Thank you to Fierce Reads and Netgalley for this arc.

This book is an absolute love letter to neurodivergent and queer teens-- and anyone else who might find themselves othered from their society.

Bastian is brown, nonbinary, and has ADHD. Lore is brown, nonbinary, and has dyslexia. They experience the world under the lake together, and they help each other learn the important parts of themselves.

I loved this book so much. I'm always a fan of McLemore's writing and this one was so magical. I loved every bit of it. The characters, the prose, the lessons and story and world! It was all perfectly magical and relatable and so so good.

Please read this book.

Pub date: March 8, 2022

CW: racism, transphobia, misgendering, violence, blood, ableism

Thank you so much to Fierce Reads for the ARC!

TW: racism, homophobia
Rep: Latinx non-binary mcs, mc with ADHD, mc with dyslexia, wlw side characters

“All that was just part of the
shared understanding of the lake here, the lakelore. Like fisherman telling how far out storms were by the tint to the sky, or how las viejas measured the seiches so carefully they could predict them like tides.”

Ever since I was in third grade, I’ve been watching and rewatching a sitcom called The Middle. In the show, one of the main characters is a big reader, and he describes his books as his best friends in the whole world. That’s what this book feels like to me. It feels like a friend I can always feel comfortable being near. I relate to so many themes and characters in this book that it’s impossible not to fall in love with it.

You can tell the author cares deeply about sharing their experiences living with ADHD and dyslexia. The characters shine as individuals while also being so compatible with each other. Not only is the romantic relationship between the two protagonists so genuine, but so are the friendships between the side characters. No interaction between the characters feels forced.

“Gender identity never reduces down that easily anyway. Recognizing someone like you is never as simple as picking things apart to see what they add up to.”

When I read a book, I look for two kinds of quotes— ones I think are beautifully written, and ones I can relate to. With books like these, not only do I find both, but the ones I relate to mean so much to me.

And of course, I’m crying again. Because this book makes me—a Latinx, queer, genderfluid teen—feel so very loved.

This book was wonderful. I had seen several of my favourite authors ranting about it, so much so that I started bugging PR folks to try and get a copy for myself, and success!
The story is about Bastián and Lore, two non-binary 16yos, one with ADHD, the other is dyslexic. From what I understand the author is also enby, dyslexic, and has ADHD, and I think that was quite evident throughout the book, the way things were written. I think it made it feel very real and authentic, because it was.
I usually don't like books that really go into detail about any specific aspect of a character, it comes across as more of an instruction manual, instead of a story. I did not at all feel that way about this book, even though it spent a lot of time exploring and explaining the MCs' identities and neurodiversity. As a cis-gender, neurotypical person, I really appreciated how this was written, it felt like it gave me a window into their lives and what it can mean to be neurodiverse. Also, as the parent of an enby teen, I feel like it gave me insight into what that can mean for them, as well as a better understanding of what being non-binary means in general.
The book is so beautifully written, I really love how the world under the lake is described. I could so clearly picture it, with all the beautiful colours and textures. I also really liked how the two MCs grew throughout the book and how their friendship developed.
Some of my favourite things:
•Gender forecasts
•Alebrijes
•The way ADHD/dyslexia was explained

I highly recommend this book!

This is very much a love letter to people who are neurodivergent and I say good on Anna-Marie McLemore for writing it. I don't think it's my favorite of theirs, and I would have a hard time explaining it to someone, but you can feel the love they've put in it.

Anna-Marie McLemore is a genius. I had to pause reading so many times to just marvel at the descriptions. The author truly pulled out some galaxy brain descriptions that were SO compelling. This book is so beautiful and the magical realism is on another level.

Lore and Bastián’s relationship was also really beautiful. The way they grew together so naturally and supported one another through what each of them considered to be the worst parts of themselves was refreshing. Both characters have things about them that they know others have faulted them for, but neither Lore or Bastián contribute to the other’s pain, not even when they themselves think they deserve it.

I was so impressed by moments like the scene where Lore helps Bastián learn how to give T shots with practice oranges. Those moments were so intimate in a way that a lot of YA fiction isn’t. And the end was really fulfilling with a realistic grand gesture!