Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Trans-themed teen fiction: Jumpstart the World.
Posted by Gina at 8:21 AM
http://skipthemakeup.blogspot.com/2010/12/trans-themed-teen-fiction-jumpstart.htmlCatherine Ryan Hyde's Jumpstart the World is one of several recent young adult novels which incorporate trans characters or themes. Somewhat like soap operas, YAF (Young Adult Fiction) as a genre tends to deal with more challenging subjects and social issues than books targeted towards adults. Perhaps this is because of young people's curiosity and openness about the world and also, because these books are competing for their readership's attention against the onslaught of gaming, social networks and CGI-laden films. As a result, they tend to focus on twists and turns of interpersonal relationships and the challenges of maturing within an often hostile, fragmented society.
Jumpstart the World centers around just turned 16-year old New Yorker, Elle, who is dumped by her narcissistic mom into her own Manhattan apartment when the mom's boyfriend can't deal with having a teen in the house. Elle is a friendless, sullen loner who is switching high schools and holds out little hope for herself. She gets a mangy, one-eyed, antisocial cat from the ASPCA as company just to annoy her mom who puts a high value on physical beauty.
