A fantastic book that kept me wanting more. Any high schooler would appreciate having this book to comfort them and make them excited for the future and to fall in love.

I am a sucker for books in verse and this one was no exception. I can see this book appealing to many readers with its discussion of trans and diverse topics. This would be a great book for a book club to generate discussion.

What a powerful book. I loved the style of texts, letters, and more that this had, and have yet to read a book in verse that had an impact like this one, nor one that was so unique in its story. It was heartfelt, beautiful, and hopeful, but also incredibly sad and heartbreaking. I love that the author didn't try to hide the heavy things, and dove right into how ugly the world is sometimes.

A MILLION QUIET REVOLUTIONS is a deeply beautiful novel written in verse. We follow two trans teen boys in a romantic relationship together. One of the boys is a white Jewish only child, the other is a Puerto Rican Catholic with an older brother. I requested this only knowing it was a T4T relationship. I’m also in a T4T relationship, my partner and I are both trans men as well, but I was surprised just how much Oliver and Aaron are like me and my partner. Aaron being a Boricua completely took me by a surprise, but it made me so happy accidentally finding representation I could fully relate to. I love the conversations had in this book. They are raw and deeply personal. From discussions of dysphoria, unsupportive family, surviving sexual assault, self-discovery, discussions on Historical events, this was all handled stunningly! I cannot recommend this enough. Obviously, tread lightly due to potentially triggering content. The only critique I have is I want to see more of these characters. I would read 12 books all about them.

I’m not the biggest fan of verse, but I think it did work well for this book. I really liked the focus on queer history and think this will connect alot with younger trans people

I did struggle with the characters, they both had very similar voices and I struggled to separate them. And their relationship didn’t really have any chemistry, especially on Aaron's side.

I appreciated the focus on queer history but found the whole historical reenactment section a bit odd. As a queer history buff I can understand feeling connected to trans people of the past who’ve been erased, but naming yourself after them and reenacting who you think they are is a bit obsessive to me

The BEST book I have read in the last few years. The amount of representation, love, and growth throughout this book made me proud and cry at the same time. Seeing both Oliver and Aaron struggle with finding themselves and being scared to tell the people around them really resonated with me as someone who came out as pansexual in 2021. I may not be trans or know what being trans is like, but this book gave an insight into what life can be like when you are accepted and when you are not fully accepted. I loved how Oliver and Aaron kept in contact with each other no matter what happened. It can be hard to keep a long distance relationship with the amount of changes they went through and the meeting of new friends. The fact that a lot of who they are is because of the Revolutionary was is interesting to me, I never knew that women would dress up as men so convincingly that they were afraid to be found out. I cannot imagine the bravery that those women had and the fear of being found out and the repercussions of that. This is a very important book for learning about the trans community and what it is like to grow up queer in a small town. This book was done so well and completely unbiased, leaving the story to be told on its own. I think everyone should read this book.

I got an ARC of this book.

I did not know this would be in verse otherwise I would not have asked for it. I often find novels in verse are lacking a lot of emotional and character depth, this novel falls into that category very hard. There was no real emotion or plot or character development that happened. It was often hard in the first section to even know where in the timeline of growing up they were in.

There are three sections of the book: one from Oliver’s point of view, one that is letters, and one that is in Aaron’s point of view. I could not tell either character apart. Thankfully the book was formatted to have Oliver’s words on one side and Aaron’s on the other. The issue is still I do not know which one was which. So left side was Jewish and had supportive parents. Right side was Puerto Rican, Catholic, and had parents who did not support. If the book did not have the formatting that put them on the other side from each other, I would not have been able to follow anything.

The main plot for a lot of the book appears to be sexual assaults of children in churches, which is the plot the 20 year old older brother of right side faces. I know so much more about that than I do anything else. There was just a lot of nothing happening.

The author is genderqueer, so the next point is especially annoying to me. The resources section uses an outdated term that has been deemed to be problematic for at least the last decade. So it seems like a huge oversight to have it.

So overall, I loved the idea of this book and the description more than the actual book. I ended up not finishing it at about 78%, which was only an hour or two of reading. It just felt like nothing had happened and I doubted the ending would redeem it enough to get me to be invested.

This was such a beautiful book, and such a moving premise.

Aaron and Oliver are the only trans boys they know of in their small town. For as long as they can remember, they’ve only had each other. They have grown up alongside one another as best friends, trying to navigate their identities in a world that doesn’t seem to have any written history about people like them. When they discover the story of two trans men who spent their lives loving each other and fighting in the Revolutionary War, they feel seen in a way they didn’t know was possible. Afterward, for reasons they can’t control, they are forced apart. The book is written in a series of thoughts, letters, verbal conversations and text communications between the two. They grow both together and apart in discovering who they are and reclaiming and validating their own lives and existence throughout time.

This was so beautifully crafted, romantic, and touching. There were so many hard hitting moments, carrying all manner of emotions from light and heart-warming to heavy and gut wrenching. The authors voice throughout this book is really unique and quietly impactful in a way. You can feel the change in Oliver’s mood in the Winter months when he is missing Aaron and feeling alone. You can feel his sense of bittersweetness when he reflects on his family’s acceptance of him alongside Aaron’s parents being so unwilling to understand. There are so many remarkable moments between these two boys. I adored their journey at the end to reconnect to one another and their historical soldiers.

The only critiques I have are really just related to the beginning of the novel taking a moment for the poetic verse to find it’s groove. This, and that Aaron and Oliver’s voices are a bit difficult to differentiate. Regardless of this, I adored this novel. It was a quick and moving read, with an incredibly satisfying and heartwarming ending.

I will likely forget everything about this book in the next few days. It was fine; I didn't NOT enjoy it, but I also didn't find it all that compelling or moving. Most of it did not need to be in verse, and the entire middle was particularly awkwardly written when it's transcribed letters and texts in poetic form.

But it's also a great primer for younger readers who are, perhaps, questioning their gender identities and/or who are curious to learn the basics of trans identity.

This novel in verse tells the story of two kids-almost adults coming to grips with their own identities and place in the world and their family both apart, together, and as childhood friends.

*Note - post publishes on Feb 23, 2022
Publication date: March 22, 2022

My Thoughts:

A coming of age, first queer love story told in verse about two small town trans young men characters, Oliver and Aaron. Their birth family names are never revealed as the book starts off with Oliver researching a story of two possibly trans soldiers from the American Revolution and the two characters who were best friends first and growing into love and realization that they are both trans take on the names of these two soldiers.

The story is complicated from life in a small town, feeling like the only two queer youth, as well as the different cultures and family dynamics that they represent. How, when can they come out to their families? How do their families react? How do their families accept/reject this budding relationship? Everything is further exacerbated when Aaron and his family quickly move away from the community. Most of the novel in verse then moves to written correspondence, text messages and one sided conversations.

This novel in verse is a great book if readers want to read about young, queer, multicultural love; family secrets; friendship; growing pains; small town dramas; American Revolution reenactments; queer history resources.

Although I do not publish these posts in the order that I am reading, a natural follow up if students are more interested in just the idea of trans, gender identity and questioning one's own identity, they may want to read the graphic novel Fine by Rhea Ewing (publication date Apr 4, 2022)

From the Publisher:

A modern love story, told in verse, about two teenaged trans boys who name themselves after two Revolutionary War soldiers. A lyrical, aching young adult romance perfect for fans of The Poet X, Darius the Great is Not Okay, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe.

For as long as they can remember, Aaron and Oliver have only ever had each other. In a small town with few queer teenagers, let alone young trans men, they’ve shared milestones like coming out as trans, buying the right binders―and falling for each other.

But just as their relationship has started to blossom, Aaron moves away. Feeling adrift, separated from the one person who understands them, they seek solace in digging deep into the annals of America’s past. When they discover the story of two Revolutionary War soldiers who they believe to have been trans man in love, they’re inspired to pay tribute to these soldiers by adopting their names―Aaron and Oliver. As they learn, they delve further into unwritten queer stories, and they discover the transformative power of reclaiming one’s place in history.

Further reading on trans history is included in backmatter.

This has got to be one of the most romantic stories I've ever read. Seeing these characters being in love first, coming out to each other as trans later, and growing both together and apart, was so incredibly special to see. I loved how both of these characters, while they had a lot in common, were really different from each other and were in different situations. I loved how real they felt, how they almost jumped off the page with how they talked to each other, while being larger than life at the same time.

I especially adored the second part of the book, which was almost entirely written in an epistolary format. It really reminded me of the emails in Red, White & Royal Blue, with an almost dreamy quality and a similar focus on queer history.

This novel-in-verse, told from dual perspectives (split down the middle, with a center section of letters and texts), is a FABULOUS, heartwarming, and truly affirming portrait of trans teen boyfriends. Its hook of focusing on potential trans men in the revolutionary war and the wider idea of historically 'hidden' queer folks throughout time was wonderful, and the modern focus on the central pair, with their worries about coming out to their families and friends, getting in to college, and navigating a newly long-distance relationship, was so well done and engaging. Can't wait to handsell this book once it comes out in March!!

Through this novel in verse we see our trans protagonists, Aaron and Oliver, as they navigate identity, relationships (with one other and with family), and fulfillment of dreams. The novel is a relatively quick read and was enjoyable throughout, although there were some slower moments (especially towards the end with the reenactment). I think this is a title that I will be adding to my classroom library, as it’s important for my students to see themselves in books. In the afterword, Robin Gow writes about the question of “who is telling their stories, if their stories are being told at all.” These stories need to be told, and I’m glad that Gow wrote this novel.

Ugh, this broke my heart and pieced it back together and shattered it. The prose is amazing and the love story of these two will grip you in a strong squeeze and never let you go.

When you talk about kids needing to see themselves in literature, a book like this is huge! There’s so much in here (&written in verse!) that will speak to both queer and cis youth together, it didn’t speak to me like it would speak to others, but still much appreciated that it’s out there now, full review on goodreads.

Add this one to your TBR, folx!

Written in verse, this book to me is the Poet X meets Felix Ever After. A queer, trans coming-of-age story from two POVs, Oliver and Aaron.

Oliver is obsessed with history - and believes he discovered that there were these trans men that fought in the Revolutionary War as soldiers. This causes him to wonder how many other queer stories haven’t been told or been erased or… straight-washed (?) throughout history, and definitely goes down the rabbit hole following this lead.

Aaron’s family is from Puerto Rico and very Catholic. When something happens with his brother José, his family decides to move away before Oliver and Aaron can enjoy their senior year together, figuring out how they are and exploring their budding romance. They’re best friends turning maybe more, but now they’re going to be separated by a long distance. How will they survive it?

I think this is a wonderful read. There’s parts that are heartbreaking, humorous, lovely, and awkward (weren’t we all in high school when we were still figuring out who we were and what we wanted in life?). There’s depth and there’s growth. There’s great imagery and you FEEL what the characters are feeling. Gow really has a wonderful way with words!

I hope you pick this one up in March 2022!

TW: transphobia/homophobia/sexism, deadnaming [deadnames not mentioned, author uses ****], sexual assault/pedophilia (referenced).

I myself also live in Kutztown. It is a small and very conservative town and the more “open-minded” members of the population are usually not its full-time residents, but the college students who are only here when class is in session. Though I myself do not identify as Transgender, I do to a certain degree understand the uncomfortableness of being unable to be my true self publicly around here. I am a cis female, but I am bisexual and it’s not something I announce publicly (outside of social media) in person to folks until I know them very well.

Being that LGBTQ folks that are publicly out are fewer here Aaron and Oliver for much of their time together have only ever had each other to lean on. They have only had each other to come out to. First, as queer and then coming to the realization they were both Trans. They have only recently become the couple they have always wanted to be. So, it is all the more heartbreaking when Aarons's parents tell him that they must move away due to his brother being the victim of a heinous crime. With no one to lean on now that Aaron has moved away, Oliver feels lost and Aaron is in for a bit of a culture shock due to the fact that he goes from living in a small town to a big city. There are many more people from all walks of life with much more open minds.

This is a lyrical novel so it is a quick but thought-provoking read. I think you will really enjoy it and maybe even empathize with these wonderful characters regardless of how you identify.

This was a sweet, quiet book. I loved Aaron and Oliver and how real they both felt. For this reason, I wish we had been able to spend more time with them. The book is told in verse and tackles not only the relationship of two trans boys but also queer history. For me, the revolutionary war reenactment was the least interesting exploration of both of those aspects, which is why this was a 3 star read for me. I’m looking forward to Robin Gow’s future works.

I myself also live in Kutztown. It is a small and very conservative town and the more “open-minded” members of the population are usually not its full-time residents, but the college students who are only here when class is in session. Though I myself do not identify as Transgender, I do to a certain degree understand the uncomfortableness of being unable to be my true self publicly around here. I am a cis female, but I am bisexual and it’s not something I announce publicly (outside of social media) in-person to folks until I know them very well.

Being that LGBTQ folks that are publicly out are fewer here Aaron and Oliver for much of their time together have only ever had each other to lean on. They have only had each other to come out to. First, as queer and then coming to the realization they were both Trans. They have only recently become the couple they have always wanted to be. So, it is all the more heartbreaking when Aarons's parents tell him that they must move away due to his brother being the victim of a heinous crime. With no one to lean on now that Aaron has moved away, Oliver feels lost and Aaron is in for a bit of a culture shock due to the fact that he goes from living in a small town to a big city. There are many more people from all walks of life with much more open minds.

This is a lyrical novel so it is a quick but thought-provoking read. I think you will really enjoy it and maybe even empathize with these wonderful characters regardless of how you identify.