new identity for herself: ditching one school, enrolling in another, and throwing out most of her clothes. But the other Alex—the boy Alex—has a lot to say about that.　Heartbreaking and droll in equal measures, Alex As Well is a brilliantly told story of exploring gender and sexuality, navigating friendships, and finding a place to belong.

  Alex As Well was a rollercoaster that I did not want to get off of. It blew me away and rendered me speechless. While reading, my mind was constantly churning a million thoughts about Alex, gender identity, and the effects that our parents can have on us and us on them. There are so many elements woven into the very fabric of this story. I'm in awe of Alyssa Brugman.

  Usually whenever I'm blown away by a book, I'll gush and post a million gifs. But it would feel silly to do that for Alex As Well. It deserves more. It's beyond complex and thought provoking. There were times that I laughed along with Alex. There were tears. And there was even a fair amount of frustration for Alex and his situation. I finished reading this book weeks ago, and I still think about Alex. Alex isn't just a character. Alex is the androgynous face in the crowd that you wonder about. Alex is that classmate that gets relentlessly teased. Alex is someone you probably know. Alex wasn't a character for me; Alex was real. And that made Alex As Well a little heartbreaking, too.

  The way that Alyssa Brugman writes this story really is mind blowing. It was so realistic. Alex's mother made me so angry. I won't mention much because spoilers. But I absolutely hated her. I felt like she was just a horrible person through and through. Her concerns were with herself and not her child. Alex was facing monumental challenges, and the mother was only concerned with how it was affecting her, not Alex. Ugh.

  I don't think you could find a better coming of age story that deals with such complex issues. Readers of all ages will find Alex As Well to be a thought provoking rollercoaster of emotions. I'm so glad that I read it.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.