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Alex As Well

Alyssa Brugman

3.50 · Rating details · 1,861 ratings · 286 reviews

What do you do when everybody says you’re someone you’re not?

Alex wants change. Massive change. More radical than you could imagine.

Her mother is not happy, in fact she’s imploding. Her dad walked out.

Alex has turned vegetarian, ditched one school, enrolled in another, thrown out her clothes. And created a new identity. An identity that changes her world.

And Alex—the othe ...more

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Paperback, 224 pages

Published January 30th 2013 by Text Publishing

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May 28, 2016 Bogi Takács rated it it was ok

Recommended to Bogi by: Found on one of the GR intersex book lists

Shelves: readproud-challenge-gold-2016

I read this book for two different reasons:
1. I am trying to read one intersex-themed book a month
2. For Week 1 of the #readproud challenge

This is a book with a teen protagonist who is both trans and intersex! Who is made to take hormones! I am so glad this kind of representation exists in YA fiction - right?

Right?

....Sadly no. This is a very misinformed take on both being trans and intersex, on many counts.

The author was not very clear on the difference between being trans and intersex, so don' I read this book for two different reasons:
1. I am trying to read one intersex-themed book a month
2. For Week 1 of the #readproud challenge

This is a book with a teen protagonist who is both trans and intersex! Who is made to take hormones! I am so glad this kind of representation exists in YA fiction - right?

Right?

....Sadly no. This is a very misinformed take on both being trans and intersex, on many counts.

The author was not very clear on the difference between being trans and intersex, so don't expect a subtle portrayal. I don't think any trans and/or intersex people were consulted. At least part of the book was inspired by the discredited, pseudoscientific theory of autogynephilia (not named as such, but it was very apparent in the protagonist's actions and what the author assumed about an intersex trans person's thought processes). The author also seemed to confuse being intersex with multiplicity to some degree: the protagonist had a 'male self' and a 'female self', who were in mental dialog. I am not saying this is impossible; there are intersex people who are also multiple (though most of them probably not in this way), but to present this kind of mental configuration as something that happens when one is intersex - and then also tie it to taking hormones - is extremely misleading as far as I'm concerned.

It was interesting to see that the protagonist had a family member with mental illness (not named, but it looked like narcissistic personality disorder?), but this was again a very unsubtle and IMO caricaturistic portrayal, not to mention this person was the main antagonist.

The author also seemed to both discuss the protagonist's privates quite a lot, but at the same time not give much information about the particular intersex variation she had (named as androgen insensitivity syndrome; I am assuming partial androgen insensitivity syndrome). Of course this can be justified by the participant herself not knowing, but seeing as her mother was also a PoV character (through her blog entries), it came across as if the author was only interested in being intersex as a plot device, the less examined the better. The same held true for the hormones, etc.

There was also a considerable amount of casual racism and ethnocentrism in the book, including a truly offensive random remark about Eastern Europeans (gee, thanks) and the inevitable token Black character to fend off criticisms on a race axis. This character was also the 'exotic' love interest, similar to other trans YA books by white authors, like Parrotfish.

I did not dislike everything about Alex As Well! I very much enjoyed the edgy, diffident tone of voice (though the author tried to undermine it here and there), and the blog posts and comments threads between chapters were much better done than in some other YA books; the commenters immediately took shape in my head as distinct characters. There were also important points about not tolerating abuse from your family members, somewhat mangled in the rather rushed plot. Overall this book left me clutching my head.

Disclosure as per my reviews policy: I got this book from the Iowa City Public Library and back there it went. ...more

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Jan 06, 2015 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-2014, contemporary-fiction, alternating-povs, netgalley, young-adult, lgbt, reviewed-in-2015

In this day and age, very few topics are more important than intersex and/or transgender children. The world is changing right now and diverse books will certainly help us reach a positive outcome. Aside from being a beautiful book, Alex as Well is also a step in the right direction. I can’t remember any other recent YA books about intersex teens, and we can’t deny the necessity.

Alex was born with intersex condition, anatomically both female and male. Her parents were advised to watch her caref ...more

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Feb 01, 2015 Lee Farnell rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I honestly feel let down by this book. It held so much potential in terms of characters and story, but it didn't deliver. Such a disappointment.

The whole book felt rushed. And with a subject like gender, identity, sexuality etc, you can't rush it because there's a lot to explain. And this book didn't really explain anything. We knew Alex was intersex and identified as a girl but her parents had made her a boy. It went into some detail on this but not enough.

The characters also seemed a bit 2D. ...more

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Jan 29, 2015 Emily rated it it was ok

Shelves: borrowed, lgbtq, fiction, young-adult

There was so, so many things I disliked this book.

I should have put it down after the first chapter. We're introduced to "The Alexs" at the mall. Girl Alex gets a makeover and buys some makeup then tries on some clothes. The whole time she talks to Boy Alex. It's not hard to realize at this early point that the two Alexs are the same people. In the dressing room after Girl Alex tires on some clothes, Boy Alex decides to get off on how good she looks. Should have dropped the book right then.

Firs There was so, so many things I disliked this book.

I should have put it down after the first chapter. We're introduced to "The Alexs" at the mall. Girl Alex gets a makeover and buys some makeup then tries on some clothes. The whole time she talks to Boy Alex. It's not hard to realize at this early point that the two Alexs are the same people. In the dressing room after Girl Alex tires on some clothes, Boy Alex decides to get off on how good she looks. Should have dropped the book right then.

First of all there was no reason for this to be in the book. None! Alex can be a transwoman and like girls. Nothing wrong with that at all. I loved that the author wanted to write about a lesbian transwoman. I've never seen that in any kind of LGBTQ fiction. However, having Alex essential get off to herself in a dressing room makes it seem like she only enjoys being a girl for the reason of sexual gratification. Maybe the author put that scene in to show why Alex hates being called a "pervert" by her family but really, she doesn't need any reason not to like being called a "pervert".

This set up is what ruined the whole book for me. It's glaringly obvious that the author is a cisgender person. That's not a bad thing either in general but I felt she made some decisions with this book to avoid really researching the subject she wanted to write about.

Alex is intersex, it's not a bad thing for an intersex person to be trans, at all, but I felt she decided to make her character intersex to avoid subjects like gender therapy, hormone therapy, and body dysmorphia. After Alex stops taking a medication she's been taking her whole like she starts to develop breast. Her appearance is very androgynous so she never worried too much about her looks or appearance giving her away. Her medicine was really the only thing making her a "boy" so huge trans subjects were never introduced or talked about.

I liked Alex as a character. Her internal dialogues were very deep and meaningful and she did, of course, have feelings and thoughts all trans people have. I didn't like, however, the constant separations of Alex's past gender and her current gender expressions. There was no needs for it. If Alex was gender fluid it would have made more sense but mostly she just did something "boyish" and blamed Boy Alex. I would have much rather have seen Alex learn its OK to do boyish things. One doesn't need to be strictly feminine because one is a girl. She also refers to her "noodle", her private parts, way to much. This is a huge no-no!

Alex parents aren't very supportive of her decisions at first. I wasn't sure about this part of the book because Alex is intersex so this shouldn't have been a huge shock as it was. If the author wanted us to hate Alex's parents, she succeeded.

It took me 2 days to read this book so it didn't make me loose a chunk of time but I would encourage anyone who wants to read this book to go out and pick up something different. There are better books out there about trans and intersex people so do yourself a favor and check out one of those. ...more

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Jul 05, 2016 Fatima mehjabin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is an enjoyable story about an intersex person,Alex. She finds herself to be a girl but she has both male and female parts. This story revolves around her finding herself and her relationship with her family. I would say it wasn't much of a happy ending but the ending was still good. Alex did get what she wanted in the end.

This story was also funny-with Alex, saying funny things here and there.(I laughed aloud in class HAHA) I also admired her for stepping up to her parents. Though I must ...more

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Dec 18, 2012 ALPHAreader rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Alex has never liked herself. She didn’t like herself in kinder, so she pushed the other kids down. She hated herself at that boy’s school, especially after the incident. And she hates who she is at home – having to follow mum and dad’s rules, taking their damn pills.

So maybe it’s time for Alex to change herself, by being herself.

Alex has never felt like herself because she’s always been told that she’s a boy. But she doesn’t look like a boy, and she doesn’t feel like a boy. But all that’s about ...more

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Jan 31, 2015 Nasty Lady MJ rated it did not like it

To see motion in its full giffy glory click here.

Introduction:

This Motion arises from another hellish reading experience by the writer of said motion. Once again, I am seeking the Book Court to remedy a horrible situation. Rather, than forgetting this POS, I wish to have the Court force this book to change its blurb so that people (like yours truly) won’t get tricked into reading it and wanting to pound fictional characters as a result of this-I hear this effect is called being a Book Hulk. The ...more

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Dec 13, 2014 Kristen Cansler rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley, blog-review

Alex As Well was a rollercoaster that I did not want to get off of. It blew me away and rendered me speechless. While reading, my mind was constantly churning a million thoughts about Alex, gender identity, and the effects that our parents can have on us and us on them. There are so many elements woven into the very fabric of this story. I'm in awe of Alyssa Brugman.

Usually whenever I'm blown away by a book, I'll gush and post a million gifs. But it would feel silly to do that for Alex As Well ...more

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Jan 22, 2015 Liviania rated it really liked it

ALEX AS WELL is a 2013 release from Australia finally making its way to our shores. The protagonist, Alex, was raised as a boy but has recently realized that she identifies as a girl. Her gender identity is complicated by the fact that she's intersex and doesn't fit neatly into either category.

I liked that ALEX AS WELL gets beyond the usual struggle focused on in books about gender dysphoria. Alex knows she's a girl and is quite firm about it. Her struggles are more about her relationship with h ...more

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Jun 05, 2018 amy kara rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: was-supposed-to-read-for-school, read-in-summer-2018, read-in-2018

1.5
Well, it was readable. However, I can't say that I enjoyed reading it.

Every character was so two dimensional and unlikable. I believe that Alex was supposed to be around fifteen, but she acted like she was about twelve years old. It was hard to connect to her as a protagonist, beyond feeling pity for her awful home situation. Even though it was told from her perspective, we didn't get much of her internal thoughts or feelings, outside of her (typically snarky) reactions to things happening i ...more

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Mar 19, 2015 Ashley (omgitsyelhsa) rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "What do you do when everybody says you’re someone you’re not? Alex wants change. Massive change. More radical than you could imagine. Her mother is not happy, in fact she’s imploding. Her dad walked out. Alex has turned vegetarian, ditched one school, enrolled in another, thrown out her clothes. And created a new identity. An identity that changes her world."

This book could've been amazing. Except it wasn't. Alex was born intersex, except she doesn't know that. She thinks she is transgender and ...more

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Jan 29, 2015 haley rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: so-very-disappointing, never-finished

DNF at page 133.

I'm more than halfway done through this fairly short book, but you know what? I don't have the patience to continue reading. I have way too many other books to be reading, and since I need to return Alex As Well to my library, I'm DNFing.

I am so disappointed by this, because books about transgender and/or intersex people are so important, and there are so few of them. But I didn't like this very much. First of all, there are so many misunderstandings between Alex and her parents ...more

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Aug 05, 2014 Jillyn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: requested

It's time to get a little bit personal here on my blog. Regular readers of my reviews know that I am happily taken by a girl named Emily, who sometimes graces this blog with her own book reviews. What most of you don't know, is that Emily has struggled with gender identity issues for a long, long time. It is because of her and the charming cover, I admit, that I picked up Alex as Well. Though of course I acknowledge that this book is one of fiction, I do believe it has helped me process some thi It's time to get a little bit personal here on my blog. Regular readers of my reviews know that I am happily taken by a girl named Emily, who sometimes graces this blog with her own book reviews. What most of you don't know, is that Emily has struggled with gender identity issues for a long, long time. It is because of her and the charming cover, I admit, that I picked up Alex as Well. Though of course I acknowledge that this book is one of fiction, I do believe it has helped me process some things about the way Emily thinks and feels, and for that reason among others I am so, so happy that I requested this title.

Alex, the 15 year old protagonist of this story, explains in the book that she has "two selves". This can be a kind of hard concept to wrap around, but because she has torn feelings about who she really is as a person, she finds that it is easier to associate "girl Alex" and "boy Alex" as two different people in her head. As voices, if you will. Alex was born "intersex", and these gender ideas clash and fight often with one another.

Though Emily is biologically female through and through, she also uses this way of speaking about her inner conflicts. She has a girl voice, Emily, and a boy voice, Devin. I was very confused and conflicted at first, when Emily spoke of these "voices" so to speak, because I had never heard of something like that before. I was nervous and scared for both her and myself and what it meant for us as a couple.

Because I was used to this way of thinking, it was easier for me to follow Alex's internal conversations and honestly, it made me feel.... Like Emily and I aren't alone. I connected with this form of narration from the very get-go, and it is definitely unique. This is the first book that I have personally ever encountered that uses two voices from the same person beyond just the idea of a conscience. Another unique concept of this book is that the chapters are sprinkled with blog posts from her mother on what it is like to raise someone who is intersex.

Speaking of her mother, let's talk about characters for a bit. I hated and loved them. I mean this in the best way. The author wanted me to hate and love them, and she got her wish. Each of the characters was unique and had depth, and unfortunately they were all believable. Her mother, for example. I was left with SO MANY FEELINGS. I will refrain from spoilers, but Alex's views made me hate her. Then her blog posts helped me to understand her a bit more, but still with hatred. And then at the end I felt kind of sorry for her but also still angry and heartbroken. I didn't know how to feel. Alex is an amazing character. She's complex and unapologetically true to herself, despite the shitstorm by which she's surrounded. She's fierce and often snarky and hilarious, but sometimes she broke my heart. I was cheering her on from the beginning to the end, and she isn't a character that I will soon forget, nor do I want to forget her. I also really liked how she connected her life to the music she was listening to at the time, I thought it to be a nice touch.

The synopsis (at least on Goodreads) describes this book as "heartbreaking and droll in equal measures" and I feel like this perfectly describes it. I was left emotionally exhausted from this book, and though I finished it ages ago, I am still thinking about it. It's a roller coaster that's gritty, real, and well executed. This is the first book that I have read from Alyssa Brugman and I sincerely hope it is not the last. You will feel lows when you see the bullying, the drama, and the awful people that Alex must encounter. You will feel highs when Alex comes into herself, when she feels beautiful, and when her life seems to be looking up for the better. And, if you are like me, you will make an inhuman noise when you find yourself out of pages when you are still having these intense feelings. (It's not a cliffhanger ending. It's not quite so dramatic. More like a hillhanger. That's a word now. Tell your friends.)

And, if by some chance the author is reading this, I would love to read more about Alex. Just sayin'. And while I have your attention, I would personally like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating a story that touched me on such a personal level, and that helped to open a better dialog between my girlfriend and I. Who would have thought that one little young adult novel could do so much?

I recommend this book to anyone who loves LGBT themed young adult, contemporary YA, or books dealing with disorders, mental issues, or identity issues. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose. ...more

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Nov 20, 2016 Luce rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, australian, lgbtqiap-trans, did-not-keep, lgbtqiap-intersex

Okay. Mixed feelings about this. First things first: the author probably meant well, and there are definitely good things about this book: Alex's thoughts about gender and the conviction she had about who she was were definitely plusses. That's a part of the book that has value, and is helpful. (It's not ownvoices. Which is not a bad thing, in and of itself, but it's something you should know.)

As for the rest of it.

This book was, according to the copyright info page, "submitted as the creative c Okay. Mixed feelings about this. First things first: the author probably meant well, and there are definitely good things about this book: Alex's thoughts about gender and the conviction she had about who she was were definitely plusses. That's a part of the book that has value, and is helpful. (It's not ownvoices. Which is not a bad thing, in and of itself, but it's something you should know.)

As for the rest of it.

This book was, according to the copyright info page, "submitted as the creative component of a PhD in Communications". And oh boy, is that obvious. This book is FULL of ineffective communication. No one tells anyone anything. No one listens to Alex, and then they accuse her of not listening to them, and it's maddening. The only people who ever have proper, meaningful conversations are Alex and Mr Crockett. And thank god for Mr Crockett, he's the only character I liked 110%, and I'm glad Alex had him in her corner.

I hate Alex's mother. She fills me with visceral rage. She was a complete hypocrite who acted like the victim when really she has been abusing her daughter since birth. She forced her to take hormone replacements, even making Alex take them against her will, by CRUSHING THEM INTO HER FOOD after Alex CHOSE to go off them (!!!!!). And then she has this bullshit blog that's included in the narrative which is basically her complaining about how hard she's trying, and how she "gave up 15 years of her life" for Alex, and how Alex is being "so difficult" - just for wanting to express her gender in the way that she feels is correct, mind you - and how "she can't even have a hobby" because when Alex was two she broke into her mother's scrapbooking cupboard and used her stamps on the furniture.

Wow. Your child is being a child and you have to raise that child. YOU POOR, PRECIOUS DANDELION. And then there is the CONSTANT misgendering, and how she accuses Alex of doing things that Alex ISN'T doing, but THE MOTHER IS, HERSELF. It's infuriating to read. I also don't understand what the point of the blog comments were. Vic's were often addressed within the blog, so, okay, I get that. But most of the others didn't seem to have a lot of point. Like Susan's. Was that a glimpse into Alex's mother's future, or what?

I know I'm probably supposed to hate Alex's mother, and that that's the point, but I just CANNOT with characters like that. I also can't with real people like that. Like, fuck's sake, pull your head out of your arse and stop shrieking long enough to listen to people when they try to talk to you, and stop making it all about yourself! GAH. The father is a more likeable character, and he tried, but not hard enough. I don't hate him, but I don't like him either. He also did not listen to Alex until the very, very end.

One more thing: in the first chapter, boy-Alex (as made distinct in the narrative: there are two Alexes, (girl-)Alex, who is the right one, and boy-Alex, who Alex has been forced to be by her parents), upon seeing (girl-)Alex in girl clothes in a changeroom at Myer, has a wank. In public. Wearing clothes that still belong to the shop. And I'm only mentioning this because no one else ever does and I don't understand its purpose within the narrative. It happens right at the start of the book, and then again when Alex is at home, which is less weird but still weird, because boy-Alex is sexually aroused by the sight of Alex as girl? Even though she IS a girl?? and it really threw me for a six. And then later, Alex, under the influence of boy-Alex, licked the ear of her friend as some kind of sick joke. Because boys do that, apparently.

And the point I'm making here is that boy-Alex was gross, and I don't see why that was necessary. The split between who Alex was and who her parents wanted her to be was perfectly understandable without the wanking (and I'm not against wanking in general, not at all, but the way it was done here was supremely bizarre and creepy) and the licking, and that really affected the way I felt about a character who was otherwise extremely sympathetic and well-written.

I'm giving three stars because this book has its worth, and I liked parts of it, and was compelled to read it in pretty much one sitting. But the mother, and the lack of communication, and the wanking and the licking and the weird af ending are things that I can't get past, and I can't say that I really enjoyed it. ...more

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Feb 11, 2015 Susan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

This looks like another new YA book about a transgender teen that seem to be coming out by the bucketload. Instead, the main character is intersex. I didn't find the book convincing since it was set in the current day. I can't imagine the approach in Australia would be that different than in the US. The main character, Alex, has no idea that he is intersex until well into the book. He just knows he wants to be a girl. In real life, this kid would have been undergoing surgeries and going through ...more

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Mar 02, 2016 Book Riot Community added it

Shelves: young-adult

This quick, simple book is not the greatest work of literature that I’ve read this year, but it is important. I’m not sure if I know anyone who is intersex, but Alex and her counterpart are such authentic characters that I feel like I do now. Written from the point of view of a fourteen year old with ambiguous genitalia but raised as a boy, Alex as Well explores what could happen when said teenager stops taking their medication and begins to explore the possibilities of living as their genuine s ...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Leone Britt rated it it was amazing

I am not a fan of YA but couldn't put this intelligent, insightful, well written book down! Brugman has captured the essence of what it must be like to have, not two personalities as you might think upon delving into the first few pages of this book, but two physical identities. And she's done it masterfully, writing so well and so bravely in this area of young adult fiction, and choosing here a topic fraught with difficulties. It's a spine tinglingly real world Alex inhabits and Brugman transpo ...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Stevie rated it it was amazing

Alex is funny, strong-willed, sometimes she can be a downright brat. The story is witty, infuriating, but hopeful. If there's any book that will help show you how crappy it is to live in a society obsessed with a strict gender binary when you don't quite fit, this is it. Loved it. ...more

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Sep 30, 2019 Jooke rated it liked it

Shelves: bookshelf

3.5* What a weird reading experience.

We meet Alex, a 14-year old boy according to the parents, but who identifies as a girl. After being bullied and humiliated she is ready to leave life as a girly boy behind and start over as a girl. Only her parents, who knew this day could come, are not ready at all.

In the beginning it was strange that Alex refers to him-/herself as plural and had conversations with the boy part and the girl part of her personality. Only after a few chapters it became clear ...more

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Mar 27, 2015 Bethany Miller rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: royal

My review is followed by a student review by sophomore Danielle.

Grade Range: 10-12 grade
Genre: Realistic
Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommendation: Recommended

For as long as he can remember, Alex has felt more like a girl than a boy. It’s like there are two Alexes sharing one body, and, ever since he stopped taking his pills, the feminine Alex is finally in the driver’s seat. Starting over at new school allows Alex to present herself as a girl for the first time. However, the oth My review is followed by a student review by sophomore Danielle.

Grade Range: 10-12 grade
Genre: Realistic
Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommendation: Recommended

For as long as he can remember, Alex has felt more like a girl than a boy. It’s like there are two Alexes sharing one body, and, ever since he stopped taking his pills, the feminine Alex is finally in the driver’s seat. Starting over at new school allows Alex to present herself as a girl for the first time. However, the other Alex is still lurking inside and is depicted as a separate entity with his own thoughts and feelings.
Alex’s parents are not exactly happy about their teenage son identifying as a female. Though the story is told mostly from Alex’s first person point of view, the reader gets some insight into Alex’s mother’s perspective through her posts on a parenting website. In this way, the reader learns early in the novel some details about Alex that even Alex is not yet aware of. Alex was born intersex, and the doctors advised his parents to keep a journal tracking his behaviors in order to decide if he had more masculine or feminine tendencies. Eventually, they began treating him with hormones so that he developed as a boy. For some reason, Alex’s parents keep this a secret even when he opens up to them about feeling like a girl.

Alex’s dislike of her mother is extreme, and the posts that she writes lend credence to Alex’s assessment of her as crazy, cold, and unloving. In one post she states, “I look at Alex and I don’t think I love him. I know that if we had a normal child our lives would be so much better.” She seems to have mental issues of her own, flying into hysterics whenever life gets difficult. When she realizes that Alex has stopped taking the hormone pills, she starts crushing them up and putting them in her food without telling her think that this will “fix” Alex. Unlike Alex’s mother who is awful from beginning to end, Alex’s father shows development throughout the book. When Alex tells them that she identifies as a girl, her father’s response is to pack a bag and leave. He does eventually come home and seems to be trying to connect with Alex, but it’s definitely a two steps forward one step back situation. Perhaps the most damning evidence against Alex’s parents is that they never tell him the truth about being born intersex. The only helpful adult in Alex’s life is Mr. Crocker, an attorney that Alex hires to help her procure a new birth certificate that identifies her as female instead of male. It is through Crocker that Alex learns that she was born intersex.

The novel ends abruptly with several plot threads, such as Alex’s mother sneaking drugs into her food, still left dangling. Other aspects of the conclusion strain credibility. Ultimately, the reader is left with a sense of hope for Alex though it is clear that it isn’t going to be an easy road.

This book was difficult to review. It was a difficult book to read. On the positive side, there are many teens who struggle with issues like Alex’s, and it’s good for them to see a character who is dealing with these concerns. On the negative side, there were some definite plotting issues, and some loose ends that needed to be tied up. Though I certainly had sympathy for Alex, I didn’t entirely connect with the character. This novel is most appropriate for mature teens who enjoy intense, realistic fiction.

Student Review by Danielle (10th grade)
Alex As Well is about Alex, an intersex child who is struggling to find out who she is and where she belongs in the world. After deciding that she is a girl, she struggles against society, her parents, and her inner voice that seems to a boy. The plot is whirlwind of activities, lending a point of view to Alex’s mother through her mom support group, and also dealing with the matter of Alex’s sexuality.

Overall, I thought the book had an excellent plot, starting out, and the author definitely knows how to structure her sentences. I do not believe, however, that the book was very well thought out. It seemed to me that all the author was trying to do was add more conflict, but she never ended up resolving any of it, except the spat between Alex and her father. The book did have a climax, but it didn’t have a falling action, as far as I could tell. The book just…ended. There was resolving of issues, where there really should have been major discussions on, and the characters, which were complex at first, grew steadily more simple as the book continued. They were angry, Or confused. Or they just didn’t understand. They were one sided, with no further development. I would still recommend this book (beginning at ninth grade – the ideas of intersex and sexuality may be too controversial and complex to anyone below a certain maturity level) to anyone who was having a major struggle understanding people with this particular condition. ...more

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May 21, 2015 Emma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: guest-reviews

REVIEW BY LILY 8:3 (2014/15)

I have just finished reading Alex as Well, a controversial read filled with emotion. I have been reading this book over the course of 6 weeks and have been engrossed in it every time I pick it up.

The book is about Alex, who is known as a boy to Alex's parents and Alex has to take tablets to pursue Alex's life as a boy. However, Alex knows that inside there is a feeling that identifies 'him' as a girl. Alex stops taking the tablets and finally feels right, but then th REVIEW BY LILY 8:3 (2014/15)

I have just finished reading Alex as Well, a controversial read filled with emotion. I have been reading this book over the course of 6 weeks and have been engrossed in it every time I pick it up.

The book is about Alex, who is known as a boy to Alex's parents and Alex has to take tablets to pursue Alex's life as a boy. However, Alex knows that inside there is a feeling that identifies 'him' as a girl. Alex stops taking the tablets and finally feels right, but then there are Alex's parents. They feel that Alex should be a boy and that Alex is not old enough to make his own decisions, but Alex know what's right. Alex decides that she should move schools, where she falls in love with the beautiful Amina. There's also Ty, who thinks that Alex is beautiful. Alex just doesn't feel the same.

I thought that the characters were well-thought of but I would like to of seen more of some of the characters. For example Ty , a high school boy who I would of loved to hear more of. I feel like he would of had an interesting back story , as well as a good personality.

I think that I indemnified with Alex most as that was the main character and I really got to know the inner feelings and thoughts and also got to know what Alex thought of other people and could compare about what I thought about them. I really like the fact that the book gives you an insight on transgender, and what they are really going through and not just what you imagine. I think the fact the book is so controversial that it almost makes it more interesting, or at least makes you want to read on to discover what the characters whimsical but imaginative minds decide to do.

I think I would definitely read a book by the author again because she has an interesting way of writing , which makes your mind instantly love the characters way of thinking. I have already recommended this book to a couple of family members and friends , as I think it would fit their style of reading perfectly. Controversial yet the most interesting and emotional book ever. However, I do think that the book should be limited to people of the age 13 or over as then they would most likely understand the things going on in the book. I think that at the very beginning of the book, it would confuse a lot of people as it confused me. Alex refers to another boy as Alex, but the author does not use speech marks around any of his/her speech. I would give this book 4 points out of 5 because overall it is an amazing read and is a real page turner but I think that there is room for minor improvements.

I think the author wrote the book in a way that made you feel as though you were there with the worried , young Alex. The settings varied from gloomy and dark , to the most beautiful of places, for example the runway or the city. I think the plot was a very real situation that lots of kids have had to go through, which almost makes it relatable. I think that when big events did happen, they were written very well and were intense and sometimes even humorous. A lot of people could learn a few things from this book, including the value of freedom. If you end up reading the book, you will know that Alex's parents are very uncomfortable with the fact that Alex's desire is to be a girl. Lots of people around you and me don't have that situation and have lots of freedom, allowing them to do what they want with their lives.

My favourite part of the book was at the end , where Alex proved that she could be anything she wanted, and that she no longer cared about what most people thought of her. I think it is an inspiring story with parts that make you cry as well as parts to make you laugh out loud. I really loved this book and recommend it to anyone who like controversy and a touch of romance in books. ...more

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Apr 26, 2014 Issy Britton rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A story of bravery and independence, Alex As Well follows 15 year old Alex Stringfellow, a transgendered "boy" who identifies as a girl.

Alex has two personas: boy Alex and girl Alex. The contrast between their opinions and ethics really highlights the struggle Alex faces on a day to day basis and the effect it has on her family.

The chapters are split, mostly seen from the point of view of Alex but occasionally are in the format of an online parenting forum where her mother voices her views on ...more

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Apr 30, 2014 Bee rated it liked it

Alex As Well deals with teenage intersex issues and I can't help but compare it to the recently published Golden Boy, which deals with the same subject. Whereas Golden Boy dealt a lot with the medical side of things and was very honest and realistic about being intersex, Alex as Well reads more like a teen novel. Seen from the point of view of the fourteen year old Alex, the novel can sometimes read a little immature. The adult characters are portrayed as having slightly more depth than a carica ...more

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Mar 05, 2015 Asher rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, contempary, gender-queer

I wasn't impressed with the writing. This novel had such great potential when I picked it up, but it let me down quite hard. There were some excellent parts, some clever writing, but it was all tangled up in an ill executed plot and a hasty ending that didn't actually provide any kind of closure. All of the character, aside from Alex, lacked depth and development. (Although I think the point of Alex's mother was not to develop as a character.) I didn't like Alex, but I don't think you need to li ...more

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Sep 15, 2014 Gretel rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-ya

Alex As Well tackles a tricky subject that has barely been mentioned in the majority of YA books, but I feel as if it barely scratches the surface of what it means to be intersex. It is a very juvenile book; I should've expected this because of it being for teens. Alex and her parents are very hotheaded characters and the parents in particular act in a way that is too cruel and mean spirited to be believeable. The characters are all competing to be the most pitied. Alex's voice annoyed me, and t ...more

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Jul 15, 2017 Stanislav Lozanov rated it liked it · review of another edition

I wouldn't lie I had great expectations for this book. May be that is why I was a little let down by how it turned out.

The story follows an intersex character who's been raised as a boy but wants to be a girl. This aspect of the book I enjoyed. However, the drama coming from the parents seemed.... how to say it- underdeveloped.

I expected more. The book could've received more stars if the writing style was better. If I recall it right, there was only one sentance that I wanted to underline.

Any ...more

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Dec 19, 2014 Judith rated it liked it

Shelves: for-review, read-in-2014

WHOA

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Nov 07, 2015 Anna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary, lgbt, 2015

this was a cute read. alex was a great character it was great seeing the character growth as the book went on.

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Jun 08, 2018 LaRonda (Flying Paperbacks) rated it it was ok

Shelves: ebooks, dnf, library-reads

You can see my full review here!

I was expecting to really like this book. An intersex main character finding who they were? sign me up. I was willing to ignore the dated song references and such, but the majority of this book was confusing for me. There was also the fourth wall breaks that were jarring for me. But overlooking that, I just had so many questions. Basically, in this book, parents weren't need. You want to register yourself into a new school? Forge your mothers signature in front of ...more

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Mar 20, 2019 Karen Barber rated it liked it

Alex talks as if they are two characters which, realistically, is what it sounds like. When born, Alex did not have obvious male genitalia so was assigned female. However, months later, there appears to have been a change in thinking (no, I’m not quite sure how that works) and the birth certificate was annulled, a new one issued declaring Alex was male and, since then, Alex has been taking medication.
When we first meet Alex we don’t know the extent to which parents knew of/were involved in this ...more

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About Alyssa Brugman

Alyssa Brugman

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Alyssa Brugman was born in Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, Australia in May 1974. She attended five public schools before completing a Marketing Degree at the University of Newcastle.

Alyssa has worked as an after-school tutor for Aboriginal children. She taught management, accounting and marketing at a business college, worked for a home improvements company and then worked in Public Relations before b ...more