Fiercely feminist and gorgeously inclusive, Wild and Crooked effortlessly compels the reader to explore what it means to discover the beautiful truth of who you are, and how to fight for the truth of those you love.” - Shannon M. Parker, acclaimed author of THE GIRL WHO FELL and THE RATTLED BONES on WILD AND CROOKED
“A haunting and hopeful story of self-discovery.” - Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“With lyrical writing, a gripping plot, and visceral emotion, there are many high points to this book . . . . Give this to fans of ghost stories, magical realism, feminism, and complex characters.” - School Library Journal, starred review
“Thomas (Because You’ll Never Meet Me) writes complex characters, all of whom have experienced trauma, with compassion, deftly exploring the ways in which codependency can obstruct healing. . . . [A] dark, thoughtful ghost story.” - Publishers Weekly
“Thomas (Wild and Crooked, 2019) serves up a captivating novel, exploring themes of coming out, trans acceptance, toxic masculinity, histories of violence, and the complex impacts of trauma on relationships, friendships, and family.” - Rob Bittner, Booklist
“. . . Thomas’ unerring eye for distilling the shared elements of human suffering and the persistence of hope keeps this ambitious novel on track. Ultimately, both ghosts and humans move through the world because we must, and sometimes (hopefully often) we find love, comfort, or even happiness.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“Thomas' forthright, sensitive treatment of homosexuality, class, race, and prejudice combine with fully developed characters to create a world peopled by marvelously real protagonists who have the courage to do the right thing.” - Booklist, starred review, on WILD AND CROOKED
“Unforgettable and distinct voices . . . A fantastic novel that will be especially resonant for readers who struggle with being or feeling outside of 'normal.'” - Booklist, starred review, on NOWHERE NEAR YOU
“Metaphor and figurative language make the prose here beautiful to read. . . . The poignant, strange, and poetic novel is a nuanced exploration of human nature.” - Booklist, starred review, on WHEN LIGHT LEFT US
“A compelling, character-driven, and imaginative novel. . . What makes it stand out is Thomas’s talent of bringing intimacy, thoughtfulness, and a sense of wonder to her writing. ¬For fans of Patrick Ness and Lauren Oliver, this is a must buy.” - School Library Journal, starred review, on WHEN LIGHT LEFT US
“This brilliant follow-up to a clever and unexpected novel does exactly what it should in keeping the same epistolary format but taking these two unforgettable characters way out of their comfort zones and toward lives that are lived rather than waited out, and the result is powerful stuff indeed.” - BCCB, starred review, on NOWHERE NEAR YOU
“The pacing is impeccable, as letters move from sunniness (Oliver) and bemused distance (Moritz) to both writers exploring their darkest fears, experiences, and worries for their futures.” - BCCB, starred review, on BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER MEET ME
“It’s refreshing to read teens having thoughtful conversations without losing their particular voices. . . . YA authors looking to incorporate meaningful and moving LGBTQ stories into their novels: Take notes.” - Entertainment Weekly on WILD AND CROOKED
★ 06/01/2021
Gr 9 Up—When your whole childhood has been lived around an abusive parent, a ghost turns out not to be so scary. In fact, that ghost might just become your best friend. That's exactly what happens when Dani finds Sarah haunting the space under the bed. As Dani gets older, their relationship becomes more entwined, and Dani is terrified to tell Sarah that he's trans. Sarah has good reason to distrust men, having been murdered by one, so Dani hides his true self. The two decide to start a shelter for the ghosts of murdered women, allowing Dani to work through the abuse he experienced from his father. But when a childhood rival, Seiji, comes back into the picture, Dani must reevaluate everything from his own memories to his relationship with Sarah. With lyrical writing, a gripping plot, and visceral emotion, there are many high points to this book. While the story includes Dani's self-realization and coming out, his trans identity is not presented as a hurdle or as the only important thing about him, creating a fully human character. Readers should be aware that this book contains depictions of suicide, physical and sexual violence, and anti-trans language. Dani and Sarah's ethnicities aren't stated, and Seiji is Japanese and white. VERDICT Give this to fans of ghost stories, magical realism, feminism, and complex characters. A first purchase for high school and public libraries.—Heather Waddell, Sargent Memorial Lib., Boxborough, MA
★ 2021-04-30
Fifteen-year-old Dani knows a few things for sure: He is a transgender boy, ghosts are real, and most victims are murdered by someone they know.
After escaping Dani’s abusive father, he and his mother move to Michigan. His only friend is Sarah, an angry teenage ghost who hates men and keeps the details of her murder a closely guarded secret. When they meet Patricia, another ghost, lying dazed in the woods, they decide they need to find a way to help the ghosts of murdered women. Meanwhile, Dani reluctantly begins to befriend taciturn classmate Seiji, who is also haunted by ghosts both real and metaphorical. Ghosts are not the scary things in this story, however. The characters, the living ones as well as the ghosts, explicitly and honestly deal with the traumas of physical and sexual abuse, rape, violence, abandonment, suicide, and murder. Some forgive, some hide, and some rage while others feel inexplicably drawn to return again and again to their abusers. The author evokes the setting of the late 1990s and early 2000s with plenty of pop-culture references, but the characters’ knowledge and attitudes about transgender issues are often optimistically—but not impossibly—contemporary. Dani, Patricia, and other major characters seem to be White; Sarah has pale brown skin and black hair, and Seiji is White and Japanese.
A haunting and hopeful story of self-discovery. (Paranormal. 14-18)
