I really don't care about football but the author's love and deep knowledge of the sports bleeds into her book.

When Grace, former kicker, comes out as trans she must restructure her last year of high school around changing social groups, reuniting with the sports and finding her place in it without alienating her new queer friend group. Then there's also college, her former girlfriend who may be questioning her sexuality and the reality of teenage transition.

This book deserves a long review from me but it deserves a new spot in the pantheon of trans YA. There's a complicated balance to strike between the depressing reality of transphobia and transmisogyny and the hopeful yet sometimes emotional tone of Young Adult fiction. Grace's story isn't one of rainbows but it does offer moments of tenderness, love and hope throughout.

It's a complicated journey from new queer friends who don't understand why Grace is still so attached to the jocks and football and the football crowd made up of both supportive and transphobic players. Then, there's the media attention on playing sports as a trans girl, and Grace deals with that in different ways throughout the book.

As a young trans lesbian, Grace is caught in a messy situationship with her ex-girlfriend who is maybe coming to terms with her bisexuality while hiding all of it from everyone. Grace hides so much, keeps so much to herself in a way that is relatable to many people who don't want to be burdens and should realise that the people in their life are there for them.

This is one of the best books I have read this year. I couldn’t care less about football/ relate to the athletic mtf experience yet this book consumed me in a way few do.

This is among the best trans representations in media I have ever experienced. Some of the lines in here were so true to me and my experience as an ftm trans person that it physically hurt. Being seen and knowing I am not alone was a beautiful kind of pain.

I definitely recommend reading this to anyone, not just trans people. The story is well written, the characters are endearing and realistic and I did enjoy the setting and writing. 10/10

I can't wait for everyone to discover this book. It's beautifully written, empathetic, funny, vulgar, kind, with a level of subject-matter expertise that makes my sports sicko heart soar. There's a large and colorful cast of characters, each one is memorable and distinct and not everyone is redeemed, just like in life. It humanizes trans people and trans athletes in a way that our society sorely needs. There's regional beef, and bad coffee, and teens being teens, and a deep affection for every interest and social group that sustains the human condition. It's about figuring out who you are, and who you used to be, and how those pieces fit together to make the life that hopefully advances to becoming your best self one day. I loved every minute of reading it, and I can't wait to revisit this book time and time again. Oh, and there's a Spencer Hall epigram.

Grace Woodhouse is a hs senior who gets invited to play w her hs’s football team again after thinking her football career is over now she’s out and living as a trans girl (and a lesbian!)

The story spends most of its time in the present where Grace is juggling football, new friends, old friends, college recruiters, journalists, and transphobia

We also get snippets of her past, sometimes as a kid but mostly her junior year where we see her dysphoria come to a head

Grace is such a relatable character; many of her struggles are typical to being a teenager, though quite a few are very specific to being a trans girl in sports

Which was rough but her friends and one of her coaches have her back in so many ways. I loved her football friends SO MUCH and her two queer best friends and their little group are so wonderful—

For a story with so many side characters, I was surprised and impressed by how well developed all these characters are

If you love gay sports books you’re gonna need to read One of the Boys

If youre looking for that friends-who-don’t-know-each-other-but-turn-into-found-family feeling from heartstopper, you should definitely pick this one up!

American football is not my jam, but this book is!
Cozy bro vibes ✅
Accurate high school rep (jocks and theater kids ❤️) ✅
LGBTQIAP+ rep ✅
Relatable family relationships ✅
What more could you want?

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I wanted to read it. I am not a sports person, but I just knew this would be so good - and it did not disappoint! One of the Boys is such a great story of friendship, community, high school, and, yes, transmisogyny in sports and in general. Even as this deals with heavy topics, this overall felt like a light read because it’s so full of love and community and support. It kept making me emotional in the best ways, and I love Grace and her story. I also really liked the way past scenes were recounted in second person, almost like it was a way for Grace to step away from who she was Before. This really is such a warm hug in so many ways, especially the friendships Grace has with her fellow football players, who have her back in the biggest ways. I found it hard to put down, because I couldn’t let go of Grace. The ending was so satisfying and overall I had a lot of fun with this book. I cannot wait to see what Victoria Zeller will write next!