It includes a growing awareness, a breakup with the boyfriend, a shy beginning with the girlfriend, the inevitable backlash at school, dealing with Mom, and finally–a sweet resolution with the tang of new hope. SPOILERS: (Really, are these spoilers? Do we seriously not know what’s going to happen?) The storyline is predictable, which is not at all a criticism. Why does he think their making out sessions are so intense? She’s not all that engaged. His mean ex is complemented by other mean girls he wants more than Sofie is comfortable giving he derides her interests. The others in his crowd are broadly drawn too. It’s not that he’s mean he just doesn’t think. Paul is a stereotypically oafish senior pretty boy. Clea’s brilliant, and athletically talented and also, she’s the school’s only out lesbian. Now Paul takes up most of her time.Īnd now her English teacher has paired her for the year with Clea. Sofie loves to cook, and she’s been part of her school’s interfaith group and knitting club. Sofie assists her (single) mom with the family business, Sunny Side Cleaning. She’s not in honors classes, and she’s not headed for a prestigious (Canadian– Femme takes place in Canada) university.
This is worth emphasizing in a YA lit world where “interracial relationship” is often a signifier for “tragic/bittersweet ending.” readers, think Orca’s high interest-low level books).įemme also features a strong, positive, mixed-race love interest (Clea’s mom is white, and her dad is black–they’re still together, by the way, and successful, and very supportive of their daughter), and, eventually, a happy, healthy, interracial same-sex relationship. It has a passable cover immediately identifiable as part of Lorimer’s “edgy” issues-laden SideStreets series (U.S. You can give it to a reluctant reader and know that reader has a good chance of finishing it. Let’s point them up right now: This is a high-interest, low-level novel (it’s written on a third-grade level). It is not a book you’ll remember on your deathbed, but it has some excellent qualities. It’s told by Sofie, who eventually identifies as a femme (I’m not giving anything away by saying this, seriously), and involves Clea, who fits, as Sofie’s boyfriend Paul says, “the classic jock lesbo stereotype.”įemme is safe to add to school collections (the publisher recommends it for ages 13-18) and is definitely a good public library addition. Femme is a nice little YA coming-out novel.
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