Boldly weird and confident, this YA novel features LGBTQ+ teen artists and telepathic visionaries, offering hope amid climate and community destruction. James Goldberg, a self-described neurotic goth gay transsexual stoner, is a high school senior who largely ignores his classes at Cow Pie High. Instead, he focuses on fundraising for the struggling local LGBTQ+ youth support group, Compton House, and attending punk shows with his friend-crush Ian and best friend Opal. When James falls for Orsino, a homeschooled trans boy with telepathic abilities and apocalyptic visions, he begins to question his own beliefs about what is possible. Orsino seeks someone who can share his visions and understand their powers. This story showcases Hal Schrieve as a distinctive voice in LGBTQ+ YA fiction, exploring the complexities of flawed individuals striving to create a better world. It delves into the beauty of hope, the clash between grand dreams and harsh realities, and the coexistence of human messiness—such as egos and insecurities—with good intentions. Ultimately, it emphasizes the importance of chosen family and the potential to save the world through love, art, and acts of resistance.
