Man o' War
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
A Stonewall Honor Book
An achingly honest and frequently hilarious coming-of-age novel about an Arab American trans teen fighting to keep their head above water in a landlocked Midwestern town.
Man o' wars are not jellyfish, and River McIntyre is not happy. River doesn't know why they're unhappy—though perhaps it has something to do with the way they relate more to captive marine life at the local aquarium than to the people around them. That is, until they have a run-in with Indigo "Indy" Waits on the annual class field trip. Face-to-face with an affirmed queer person, River leaps out of the closet and into the shark tank. Literally. What follows is a wrenching journey of self-discovery that spans years and winds through layers of coming out, transition, and top surgery, promising a free life for River with so much more than happiness: A life that's full of trans joy and true love.
“River is the most emotionally engaging character I've read in a long time, and this novel is a deep and comprehensive exploration of the journey transgender people trek through the confining world they're born into. Eye-opening, heartfelt, and real—with a massive payoff of true love.” —A.S. King, author of Dig, winner of the Michael L. Printz Award
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Trans nonbinary swimmer River McIntyre, who is Irish and Arab American, is a high school sophomore when a chance encounter with white, agender former classmate Indigo "Indy" Waits, at their Ohio hometown's aquarium, causes River to fall "out of the closet, literally into a shark tank." Over the next several years, River navigates dysphoria, internalized queerphobia, and their swim coach's bigotry, all while feeling disconnected from their Lebanese heritage due to their mother's trauma from post-9/11 racism. As self-accepting Indy helps River on their journey of self-discovery, the two develop a romantic relationship that's as complicated as it is tender. Multiple time jumps, some spanning years (the story follows River into adulthood), interrupt the book's flow at points, rendering important relational developments off-page. But in River's memorable voice, McCarthy (Once and Future) strikes a balance between piercing wit and aching vulnerability, while River's interest in sea life provides a compelling, complex metaphor for their own fluid gender identity. The result is a thoughtful, nuanced exploration of what it's like to feel trapped—and how to make it out. Ages 14–up.
