I was expecting this to be a celebration of the athleticism of wrestling, the creativity and intricacy of kfabe. And those elements are present but this book is so much more. Wrestling becomes a metaphor for all kinds of relationships. For identity. We're looking at gender roles and societal expectations. At the ways we harm each other intentionally and by putting the into boxes. More reflective than I was expecting and I'm here for it.

I requested this book because it (1) featured a non-binary character and (2) because it sounded so unique. While I have never followed pro-wrestling, I was intrigued by a book featuring female and non-binary wrestlers and by the connection to the Hudson Valley, NY.

I am so happy I requested the ARC. I could not put this down!! I will be recommending it to our teen students as well as adults in my life, particularly those showing in interest in growing their understanding of gender and gender roles.. Representation of gender identity struggles ring so true in the book, I found myself cheering Bird on as they found comfort in who they are and who they wanted to be. Abigail Rose struggles with family conflict and busting the gender roles in the family business, all while dealing with the bullying she faces at school. These are huge, real-life issues that can consume one's emotional life and make a book so heavy... but Rourke-Mooney layers it with an absolutely delightful dive into the world of pro-wrestling and the lives of Abigail Rose and her badass grandmother, Mabel. Animal bones, taxidermy mice, shotgun wielding grandmothers and influencers gone rogue... there is so much here.

Bonus: The novel's placement in the Hudson Valley and Poughkeepsie will feel familiar to readers from that area. Well known landmarks are represented... and less well known history of wrestling in Poughkeepsie is sprinkled throughout. I have never been a wrestling fan... but have to say, my curiosity is piqued!

Book Review of We Are Mayhem by Beck Rourke-Mooney

Cover Story: Montell Jordan
BFF Charms: Heck Yes
Talky Talk: Powerful
Bonus Factors: Wrestling, Spunky Friend, Kickass Grams
Relationship Status: Holding a “Let Me Fly With You Birdie” Sign

Cover Story: Montell Jordan
OK, hear me out. I know this is an illustrated cover. I know we are all tired of illustrated covers. But I love the messiness of this one, the way it looks part-zine, part-polished. And the depiction of Birdie is near perfect. (Although I’m not sure they’d wear that top, not at first.) I’m a fan!

The Deal:
Birdie’s struggling to find her place in the world. Her family recently moved to upstate New York, a place they used to “summer” that’s far removed from their former neighborhood in New Jersey. Her “best friend” Lexie is more concerned with making the cheerleading squad than realizing that Birdie has no interest in becoming a cheerleader. Her sister is searching for more views and more viral moments, and doesn’t see that Birdie’s not entirely sure that the pronouns people have used for her entire life fit. And the local indie wrestling crew doesn’t see that Birdie, although intrigued by the idea of using their strength in a ring, doesn’t know if she can be the confident person they need to be to become a star.

BFF Charms: Heck Yes
Birdie is spectacular, and given a bit of time, comes to realize that. They’re absolutely someone I’d love to be friends with, from their killer style (which she doesn’t think she has) to their confidence in knowing who she is (although that doesn’t happen until near the end of the book). She’s powerful, both physically and emotionally, and will be the best kind of human given a bit of growing. Please take my BFF charm, Birdie! I’m pleading here!

(Ed. note/semi-spoiler: Birdie determines by the end of the novel that they’re nonbinary, and use they/she pronouns, although she uses just she for most of the book. I’m not sure that I’m using the mix properly, and if I am not, I sincerely apologize.)

Swoonworthy Scale: 0
Birdie’s more concerned with figuring out herself and if she wants to be a wrestler to have any sort of relationship. But if I were to rate this on a self-love scale, it would be a solid 8.

Talky Talk: Powerful
Although We Are Mayhem is a story about breaking down gender binaries in indie wresting, it’s also a book about finding one’s identity and realizing that who you are doesn’t have to fit in a mold anyone else uses. Birdie is a brilliant narrator, and the thoughts she has (thanks to Rourke-Mooney) are exactly the kind of powerful that folks in her shoes—or, really, anyone struggling with self-acceptance—need to hear.

Bonus Factor: Wresting
I’ve never gotten into wrestling, but I can certainly see the appeal. Especially after reading about Birdie’s experience with Mayhem and the various other groups she comes across in the book.

Bonus Factor: Spunky Friend
At the start of the novel, Birdie’s trying to fit in by following her best friend Lexie’s lead. Even when it comes to making fun of the “town weirdo,” a girl named Abigail Roosevelt Mayer—Abigail Rose—and her family of misfits. It’s not until Birdie is forced to hang out with Abigail, through a very bad decision on their part, that they realize how great she actually is.

Bonus Factor: Kickass Grams
Abigail’s grandmother, Mabel, was a badass wrestler in her prime, and is the face behind the Mayhem troupe. Although she doesn’t wrestle any longer, she’s still a Force to be reckoned with, from the femal symbol tattooed on her forehead to the ease with which she wields a shotgun. (Not to mention her shop, in which she sells things she’s made from various animal bones and taxidermied mice dressed up as famous wrestlers.)

Relationship Status: Holding a “Let Me Fly With You Birdie” Sign
I’m a fan, Book, and not just of your wrestling prowess. You’re an important read but also a truly fun and engaging one. I’m thinking of quitting my job and following you on your grand tour of wrestling events, ’cause I know you’re gonna be huge!

I have so much fondness for this book. It's feel-good, it's affirming, it's cheesy, it's earnest, it's queer. What a delight! Plus I learned a little bit more about pro wrestling, which I only understood the basics of before.

I adored Bird, adjusting to a move to upstate NY and the loss of her hoped-for career as a gymnast (because she's "too big"), trying to find her place socially and trying to understand herself internally in the summer before her senior year. I adored Abigail Rose--feminist, disabled, ferocious wrestling supporter and promoter--fighting for her place in a family with a long wrestling legacy. I loved the side characters, each of them unique and delightful in their own ways.

But I think what I loved most was just the way this book so accurately captured the feeling of being an "outsider" teen. Of being confused about yourself, of trying new things, of being torn between conformity (and popularity) and doing what feels best and most you. Bird's internal and external journey was so charming as they followed their gut into new friendships, a new look, a new approach to their body and gender expression and athleticism, and started to discover not only how complicated and unique they were, but how complicated and unique every person is, even the ones they had written off. It's definitely a book aimed very specifically at teen readers--more straightforward and repetitive in its affirmations and lessons than I personally needed--but for me that just added to the earnestness of it, echoing a time of life when everything is kind of new and confusing and important. (And I genuinely did not know a lot of wrestling names or vocab going in, so I appreciated the hand-holding in that regard.)

Overall an uplifting read that's kept popping up in my thoughts in the couple of days since I finished it, I might reread it on vacation this summer just for the joy.

What a great debut! WE ARE MAYHEM by Beck Rourke-Mooney is such a fun read, full of originality and a distinctive world. This is one I'm going to recommend widely, in part because of its distinct story and in part because of the nuanced way Birdie comes into their own through their new friends and wrestling. More than fun to read, it's a deep look at what holds us back from being our whole selves and believing in our abilities.

The small complaint I had in reading WE ARE MAYHEM is the number of characters and keeping up with who did and did not have a storyline. A couple of characters disappeared and reappeared in rather random intervals. Too many interesting people in the book didn't get enough "air time." I look forward to reading Rourke-Mooney's next novel already!

great book and loved the mystery through out the book. I loved the characters and how they grew through all of their adventures. I enjoyed this book and this author and will check them out again add them to my reading pile.