Transrights Readathon Book Review: I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
Publisher: ‎ PUSH
Publication Date: May 14, 2019
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher’s Description:

When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they’re thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents’ rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school. But Ben’s attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan’s friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life. At turns heartbreaking and joyous, I Wish You All the Best is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love, and a shining example of hope in the face of adversity.

I decided to choose a book about a nonbinary person for the Transrights Readathon because that’s probably the identity that’s hardest for me to wrap my head around. And reading is a great way to gain understanding. I Wish You All the Best is a young adult novel about Ben, who is kicked out of their house when they come out to their parents as nonbinary. Like, kicked out so fast they don’t even have time to grab their phone or their shoes! Luckily, Ben finds a pay phone and calls their older sister to come to get them. She left their parents’ oppressive household ten years ago and never looked back.

Ben starts a new high school in the town their sister lives in but is still afraid to come out to their new friends, in part because of how traumatizing coming out to their parents was. They have panic attacks and are in therapy. Eventfully, they start medication as well.

This book was so well done. The author is nonbinary as well and their author’s note explains how they have drawn on their experiences as well as the experiences of others to tell this story. This book will lead to greater understanding for those people who want to learn more about what it means to be nonbinary and will make any nonbinary readers feel like they are not alone. Highly recommended.