"Symptoms of Being Human" by Jeff Garvin is a novel that delves into the world of teenager Riley Cavanaugh, a gender fluid teen struggling with their identity while facing the challenges of high school and coming from a political family. The story alternates between feeling real and fictional, portraying Riley's authentic emotions and struggles with honesty and respect. Through Riley's anonymous blog, the book explores themes of gender identity, mental health, and the journey of self-discovery in a relatable and engaging manner.

The author, Jeff Garvin, successfully crafts a narrative that is not just about gender fluidity but also about the universal themes of acceptance, understanding, and navigating the complexities of teenage life. The book offers a genuine representation of a genderqueer experience without feeling like an issue book, focusing on the personal growth and resilience of a teenager trying to find their place in the world.

Characters:

The characters, particularly Riley, are well-developed and relatable, though some supporting characters lack depth.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style features a first-person narrative that effectively avoids gendered references, offering a humorous yet thoughtful exploration of serious themes.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers on a genderfluid teenager, Riley, who navigates anxiety, identity, and social pressures while maintaining an anonymous blog that gains popularity and poses threats from peers.

Setting:

The setting is a modern high school atmosphere, illustrating the challenges of living in a conservative environment as a genderfluid teen.

Pacing:

The pacing maintains reader engagement through a blend of humor and serious themes, creating a dynamic reading experience.

I glance at the clock. I’m not really running that late—but I want to get the lay of the land while the campus is still mostly empty. “I’ll be down in a minute!” I say, then click Delete, slam my lapt...

Notes:

The book features a genderfluid protagonist named Riley, which is rare in young adult literature.

Riley starts an anonymous blog to cope with anxiety, which gains hundreds of followers quickly.

Riley faces the challenge of being outed at a conservative school while managing their gender identity.

The author, Jeff Garvin, does not assign Riley a specific gender identity, maintaining focus on their genderfluidity.

Riley experiences severe anxiety related to gender dysphoria and family pressures due to their father's political career.

The narrative is from Riley's point of view and avoids using gendered pronouns, encouraging readers to see Riley as beyond binary identities.

Garvin received praise for his realistic portrayal of both anxiety and gender identity, making the story relatable for many teens.

The book explores themes of bullying, depression, and suicide, compellingly presented alongside humor.

Readers noted that the book does a good job of educating about gender fluidity without sounding clinical or forced.

It emphasizes the importance of LGBTQ representation in literature, which helps in understanding and acceptance of non-binary identities.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include discussions of bullying, anxiety, dysphoria, and a graphic hate crime committed against the protagonist.

Has Romance?

While romance is present, it is not the central focus of the narrative, allowing exploration of other themes like identity and personal growth.

From The Publisher:

Starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist * YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers * ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults List * 2017 Rainbow List

A sharply honest and moving debut perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Ask the Passengers.

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 in über-conservative Orange County, the pressure-media and otherwise-is building up in Riley's 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 discovers Riley's real identity, threatening exposure. 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.

From debut author Jeff Garvin comes a powerful and uplifting portrait of a modern teen struggling with high school, relationships, and what it means to be human.

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What can you read after
Symptoms of Being Human?

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About the Author:

Before becoming a writer, Jeff Garvin acted in films and TV and was the front man of a nationally touring rock band. He is the author of Symptoms of Being Human, which was a Lambda Literary Award finalist and was also named one of the YALSA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, was an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, and was on the 2017 Rainbow Book List, and The Lightness of Hands. Jeff lives in Southern California, surrounded by adorable, shedding beasts.

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Symptoms of Being Human

Jeff Garvin