Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

Pages: 579

Intended Audience: Teens and up

Genre: Science Fiction / Futuristic

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, violence, and some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. But Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.

On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter threatens to expose Riley’s real identity. And Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Awards and honors include the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults and ALA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Rainbow Book List selection, Chicago Public Library’s Best Teen Fiction, and a Goodreads Choice Award Young Adult Fiction nominee.

What’s good?

There’s a lot of confusion about what “gender fluid” means, and this book aims to provide some basic understanding of the term. Riley is a likable, smart, sensitive teen who sometimes feels like a girl, and sometimes feels like a boy. To avoid the issue, Riley dresses as a gender-neutral person, which seems to confuse and annoy many. Issues of suicide, harassment, coming out, and coping are explored as Riley tries to stay under the radar at school and at home. Riley’s blog becomes a beacon for those suffering in similar situations. The story is well-written, with witty dialogue and interesting supporting characters. The plot is simple, but emotional, and lightly sprinkled with mystery and romance.

Best Part: The therapist’s explanation of anxiety on page 109.

What isn’t good?

It’s slow. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say the pace is steady, but because there’s not a lot of action, it feels slow. Regardless, I really enjoyed the simplicity of the story, and even appreciated the lack of drama most of the time.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

I found myself cheering for Riley – hoping for the best at home, with friends, and online. High school is hard for everyone, and self-identity is a common struggle for many (not just teens). This is an honest and open look at one person’s experience. It’s not a story that will appeal to all, but it will definitely be appreciated by many. Recommended.

Garvin, Jeff. Symptoms of Being Human. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2016.