The Guardian

Simon Spier is a 16-year-old and not-so-openly gay teenager who prefers to save the drama for Creekwood school musical. He hasn’t told anyone about being gay, except for an anonymous person from his school he’s been emailing and slowly falling in love with. But when his emails are accidentally left open and he finds himself being blackmailed by a fellow classmate, his secret risks being exposed before he’s ready. Simon soon finds himself thrust out of his comfort zone and into a whirlwind of experiences with his peers, friends and family as he tries to discover the identity of the anonymous guy he’s falling for and if they have a chance.

“Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda” was written by Becky Albertalli and is the inspiration behind the soon-to-be-released film “Love, Simon” coming out in March. The novel is only around 300 pages, but it is packed full of funny moments, awkward experiences, cute fluffy scenes and the development of friendship and family.

It tells the story about a high school boy who hasn’t come out yet, and the anxiety and fears Simon feels throughout the story are easily attainable for the reader to feel empathetic and sympathetic towards him and his struggles. Whether you’re straight or gay, this novel greatly illustrates the anxieties of a teenager/young person as they try to discover themselves and find their place in the world around them. It also contains awkward, funny moments and pop culture references with characters that feel realistic and like they could be found anywhere in the real world.

The writing was simple, yet had great imagery for the reader to be able to experience Simon’s predicaments. It made the novel an easy and quick read, as well as a memorable and heartfelt one. For a more diverse, relatable read about the struggles of discovering yourself and connecting with those around you, “Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda” is a great novel to consider.