oh. i am obsessed with it all (almost as much as teo likes chupachups!)
First of all, as a non-binary POC myself, I am over the moon to see books coming out targeted towards young audiences which fully and unashamedly feature trans main characters in culturally-significant settings. To be trans and to be a person of colour can sometimes be hard to tie together due to the environments so many of us grow up in (highly masculinised or feminised) and having amazing characters like Teo would have brought so much comfort to young me and to I imagine a bunch of young, trans kids. The blatant presentation of being trans, in all its glories, heartaches and NORMALITY, is wonderful to see.
I love that the book does not shy away from not only Teo being openly trans but also dealing with his dysphoria. Painting his dysphoria not with his surgery scars (which!! thank you so much for making top surgery scars cool and rugged!!) but with the wings which hold so much cultural value and power is such a genius move. Teo's wings are the single most obvious giveaway of his heritage and to have his dysphoria be based in hiding this part of himself away to feel okay with his own identity is a story I cannot wait to see develop.
Plot-wise, I love the idea of the Golds, Jades and Obsidians because they are based in a mythology which is not often represented in young adult media. They also are just immensely cool! The difference in lifestyle and treatment between Golds and Jades on their elite level VS in the eyes of the humans they protect is so interesting to me. Chavo obviously loves Teo and sees him as the city's son but worships the Golds for protecting him. Teo's involvement in the fire is seen as more a hindrance even though it is him who initially saves the baker's life by taking her into the freezer despite having no special power. Teo is the person who understands the beating heart and thrum of the city, the connections humans can have with things as simple as a little doll. It is what sets him apart from the Golds, trained as they are to deal with life-threatening situations, it is all they understand.
The motif of the doll was flawlessly done. It is not the dire situation of a crying child and its lost parent or guardian which is usually done in stories like this. The girl, by all accounts, is safe but has lost her dearest possession. Teo is the hero to her because he is willing to help her out despite how ridiculous he may find her emotion towards the doll. It will make her happy and he knows that. Comparing that to Aurelio's laser focus on preservation of human life and his rejection of the doll, it is truly wonderful.
Teo is someone's hero while Aurelio is THE hero.
I am getting some sort of enemies to friends/ lovers situation broiling between our sweet Teo and Aurelio and I, for one, cannot wait to see its development over time. Maybe, it will be Teo who will teach Aurelio how to genuinely see the human's overly emotional and loving perspective rather than to see them just as constant damsels in distress.
This book is something I WILL have on my bookshelf because god knows, we all need bright books to bring character, representation and individual shine to our setups!
I love that the book does not shy away from not only Teo being openly trans but also dealing with his dysphoria. Painting his dysphoria not with his surgery scars (which!! thank you so much for making top surgery scars cool and rugged!!) but with the wings which hold so much cultural value and power is such a genius move. Teo's wings are the single most obvious giveaway of his heritage and to have his dysphoria be based in hiding this part of himself away to feel okay with his own identity is a story I cannot wait to see develop.
Plot-wise, I love the idea of the Golds, Jades and Obsidians because they are based in a mythology which is not often represented in young adult media. They also are just immensely cool! The difference in lifestyle and treatment between Golds and Jades on their elite level VS in the eyes of the humans they protect is so interesting to me. Chavo obviously loves Teo and sees him as the city's son but worships the Golds for protecting him. Teo's involvement in the fire is seen as more a hindrance even though it is him who initially saves the baker's life by taking her into the freezer despite having no special power. Teo is the person who understands the beating heart and thrum of the city, the connections humans can have with things as simple as a little doll. It is what sets him apart from the Golds, trained as they are to deal with life-threatening situations, it is all they understand.
The motif of the doll was flawlessly done. It is not the dire situation of a crying child and its lost parent or guardian which is usually done in stories like this. The girl, by all accounts, is safe but has lost her dearest possession. Teo is the hero to her because he is willing to help her out despite how ridiculous he may find her emotion towards the doll. It will make her happy and he knows that. Comparing that to Aurelio's laser focus on preservation of human life and his rejection of the doll, it is truly wonderful.
Teo is someone's hero while Aurelio is THE hero.
I am getting some sort of enemies to friends/ lovers situation broiling between our sweet Teo and Aurelio and I, for one, cannot wait to see its development over time. Maybe, it will be Teo who will teach Aurelio how to genuinely see the human's overly emotional and loving perspective rather than to see them just as constant damsels in distress.
This book is something I WILL have on my bookshelf because god knows, we all need bright books to bring character, representation and individual shine to our setups!