A is a transgender teen who is not accepted by his parents. They force him to go to a conversion support group called Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD). One day, one of his friends speaks up at the group and that night is taken to an unknown location. A gets away and runs to his friends’ house hoping to run away together. When the friends’ parents hear A, A runs and a mysterious tornado of trash hits them allowing A to get away. Suddenly, they hear a voice speaking to them. This voice announces that they are a gollum, and tells A that he must go on a quest to save his friend and others. Will A be able to discover the answers to all his questions about what is happening and will be be able to save his friends from the sheydim that feed off of the transgender children or will he walk away or fail his quest?

I liked this book, but I will admit it had times that were hard to get past, mainly that A was a very flawed character who was genuinely unlikable throughout the majority of the book. I am glad, however that I stuck it out and continued to read it, because the flaws that made him unlikable were there for a reason. As an exvangelical goy, I appreciated the Jewish folklore and explanations about Jewish tradition, as I had no references for most of them. I found the references particularly interesting and I appreciated the interweaving of the folklore and tradition with the story and I loved the description of transness and holiness. I do, however wish that the end did not happen so suddenly.

Overall, a good read, 3.75/5 stars for me.

A World Worth Saving is a story about a trans Jewish boy who was chosen to try to save his friends from their parents and also demons. I liked how A was flawed and grew throughout the story, even though at times it killed me a little inside. The plot was interesting and I really liked how the Jewish faith and stories were portrayed and woven in. I learned a little more about the faith and enjoyed the plot line (although at times it was slightly unbearable).

This book had a really strong opening. It felt quite a bit like trans Jewish Percy Jackson I thought, but this later changed.

While the synopsis does make it clear that transphobia is prominent in this book, I think as an adult it is too much for a middle grade book. I don't know how kids are on the internet these days, but I know I had hope for a good world when I was in the target audience for this book. Given that even I debated putting this book down and walking away because it got so traumatic, I'm not sure what to think. I stuck with it because I believed in the happy ending, a child dealing with similar issues to the main character may not, and end up feeling hopeless.

That being said, I did like the humor that came in it. I liked A sticking up for himself, and while the conclusion felt a little rushed with some realizations, I liked the ending.

If you are a trans person who is looking for a book to escape for a bit, I don't think this book is for you, because it hurts for a long while. But if you're a trans person looking for a story where we win, read this one to the end.

This powerful and timely novel is an absolute must-read! Raw, heartfelt, and laced with supernatural thrills, it deftly tackles the real struggles of being trans in a world that doesn’t always understand. I really cannot imagine better trans representation that feels like how ACTUAL trans tweens in 2024 speak to each other, and what they experience when their families are against them. And of course, the magic element is perfect for making it more digestible. Truly inspiring, and I will be purchasing this for the trans tweens in my life.

This was such an adventurous book. The pacing was really good and it helped keep the story moving and the character development on a nice progression. I loved following these characters and seeing them fall and rise again to achieve their mission. It was a fun story and it was a great world that the reader is brought into. Lukoff balanced character and plot so well that the story is well rounded and a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really wanted to like this. I mean, it sounded like a fun read - a trans boy who struggles against a conversion camp? I was hoping it would be somewhat like Surrender Your Sons, if perhaps a bit lighter.

Unfortunately, this book failed to reach my expectations. I debated giving it two stars, but near the end I simply skimmed, and the ending was lackluster. I considered DNF'ing at 80%, but continued simply because I was too far into the book to stop.

The characters talk somewhat stiltedly, at times - certain sections of this book remind me more of an article than a story. It almost comes off as preachy at some points - not because of its morals and beliefs, but because of how they are presented.

A was an obnoxious main character to follow, and while that was intentional, his flaws were not well balanced with things that would endear me to him. He's bullheaded and has a hero complex, while also being ignorant and resistant to change. A goes through a lot, but at times I felt like it was a challenge to empathize with him because he simply wouldn't listen or examine his biases until the very end, and even then, his redemption arc was less that, and more of him simply not being selfish anymore. He apologized, sure, but it wasn't enough for me.

I recognize this can simply be how kids are, and that it's a good thing to have all sorts of trans people in media, including ones that are obnoxious, but that doesn't stop me from being annoyed by him, either. He is manipulative and selfish. And while that is a part of the story, a component of the plot, it was also simply not fun to read.

The story itself is rather slow paced, despite being relatively short. It felt like it was dragging several times.


I am not the core audience - this books is marketed to middle graders, and I do think that if I had had it as a kid, this would perhaps have appealed more. Or maybe not - I may have very well been as annoyed by the main character as I am today, and unenthused by the mid pacing. I can't really say.

This is a good book for a kid who is just being introduced to trans issues, especially if they're swept up into the inter-community fights. It would also be good for a kid whose empathy is poorly developed.

Other than that? I can't say I'd recommend this with my full heart, or perhaps at all unfortunately.

I cannot tell you how badly I wish I had this book when I was younger. Even now, at the age of 31, the stuff A went through impacted me so much I teared up multiple times. This representation is so important, and to do it in a way so that trans kids can see themselves on a grand adventure that so many cis characters get to go on is wonderful. This book was fun, complex, well written and so so important. Thank you.