TESTIMONIALS
Word on the Street
REVIEWED BY Alejandra Castellanos, Reedsy reviewer
Hectic and bizarre—Goddess embodies teenage years in a turbulent and accelerated tale of self discovery.
Sangiovese introduces us to Sandy, a high school student in the midst of his transition to being a woman. With creative descriptions and vivid sequences, we meet Sandy as a loud teenager who has been transitioning for several years. Sandy is now Goddess, and she embarks in the frightening yet exciting world of being a transgender person and the rollercoaster that can be. As we get to know Goddess, we encounter diverse aspects of her personality; her bravery, her determination, but also, her vulnerability, her emotions, and her attitude towards others who might try to antagonize her. Goddess is still figuring out her personality as a newly found woman as she begins interacting with her friends and new acquaintances. It is rather entertaining and even comforting to dive into her journey as many around her embrace her true self and join her in her quest of finding allies to her cause. I found her optimism and body positivity a key element in her transition; if she had not believed in herself, she wouldn’t have generated the impact that she wanted and needed in her schools and in her community. It sends out the message that every teenager needs during these uncertain and frightening times: if you are yourself, people will perceive you as confident and honest, and they will follow you wherever you go. Although this book bears positive messages towards the transgender community and any person going through a major life change, Goddess—in her teenage innocence and irreverence—tends to romanticize cultures and groups of people that are not her own, exhibiting her misconceptions of those social groups. In the end, it’s an honest portrayal of what a thriving and curious teenager is like as they find new interests, new hobbies, new versions of themselves on their road to finding themselves and becoming a better person. Certainly, this book is a treat to those looking for an exciting, vivid, and thunderous journeys of teenagers evolving into their true selves. With a message of the power of positivism and confidence, The Goddess of Second Chances embodies the new world that awaits those who want to embrace themselves and become who they have always dreamed of.
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