Let Them Stare by Jonathan Van Ness, Julie Murphy
Published by Harper Collins / STORYTIDE ISBN: 0063346249
Genres: Romance, Supernatural
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

Sully, a gender non-conforming recent high school grad, is more than ready to leave their small town behind for a big-city internship where they/them pronouns aren’t a constant explanation (not to mention a constant source of social friction). Leaving their loving and supportive mom and two best friends will be hard, but saying goodbye to a town that doesn’t understand gender beyond the binary is a freedom worth the sacrifice.

Having sold their car to Brad, the town’s only other out gay kid (a boy who managed to fit in with the bro boys despite being gay, so has never been a particular friend), given up their cool thrift school job and said goodbye to friends and family at their farewell party, Sully wakes up the next morning to find their internship with a social media fashion influencer has been cancelled.

Sully is suddenly stuck in Hearst, Pennsylvania with no car, no cash, and no job. They head to the thrift store to find that their position has already been filled. But as they are leaving, they find a gorgeous vintage bag in the back room – something recently donated. Something not yet assessed. Something….fabulous. Suspecting that they’ve found a genuine treasure, Sully buys the bag, determined to get it valued, sold, and bankrolling their move to NYC.

And that’s when things…take a turn. Once home and in their bedroom, Sully opens the bag and out floats an absurdly handsome…ghost. Rufus is the ghost of a drag performer from the 1950’s who can’t remember how he died and who also seems to be the one, er, being who can really understand what Sully is going through right now. What follows is a madcap romp through the ridiculous (a suave “female impersonator” is living in Sully’s purse with opinions for every occasion), the sweet (so, Brad is kinda cute, and awfully sweet the way he’ll drive Sully around everywhere, even if he won’t sell the car back), and the sobering (turns out the small town of Hearst does have a significant queer history after all, and it’s not only impactful for Sully’s future, but very tied up in Rufus’ past, and death).

While the premise of this book places it a bit outside realistic fiction, the story itself is very, very grounded in the reality of what it means to be seen for who you are, and to live your best and happiest life. Also, less happily, what it can cost to be your truest self in a world that does not want to see it. Sully is an absolute star; supporting characters are well defined and three dimensional, readers will believe in and root for Rufus. Tears might be shed. A fabulous addition to library shelves on many levels – pure fun, but also for the queer history and representation; while we’ve seen an increase in books with gay, lesbian and bi characters in recent years, there’s not as many with nonbinary representation. Authors Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy have created something truly wonderful. Also a shout-out for the fabulous cover – you’ll have to read the book to find out about the dinosaur, however…

Five stars & cream nominee

– Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library