Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill

I'll start by saying that this book in now in my TOP 5 of the more than 130 books I've read so far this year! I think it's a terrific YA novel, for many reasons-- more than that, I think it has broad appeal (and importance) to a much wider circle of readers.

Author Lee Wind writes with passion and clarity, weaving in important words regarding bullying, coming out, acceptance and equality. All this as 15 year old Wyatt explores the very real possibility Abraham Lincoln might have been gay. And if Lincoln was gay-- his family and friends would easily accept his own coming out, right?

Even though Wind's hero (Wyatt) believes this to be true, he (Wind) does not try to convince or drive this home to the reader-- instead he asks the reader to open their mind to the possibility; he builds an even stronger case for how fascinating history can be. There's so much more to discover when you take the time to look deeper for the truth.

And then there is Martin. What a perfect example of hope and a conceivable future. Wind not only uses Martin to show Wyatt 'what can be' but also uses him to transition the story from coming out to one of acceptance and equality. Wind carefully sidesteps the easy choice of merely pointing fingers at villains and instead shows the potential for change-- in the hearts and minds of people willing to open their minds.

I certainly wish books like this had been available when I was at that young stage of my life. I would have felt less alone-- even though the connection was (would have been) with a fictional character in a book. I felt a magical bond with the story and highly recommend it for people of all ages.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, I’m going to start off by saying that I absolutely loved this book. I think Lee Wind wrote such a provocative and enlightening story of self-discovery and I have been recommending it everywhere.

Now, I’m from a small town but unlike Wyatt, where I come from is so openly diverse that it borders on the ridiculous. I mean, we have rainbow crosswalks. It is more socially acceptable to be gay or trans than it is to be a smoker. I’m absolutely not saying that there is anything wrong with that, but I bring it up to make the point that I was so mind blown at the town wide rage and hatred at the slightest hint of a gay historical figure and at the intense cruelty shown to Wyatt that I was completely speechless. Pretty disgusted, if I’m being honest. I know that there are still communities in the world where the idea of a gay person, regardless of historical significance, would bring about this kind of reaction and I honestly don’t understand it. This is not something that I am able to identify with so I found that entire reaction throughout the book very, very overwhelming and heartbreaking.

I think that the idea of Wyatt stumbling across “proof” of Lincoln’s sexuality was a pretty forced idea. I read the letters between Abe and Joshua and I did not get the same translation as he did. Obviously, the idea of Lincoln being a closeted gay man isn’t new. The book mentioned in Queer as a Five Dollar Bill is an actual text and others have come up with the same conclusion (I know, I Googled the hell out of this when I finished reading Wind’s book)but I just didn’t see it. Mind you, I’m not a gay 15 year old boy who feels trapped in the closet so, again, not something I can relate to. I think that the book that began it all was given to Wyatt at the time he needed it the most and he found that he could relate to the letters sent from Abe which is why he got them message from them that I could not. That’s just a theory of mine.

I really felt for Wyatt through this entire book. I can’t even imagine the emotional turmoil he must have went through and there were a lot of times that I had to remind myself that he was only a 15 year old boy and not even a man yet but he was dealing with so many issues that I think would be hard for anyone, even beyond his years. I also felt so much for his parents; dealing with so much change, scrutiny and outright hatred that threatened their livelihood, challenged their beliefs and ultimately tested their love and acceptance of their son.

Although the ending felt a little rushed and a lot like a Hallmark special, I think that the overall message was a powerful one that needs to be shared. This book wasn’t about the possibility of Lincoln being gay and how that would affect people’s lives, but about a young boy coming to terms with himself and seeking acceptance from the community that would condemn him. It is an important story that I think could help others, not only struggling with their own identities, but the loved ones who are struggling to find acceptance. The wonderful mixture of factual history and fiction is just the icing on the cake.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to read and provide my honest opinion.

I ended up enjoying Queer as a Five Dollar Bill by Lee Wind much more than I expected to. The premise itself was super interesting, but the initial chapters were a bit slow and I couldn’t decide if I was really into the book or not. The writing style was decent but not awesome. However, I’m really glad that I stuck with it as the plot quickly started to unfold.

In Queer as a Five Dollar Bill, Wyatt lives in Lincolnville, Oregon, in the Lincoln Slept Here Bed & Breakfast that his parents own. The town, thanks to its name, is pretty much dedicated to Lincoln history, and idolizes President Lincoln. In his high school history class, Wyatt and his classmates are assigned a project in which they have to read a book about Lincoln and write blog posts about it. In his research, Wyatt discovers that Abraham Lincoln was in a gay relationship at one point and wrote his blog post about that, hoping that it could become a bridge to his own coming out in his conservative town. However, quite the opposite happens, and when his blog posts gain national attention, Wyatt is forced to deal with the consequences.

Like I said, there is nothing remarkable about Lee Wind’s writing style, but it had a lot of redeemable factors that made me ultimately really enjoy the book. I loved Wyatt’s character – he was really easy to identify with, I didn’t find him annoying, and I found his process of coming out relatable and credible given his circumstances. I also loved the use of history in the book, with direct quotes from primary sources – Lee Wind included actual letters, as well as sources marked in the back of the book, from Lincoln’s letters to back up the thesis that Lincoln was, in fact, queer. After the first few chapters, the plot picked up and I literally could not put the book down because I just wanted to know what was going to happen next and how Wyatt was going to deal with it. The pace was really well written.

Above all, I loved the theme of unity, where people of different beliefs and backgrounds are willing to put down their weapons and stand together for a common belief and a greater good. I think this is a book that is really relevant in today’s political and social climate, and it has a great message of how to deal with it. In a few words, don’t judge others – we are all different, in many different ways, and we just can’t let those differences come between us.

Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill was a fun story of a closeted gay teen trying to find acceptance through history. I was not expecting it to become as political and dramatic as it did, but that made me enjoy the novel even more. Between the history lessons and the budding romance, this novel really has it all.

Like most of the people in Lincolnville, OR, I never imagined Lincoln being gay or even bi, but the evidence Wyatt comes across is enticing and I admire Lee Wind for using these real letters and examining them in a different way than most historians.

The story was written well and captivating. After starting it, I didn't want to put it down. Wind's characters are realistic and dynamic. Seeing the character growth in every character, especially the bully, was incredible. Wind really does a fantastic job in telling this story that needed to be told.