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none of the above by i.w. gregorioWhat: None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio

Who: Balzer + Bray

When: April 7th 2015

How: A copy of this novel was provided by HarperCollins for review via Edelweiss.

A groundbreaking story about a teenage girl who discovers she’s intersex . . . and what happens when her secret is revealed to the entire school. Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between.

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant?

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She’s a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she’s madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she’s decided that she’s ready to take things to the next level with him.

But Kristin’s first time isn’t the perfect moment she’s planned—something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy “parts.”

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin’s entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self?

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When I started reading None of the Above, I thought it was going to be a story about a teenager who is confused about their identity because they are intersex. I was completely and one hundred percent wrong. Because it had been a while since I had read the blurb for None of the Above, and I’d promptly forgotten anything about the novel except that it featured an intersexed girl.

And you know what? I’m way happier with the actual storyline. Kristin has lived the first eighteen years of her life identifying as a girl, and not knowing that her sex was not female. And then she tries to have sex with her boyfriend and the pain is excruciating, and when she goes to an ob gyn, they find vestigial testes. It’s not hard to imagine that shit hits the fan after that.

I am almost certain that my favourite aspect of this book is Kristin’s dad. He doesn’t suddenly hate her because she’s intersex, he doesn’t look at her with disgust, he doesn’t leave her to fend for herself. He’s supportive, and he continues to love her as though nothing has changed (because it hasn’t. Kristin is still the same, tiny testes or not). I adored this aspect because it showed such a beautiful relationship between father and daughter.

Kristin’s inner turmoil was heartbreaking. The things she had to go through infuriated me. People can be so fucking cruel, and I wanted to jump into the book and wrap my arms around Kristin and tell her that not everyone will be like that. Not always.

It wasn’t (unfortunately) hard to imagine the reaction to Kristin’s intersexism, and I think that’s one of the saddest aspects of this book. Yes, there are people who don’t give two shits that Kristin has testes, or that she can’t conceive children – she’s still the Kristin they know – but there are more people who treat her badly. Her boyfriend, for example. He reacts disgustingly, and most of it is out of fear for how he will be seen (which I think is more awful than anything). BUT there are gorgeous people like Darren who don’t care because they like (EEK) Kristin, and are actually decent human beings.

I’m not gonna lie – I teared up when I read the author’s acknowledgements at the end and she said that this book was for anyone who had ever felt that they just wanted to be normal. This book is incredible on so many levels. It gives insight into how someone might feel learning that they’re intersex when they’re in high school. It shows how cruel people can be, but there are some people who will be kind. It brings to light what intersex is and what it means to the YA genre – which is so important.

None of the Above is a story that I will not be forgetting any time soon.

© 2015, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.

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Posted on: April 4, 2015 • By: Chiara

15 Responses to Review: None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio

  1. I really liked the way you summarized the story :) Now I’m even more interested! I don’t know much about intersex so hopefully this book will enlighten me on that subject. It’s out soon, wohooo! Wonderful review!

  2. Mawa Mahima says:

    Ever since I read the blurb for this one I knew that I really wanted it – and from your review it sounds like it is exceptional. Another book featuring an intersex main character is Middlesex which is also another book I’m on the lookout for. I’m glad that YA is branching out more and that these people are being represented. It’s hard living life when you don’t fit the “normal” criteria, so I’m glad there’s more representation in books about people who don’t fit the criteria but who ultimately reflect reality. :)

    • Chiara says:

      It is absolutely lovely. And I’m very interested in reading Middlesex, too! Especially since this has been compared to it.

      I’m so glad, too, and it makes me incredibly happy to see a bigger range of people on the shelves – like you said :D

  3. When I read the summary to this book, I knew that aspects of it would probably break me because I cannot deal with the mistreatment of people who are different in ways others can. I’m a pretty apathetic person most of the time, but I just frickin RAGE when I see cruel things like that. I actually didn’t know what intersex was and now that I do, I HAVE to read this book. It would be pretty wrong not to.

    • Chiara says:

      Yeah, I am the same as you re: apathetic. But once someone is being targeted for being different: RAGING BALL OF FIRE CHIARA.

      I really hope you do read it, and that you love it, Nova!

  4. This book looks great. I’m not really that hyped with this one because IDK what’s its about but you make it sound phenomenal :) I love Fictional Dads like that. Most are douches or dead so I’m happy for the main character :P Great great review!! And you have a beautiful blog!! <3

    • Chiara says:

      It’s absolutely lovely, Paula, and I hope you try it out! I’m so glad that it’s being received positively because these kinds of books are so important.

      Thank you very much! <3

  5. Oh, I LOVED her dad! I thought the way he tried to figure out ways to help her was so realistic and exactly what a great father should do. I can only imagine the shock he felt as well as Kristin, but he had to be strong for her, and I think he done a great job :)

    Great review!

  6. Romi says:

    Ooh. This sounds so amazingly excellent. I don’t usually swear (online) but this makes me want to use happy expletives! I’ve read a few reviews for this now, and each one makes me want to read it even more. I think this is such an important milestone in YA. It’s a book that seems to be getting good coverage and that is so important because it’s about something that people face and struggle with, and if it makes us realise the feelings of others and be more kind- how brilliant is that? How life changing could that be for someone?
    So glad you reviewed this (amazing review, by the way!) and loved it! I’m owed a book, I believe, and though I usually don’t like to buy before reading… I think I’m going to choose this, just because of your review. xxx

    • Chiara says:

      Oh, wow, there’s nothing better than inspiring someone to read/buy a book so you have made my day, Romi :D

      And yes I’m so glad that this book is being read and being received really well because it is definitely important and not only provides a wonderful story, but information to people who might now have known about what intersex is.

      I really hope you end up liking it when you get around to reading it :D

  7. benish says:

    YES, to your review<3 I really liked reading this book as well, it's worth reading for the experience. The father and daughter relationship was very admirable, and I loved how her father supported her as well – I also loved how the author balances on educating and informing the reader, Beautiful review <3

    • Chiara says:

      I really liked the educational aspect of this book, and I really hope it help those who weren’t really aware of what intersex is, or what it means to BE intersex.

      Thanks so much, Benish!

  8. […] interviewing I.W. Gregorio, author of the fabulous None of the Above (you can read my review here if it so pleases you). I absolutely adored None of the Above, so it was incredible to be able to […]

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