
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have never read such a book in this format before. After a chapter I got so used to it I loved it. Especially with the pages that had illustrations on it, and variable page colours going from white to black. I can understand why that was done. Fabulous touch.
This is Michaels story.
The comparisons he makes to his confusion about himself is also about the confusion of those around him.
Likening himself to a “bad egg” an experiment where people are waiting to see what hatched from the shell. I found that quite poignant.
I loved his mother!
As he’s growing up, someone in school pointed out that his sister was his ‘half’ sister as they had different dads.
When he referred this to his mother she said “ don’t let anyone tell you that you are half Of anything. She simply is your sister.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you are half black, half white, half Cypriot half Jamaican you are a full human being. You are born in Britain you need to make space for that. This is only for you to decide.
There are so many things like this that stood out me. My annotations on this book was in overload!
I especially loved and enjoyed the letters or poems that were displayed on pages, the text messages to friends and later to his love interest.
Daisy has been his friend since......forever.
His first love.
His mingling with the gay scene. With Daisies witty comments of “protect me from the lesbians” this showed me how things could be said without hate or intension to offend, just witty.
I then thought about todays Black movement.
White shouldn’t need to walk on eggshells and our black friend and people of colour or diverse sexual orientation do not always need to be defensive.
BUT, it was GREAT to see Michael grow to not just be fierce but to stand up for himself, his rights.
To challenge others.
Michael who was in a huge shell partially cracked himself through into the world, peeping out, seeing what was out there. Hatching into a beautiful bright pink human being.
I loved his drag queen chapters. Funny, witty and also a learning curve of.....
He was now free to be himself. The right everyone should have and own.
Brilliant book
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