“Love is too beautiful to be hidden in the closet.”
Simon Vs The Homosapiens Agenda is written by Becky Albertalli. This book has garnered so much hype and praise from bloggers that I could not help but pick it up. Also, the main character, Simon, is gay . So, if you are looking for diversity in YA, this book is a fantastic choice. I don’t think I read that many LGBTQYA books. So, for those of you who don’t know- Simon Vs Homosapiens agenda is about a boy named Simon, who is still “in the closet”. The only person who knows about him being gay is his pen pal, Blue. Blue is another secretly gay boy and goes to the same school as Simon. They might know each other. But, they agree to keep things anonymous and hence neither of them know who the other person is. When Simon one day forgets to logout of his email in one of the school computers they fall into the wrong hands and Simon finds himself being blackmailed. So, this synopsis of the plot makes you believe that it’s going to be a little bit more serious in tone but it’s not. This book is really light hearted and fun.
One of the reasons why you should read this book is because it has some amazing adult characters. Simon’s parents are beautifully built characters. They are mature, supportive and are always found being involved in Simon’s life, even after he comes out to them about him being gay. They help us understand how a healthy relationship can be built between adults and teenagers. I also loved the way Becky Albertalli depicts high school. It is accurate, realistic and it is very rare that authors get high school right and Becky Albertalli did it! Another thing that anybody who reads this book will fall in love with are the emails Simon and Blue exchange that scattered throughout the book. They are adorable and they help you understand the characters better. The characters in this book are very distinct and there is no way one would get confused between them. This book also very accurately describes a typical group of friends and how there is always somebody who feels left out to which I could very well relate to.
The author also manages to build a small discussion on diversity through her characters, about how there shouldn’t be a default on how a person should be based on his sexuality or race. I think I would recommend this book to everyone, absolutely everyone will have the capability to read and relate to characters in this book. Although at one point it feels like some characters are being over-dramatic, this book is about a teenager with real teenage problems. It never feels like the author is trying too hard. She has been very down to earth and honest with the story and it feels very natural. Though you might guess half way through the book who Blue really is, you will still enjoy the suspense that builds up as you read and when the actual reveal happens it is sure to put a smile on your face (or in my case, tears in my eyes). You will also notice that Simon grows as a person as the story progresses. He interacts with many people throughout the story and learns how relationships work and what trusting somebody means. Though a fictional story, it really guides you on how to take chances. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I definitely recommend that you read it too. Especially if you are looking for books which are diverse yet fun to read.
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