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Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill
Wyatt is fifteen, and nobody in his homophobic small town of Lincolnville, Oregon, knows that he's gay. Not even his best friend (and accidental girlfriend) Mackenzie.
Then he discovers a secret from actual Abraham Lincoln was in love with another guy! Since everyone loves Lincoln, Wyatt's sure that if the world knew about it, they would treat gay people differently and it would solve everything about his life. So Wyatt outs Lincoln online, triggering a media firestorm and conservative backlash that threaten to destroy everything he cares about.
Now Wyatt has to pretend more than ever that he's straight (because no one will believe a gay kid saying Lincoln was gay). Only then he meets Martin, who is openly gay and who just might be the guy Wyatt's been hoping to find. Will Wyatt stay closeted to change the world, or will he let Abraham Lincoln's gay romance fade back into history and take his own chance at love?
This nineteenth- and twenty-first-century coming-of-age, coming out story was inspired by real historical evidence that Abraham Lincoln was in love―romantic love―with another man. QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL asks LGBTQ teens (and everyone else), What if you knew a secret from history that could change the world?
Then he discovers a secret from actual Abraham Lincoln was in love with another guy! Since everyone loves Lincoln, Wyatt's sure that if the world knew about it, they would treat gay people differently and it would solve everything about his life. So Wyatt outs Lincoln online, triggering a media firestorm and conservative backlash that threaten to destroy everything he cares about.
Now Wyatt has to pretend more than ever that he's straight (because no one will believe a gay kid saying Lincoln was gay). Only then he meets Martin, who is openly gay and who just might be the guy Wyatt's been hoping to find. Will Wyatt stay closeted to change the world, or will he let Abraham Lincoln's gay romance fade back into history and take his own chance at love?
This nineteenth- and twenty-first-century coming-of-age, coming out story was inspired by real historical evidence that Abraham Lincoln was in love―romantic love―with another man. QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL asks LGBTQ teens (and everyone else), What if you knew a secret from history that could change the world?
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
5 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
About the author
Lee Wind
10 books68 followersLee Wind is the founding blogger and publisher of I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, an award-winning website about books, culture, and empowerment for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Questioning, and Queer youth, and their Allies. For over 10 years, readers from 100-plus countries have racked up 2.5 million page views—and counting!
In his “Clark Kent” jobs, Lee is the director of marketing and programming at the Independent Book Publishers Association and the official blogger for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. His Superhero job is writing, inspired by our world’s amazing—and untold—LGBTQ history.
Lee lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their teenage daughter. Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill is his debut novel. Visit him online at www.leewind.org
In his “Clark Kent” jobs, Lee is the director of marketing and programming at the Independent Book Publishers Association and the official blogger for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. His Superhero job is writing, inspired by our world’s amazing—and untold—LGBTQ history.
Lee lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their teenage daughter. Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill is his debut novel. Visit him online at www.leewind.org
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 8, 2019
Mr. Crouch’s narration is one full of emotion and connection to the story. His voice is wonderful to listen to as he takes us through Wyatt’s head.
Read full review in the 2019 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2019 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.
September 27, 2018
A complimentary copy was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I wasn't in love with it from the start and I had my doubts about where this was going, but I did read "early reviews" and people raved about the story so I pushed on thinking it had to get better. And it did, but not as much as I hoped. I'm not sure if I will be able to articulate my feelings clearly but I am going to give it my best shot, and reserve the right to edit this review and better/clearer words come to mind.
So, Mackenzie. Let's start with her. Because I didn't like it, maybe some in the beginning, but that didn't last long. She is Wyatt's (our MC) BFF, and has been for years, possibly since infancy I am not sure. At first she was cool, but wow, when she is "defending" Wyatt from school bullies (who loudly call him gay and fag and fairy) by kissing him in front of said bullies to stop the bullying comments, Wyatt is of course shocked and confused and scared, nervous and then resigned. Because it's obvious at one point that Mackenzie LIKES Wyatt in that way, and she rolled right over him by proclaiming them boyfriend/girlfriend, and saying they could kiss again when it's just the two of them. Her entire selfish and narrow view of Wyatt was infuriating because she never ONCE asked him if he was gay, how it made him feel when he was bullied by Jonathan and Charlie and gang, if he even wanted to date her or if he liked her in that way. She just assumed that obviously he would want her because she is so hot and they've been friends for years so of course this is how their relationship progresses. And THEN, THEN!!!! When the shit really hits the fan with Wyatt and his blog about Lincoln, she doesn't support him and in fact "breaks up" with him and dates Jonathan the mean and douchebag bully! Like, WTF? Some BFF she turned out to be.
Now for Wyatt, I liked him. He is a little neurotic but hey, who isn't right? :) Wyatt's history class is given an assignment to write a blog about Lincoln, based on a book they will be ASSIGNED at the library. Wyatt is the last person in line and they have already given out all the books available, but the guy behind the counter does a little nudge, nudge, wink, wink at Wyatt and pulls a book out about Joshua Speed (I am blanking on the title). Wyatt eventually reads the books and inside are letters from Lincoln to Speed, showing what Wyatt believes is proof that Lincoln and Speed were in love. His history assignment is to post a blog on the school site about his first impressions upon reading the book, and Wyatt doesn't hold back. In very clear English Wyatt says Lincoln was Gay. Wyatt is extremely excited by this fact because if Lincoln was gay, then it would be ok that Wyatt was gay, or so he hopes.
Here is where the story goes off the deep end, in my opinion. The reaction Wyatt's blog receives is unbelievable. I mean, I just don't buy it. First, Wyatt is accused of lying by the teacher (uh, hello! That's a pretty harsh statement from a teacher without proof either way!), then the principal get's involved, then eventually a radio program want's to interview him, then the blog blows up even more, the Mayor is furious, Wyatt is given detention, sent "we will sue you" letters because Wyatt won't return the library book, threatened with suspension, possible expulsion, Jonathan and gang up their bullying which is awful, Wyatt's parents are telling him to take down the blog, their B&B is in danger because it's the Lincoln Slept Here B&B, the town parade is being cancelled because nobody wants to associate with a town for bringing down Lincoln's good name, Wyatt is hijacked by a TV show villain who is a real asshat who spouts intolerance and wants anyone who isn't a rich, white male to get out of his world. I just couldn't believe how much negative attention Wyatt's blog was receiving. Maybe someone can explain it to me, but I don't see how a kid doing a homework assignment can be threatened with lawsuit and suspension. I don't see how it's illegal to give a book report about letters between Lincoln and Speed and state they were lovers. All one would have to do is read the letters and each person could make up their own mind.
But I guess because there are small minded people in this world who don't like people different than they are, they are just waiting for an excuse to let out that hate and anger. My whole point is that my enjoyment of this story was lessened because I found it unrealistic. So much of what happened didn't make sense (and Mackenzie being a jerk wasn't helping either), and not once did I hear anyone say they actually read the letters between L & S and could point out that no, those words don't mean what you think they mean, or yes, you are right Wyatt, these letters do indicate more was between them than friendship. It was denial all the way without looking at the evidence, and that just shows you how cruel and self serving people can be.
Do I recommend this story? Yes I do because despite all the above, I enjoyed learning about Lincoln and Speed, regardless of if it's true. I don't really care, honestly, because it doesn't change who they were, and there will never be a way to prove it either way. These people are long dead, and what L did for the US wouldn't be tarnished if this was true. I guess I give this 3.5 stars because of the unrealistic reaction (my opinion) of the world, Mackenzie's attitude, Jonathan and his douchery, Jonathan and Mackenzie as a couple , Wyatt's parents were all over the place (but they love their son so thumbs up there), and the overall drama that was this story all negatively impacted my rating.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I wasn't in love with it from the start and I had my doubts about where this was going, but I did read "early reviews" and people raved about the story so I pushed on thinking it had to get better. And it did, but not as much as I hoped. I'm not sure if I will be able to articulate my feelings clearly but I am going to give it my best shot, and reserve the right to edit this review and better/clearer words come to mind.
So, Mackenzie. Let's start with her. Because I didn't like it, maybe some in the beginning, but that didn't last long. She is Wyatt's (our MC) BFF, and has been for years, possibly since infancy I am not sure. At first she was cool, but wow, when she is "defending" Wyatt from school bullies (who loudly call him gay and fag and fairy) by kissing him in front of said bullies to stop the bullying comments, Wyatt is of course shocked and confused and scared, nervous and then resigned. Because it's obvious at one point that Mackenzie LIKES Wyatt in that way, and she rolled right over him by proclaiming them boyfriend/girlfriend, and saying they could kiss again when it's just the two of them. Her entire selfish and narrow view of Wyatt was infuriating because she never ONCE asked him if he was gay, how it made him feel when he was bullied by Jonathan and Charlie and gang, if he even wanted to date her or if he liked her in that way. She just assumed that obviously he would want her because she is so hot and they've been friends for years so of course this is how their relationship progresses. And THEN, THEN!!!! When the shit really hits the fan with Wyatt and his blog about Lincoln, she doesn't support him and in fact "breaks up" with him and dates Jonathan the mean and douchebag bully! Like, WTF? Some BFF she turned out to be.
Now for Wyatt, I liked him. He is a little neurotic but hey, who isn't right? :) Wyatt's history class is given an assignment to write a blog about Lincoln, based on a book they will be ASSIGNED at the library. Wyatt is the last person in line and they have already given out all the books available, but the guy behind the counter does a little nudge, nudge, wink, wink at Wyatt and pulls a book out about Joshua Speed (I am blanking on the title). Wyatt eventually reads the books and inside are letters from Lincoln to Speed, showing what Wyatt believes is proof that Lincoln and Speed were in love. His history assignment is to post a blog on the school site about his first impressions upon reading the book, and Wyatt doesn't hold back. In very clear English Wyatt says Lincoln was Gay. Wyatt is extremely excited by this fact because if Lincoln was gay, then it would be ok that Wyatt was gay, or so he hopes.
Here is where the story goes off the deep end, in my opinion. The reaction Wyatt's blog receives is unbelievable. I mean, I just don't buy it. First, Wyatt is accused of lying by the teacher (uh, hello! That's a pretty harsh statement from a teacher without proof either way!), then the principal get's involved, then eventually a radio program want's to interview him, then the blog blows up even more, the Mayor is furious, Wyatt is given detention, sent "we will sue you" letters because Wyatt won't return the library book, threatened with suspension, possible expulsion, Jonathan and gang up their bullying which is awful, Wyatt's parents are telling him to take down the blog, their B&B is in danger because it's the Lincoln Slept Here B&B, the town parade is being cancelled because nobody wants to associate with a town for bringing down Lincoln's good name, Wyatt is hijacked by a TV show villain who is a real asshat who spouts intolerance and wants anyone who isn't a rich, white male to get out of his world. I just couldn't believe how much negative attention Wyatt's blog was receiving. Maybe someone can explain it to me, but I don't see how a kid doing a homework assignment can be threatened with lawsuit and suspension. I don't see how it's illegal to give a book report about letters between Lincoln and Speed and state they were lovers. All one would have to do is read the letters and each person could make up their own mind.
But I guess because there are small minded people in this world who don't like people different than they are, they are just waiting for an excuse to let out that hate and anger. My whole point is that my enjoyment of this story was lessened because I found it unrealistic. So much of what happened didn't make sense (and Mackenzie being a jerk wasn't helping either), and not once did I hear anyone say they actually read the letters between L & S and could point out that no, those words don't mean what you think they mean, or yes, you are right Wyatt, these letters do indicate more was between them than friendship. It was denial all the way without looking at the evidence, and that just shows you how cruel and self serving people can be.
Do I recommend this story? Yes I do because despite all the above, I enjoyed learning about Lincoln and Speed, regardless of if it's true. I don't really care, honestly, because it doesn't change who they were, and there will never be a way to prove it either way. These people are long dead, and what L did for the US wouldn't be tarnished if this was true. I guess I give this 3.5 stars because of the unrealistic reaction (my opinion) of the world, Mackenzie's attitude, Jonathan and his douchery, Jonathan and Mackenzie as a couple , Wyatt's parents were all over the place (but they love their son so thumbs up there), and the overall drama that was this story all negatively impacted my rating.
November 6, 2018
As a non-american english reader, that has had absolutely zero historical knowledge of Abraham Lincoln, safe for some random facts due to tv, books and so on, this read has been super eye opening.
American history feels like a super sensitive subject to talk about, when we’re including gay (and other LGBTI+) people, which I can understand in some small way.
The book itself was built really nicely around the fact that 1. Abe might be gay, 2. People are giant jerks. 3. Justice happens anyway. And that made it the perfect feel good book for me!
American history feels like a super sensitive subject to talk about, when we’re including gay (and other LGBTI+) people, which I can understand in some small way.
The book itself was built really nicely around the fact that 1. Abe might be gay, 2. People are giant jerks. 3. Justice happens anyway. And that made it the perfect feel good book for me!
August 12, 2020
Cute story with a fun bit of history!
First I have to say, Michael Crouch is a great narrator for teenage boys and particularly gay teens. His voice is so recognizable, I kept thinking of Simon and it made me smile.
Wyatt is an interesting character, he knows he's gay but is afraid to tell anyone, especially since he's bullied at school. When he discovers that Lincoln shared a bed with another man for years and wrote him what seem like love letters, he's so excited. If Lincoln was gay, maybe it will be easier for Wyatt. The repercussions are insane, people threatening to sue his family, his parents possibly losing their jobs, and a blow up of Wyatt's blog.
I want to say things wouldn't happen that way in real life, but they probably would. People are crazy and hateful, but there are also those who would support a fifteen year old kid and that makes me happy.
This is a quick read, nicely paced with fun characters. The ending is sweet and learning that there is evidence out there suggesting Lincoln possibly did love a man blew my mind!
I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
First I have to say, Michael Crouch is a great narrator for teenage boys and particularly gay teens. His voice is so recognizable, I kept thinking of Simon and it made me smile.
Wyatt is an interesting character, he knows he's gay but is afraid to tell anyone, especially since he's bullied at school. When he discovers that Lincoln shared a bed with another man for years and wrote him what seem like love letters, he's so excited. If Lincoln was gay, maybe it will be easier for Wyatt. The repercussions are insane, people threatening to sue his family, his parents possibly losing their jobs, and a blow up of Wyatt's blog.
I want to say things wouldn't happen that way in real life, but they probably would. People are crazy and hateful, but there are also those who would support a fifteen year old kid and that makes me happy.
This is a quick read, nicely paced with fun characters. The ending is sweet and learning that there is evidence out there suggesting Lincoln possibly did love a man blew my mind!
I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
August 11, 2020
Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill is a YA Contemporary Fiction with a M/M Romance. In it, you will meet Wyatt, a fifteen year old boy trying to live in a town were homophobia is very real and present. At the beginning of the book, he doesn't feel safe to be his true self. However, over time, he manage to find the courage to express himself and get out of the closet. First to his parents, then his best friend Mackenzie (who previously wanted to date him - and yes, it was very uncomfortable listening to her kissing him when he hated it) and then publicly. It was heartwarming to see him taking a chance on the people he was close to. I also loved seeing him with Martin.
Now, for the plot, it's about Abraham Lincoln and how Wyatt finds out Lincoln was in love with another man. And I'm not going to lie, at first I didn't really care about American history. Perhaps in part because I'm not American. But the author surprised me and made me interested in a subject that I didn't think would appeal to me all that much. It was even more interesting since it's actually real and evidence actually existed.
Before seeing this book available as an audiobook on Netgalley, I had never seen it on Goodreads and none of my friends had read it. I can't help but think the cover might-not have been the best choice - marketing wise- even though it's actually pretty relevant to the story. This book is two years old and yet, only 142 people has rated it so far. It's a bit sad because I really enjoyed this story and I wish more people knew about it, especially after hearing the author's interview at the end of the book. It added a lot of insight to the story in my opinion and I loved getting to know the author behind the words I just read.
(Thank you for letting me listen and review an ARC via Netgalley)
Now, for the plot, it's about Abraham Lincoln and how Wyatt finds out Lincoln was in love with another man. And I'm not going to lie, at first I didn't really care about American history. Perhaps in part because I'm not American. But the author surprised me and made me interested in a subject that I didn't think would appeal to me all that much. It was even more interesting since it's actually real and evidence actually existed.
Before seeing this book available as an audiobook on Netgalley, I had never seen it on Goodreads and none of my friends had read it. I can't help but think the cover might-not have been the best choice - marketing wise- even though it's actually pretty relevant to the story. This book is two years old and yet, only 142 people has rated it so far. It's a bit sad because I really enjoyed this story and I wish more people knew about it, especially after hearing the author's interview at the end of the book. It added a lot of insight to the story in my opinion and I loved getting to know the author behind the words I just read.
(Thank you for letting me listen and review an ARC via Netgalley)
April 28, 2019
This book was amazing! A pure ode on equality and self-love. Wyatt is a closeted teen who lives in Lincolnsville, a town where everybody is obssessed with Abraham Lincoln. The book was a real page-turner, specially when they have to read a book about Lincoln and write a blog about it. I didn't know how Wyatt was going to escape from that situation. Everyone hated him, or better said, they hated the idea that Abraham Lincoln may have been gay. But also, he was fighting an inner battle. Acepting who he truly was and stop hiding and pretending he was straight.
Among the story, we find excerpts of letters, pictures and very interesting information about Abraham Lincoln and his friend Joshua Fry Speed. Also, I learnt a little bit more about the history of the United States of America.
I loved that we saw the world through Wyatt's eyes: a teen boy who hates school because he's bullied, who can't even tell his best friend that he's gay. He lives a normal life, until the "Abraham Lincoln loved Joshua Fry Speed" situation explodes. Some were against it. Some were in favour. But Wyatt, with the help of his parents, his friends and a bunch of strangers who also want that "all men (no exceptions) are equal", he gets to convince everybody (or most of the people) that equality is what Lincoln and King wanted: white, black, latino, Asian, gay, straight, trans, bi, religious or atheist, rich or poor... Everyone is different. So what? If we were all the same, the world would be a boring place. Let's lift each other up, not tear each other down.
Among the story, we find excerpts of letters, pictures and very interesting information about Abraham Lincoln and his friend Joshua Fry Speed. Also, I learnt a little bit more about the history of the United States of America.
I loved that we saw the world through Wyatt's eyes: a teen boy who hates school because he's bullied, who can't even tell his best friend that he's gay. He lives a normal life, until the "Abraham Lincoln loved Joshua Fry Speed" situation explodes. Some were against it. Some were in favour. But Wyatt, with the help of his parents, his friends and a bunch of strangers who also want that "all men (no exceptions) are equal", he gets to convince everybody (or most of the people) that equality is what Lincoln and King wanted: white, black, latino, Asian, gay, straight, trans, bi, religious or atheist, rich or poor... Everyone is different. So what? If we were all the same, the world would be a boring place. Let's lift each other up, not tear each other down.
August 12, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill was a pretty interesting read. Not only did I learn a ton about Abraham Lincoln throughout this book but I also saw a town filled a crap ton of homophobic people. I'm sure there are a ton of places like this in today's world too which honestly blows my mind.
In it, you will meet Wyatt. He is a 15 year old boy who isn't comfortable to be himself in his own town. So what does he do? Well, he pretends to date a girl named Mackenzie. Okay, he does actually date the girl but it was just awkward and wrong. They were actually best friends too but that's not why it was awkward.. it was because he liked guys and it was gross to kiss girls. So yeah, that kind of awkward.
Throughout the story, I learned that people in this town suck donkey balls. They were so cruel for no reason. Like can you all please get a day job or something and leave other people alone? Why does it matter who or what they love? Well, it shouldn't and everyone should mind their own damn business.
Love is love bitches, respect that shit.
Other than that, this book had it's cute moments and it definitely flew by for me.
Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill was a pretty interesting read. Not only did I learn a ton about Abraham Lincoln throughout this book but I also saw a town filled a crap ton of homophobic people. I'm sure there are a ton of places like this in today's world too which honestly blows my mind.
In it, you will meet Wyatt. He is a 15 year old boy who isn't comfortable to be himself in his own town. So what does he do? Well, he pretends to date a girl named Mackenzie. Okay, he does actually date the girl but it was just awkward and wrong. They were actually best friends too but that's not why it was awkward.. it was because he liked guys and it was gross to kiss girls. So yeah, that kind of awkward.
Throughout the story, I learned that people in this town suck donkey balls. They were so cruel for no reason. Like can you all please get a day job or something and leave other people alone? Why does it matter who or what they love? Well, it shouldn't and everyone should mind their own damn business.
Love is love bitches, respect that shit.
Other than that, this book had it's cute moments and it definitely flew by for me.
October 1, 2018
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wyatt, 15, is gay but no one knows. Not even his best friend Mackenzie who is in love with him, when she tells him that and kisses him. He goes along with it...
Anyway, everything changes when his class is supposed to do an assignment on Abraham Lincoln. Each student will have a blog that talks about a book given to them randomly.
Wyatt's book is a collection of letters between Abraham and Joshua Fry Speed who might have been his lover.
And then, all hell breaks loose. Homophobia everywhere.
I wanted to love this. But I couldn't.
I found Wyatt profoundly immature. He was supposed to be 15, I felt like he was 10 or 11 most of the time. I really really didn't like him.
Honestly, all the characters were all kinds of immature and annoying.
The parents weren't much better than the kids were.
The whole plot seemed really unlikely to me and I was so mad from beginning to end, about a lot of things.
Honestly, the writing seemed pretty immature to me... I also didn't like how the words "gay" and "lesbian" were always written with an uppercase, it felt like it was a trademark of something...
I guess I was disappointed and, actually, I almost didn't finish it, I had to power through...
Wyatt, 15, is gay but no one knows. Not even his best friend Mackenzie who is in love with him, when she tells him that and kisses him. He goes along with it...
Anyway, everything changes when his class is supposed to do an assignment on Abraham Lincoln. Each student will have a blog that talks about a book given to them randomly.
Wyatt's book is a collection of letters between Abraham and Joshua Fry Speed who might have been his lover.
And then, all hell breaks loose. Homophobia everywhere.
I wanted to love this. But I couldn't.
I found Wyatt profoundly immature. He was supposed to be 15, I felt like he was 10 or 11 most of the time. I really really didn't like him.
Honestly, all the characters were all kinds of immature and annoying.
The parents weren't much better than the kids were.
The whole plot seemed really unlikely to me and I was so mad from beginning to end, about a lot of things.
Honestly, the writing seemed pretty immature to me... I also didn't like how the words "gay" and "lesbian" were always written with an uppercase, it felt like it was a trademark of something...
I guess I was disappointed and, actually, I almost didn't finish it, I had to power through...
October 2, 2018
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Queer as a Five Dollar Bill was definitely a wild ride. One that to be honest made me yet again think over and over again that I’m glad not to be American (at least how it’s written/shown).
I love the concept of the story and I love that the history used in it is real. That we can read real words Lincoln said/wrote and learn from it, even though we’re reading a work of fiction.
And I do believe that this is an important YA book with a very real, fundamental message for queer people and especially closeted queer teens.
A nice detail is also the explanation of the book title in the story and its double meaning.
Still, it took me a while to actually get into the story. In the beginning I had to guess half the connections between the characters and what was going on. I also kind of didn’t know if I could take Wyatt serious, the characters closest to him were kind of flat and assholes (even his best friend) and the fact that 99% of people in his town are garbage people without backbones or reason. Since I’m not American, I can’t know if a story like this would actually play out into extremes like that or not - but from what media tell me, I kind of believe it could. And thinking about that is not the most fun activity.
But I got more invested when Martin and Rhonda came into view. They are great and interesting characters, gave the whole thing a bit more direction and structure and offered the first real support for Wyatt.
And while I don’t care for bully-redemption arcs at all and was a bit annoyed by that, there was development on a few instances, Wyatt got to come out and get a nice first kiss and there was a great ‘bang’ for a happy end.
[Review on Tumblr]
Queer as a Five Dollar Bill was definitely a wild ride. One that to be honest made me yet again think over and over again that I’m glad not to be American (at least how it’s written/shown).
I love the concept of the story and I love that the history used in it is real. That we can read real words Lincoln said/wrote and learn from it, even though we’re reading a work of fiction.
And I do believe that this is an important YA book with a very real, fundamental message for queer people and especially closeted queer teens.
A nice detail is also the explanation of the book title in the story and its double meaning.
Still, it took me a while to actually get into the story. In the beginning I had to guess half the connections between the characters and what was going on. I also kind of didn’t know if I could take Wyatt serious, the characters closest to him were kind of flat and assholes (even his best friend) and the fact that 99% of people in his town are garbage people without backbones or reason. Since I’m not American, I can’t know if a story like this would actually play out into extremes like that or not - but from what media tell me, I kind of believe it could. And thinking about that is not the most fun activity.
But I got more invested when Martin and Rhonda came into view. They are great and interesting characters, gave the whole thing a bit more direction and structure and offered the first real support for Wyatt.
And while I don’t care for bully-redemption arcs at all and was a bit annoyed by that, there was development on a few instances, Wyatt got to come out and get a nice first kiss and there was a great ‘bang’ for a happy end.
[Review on Tumblr]
January 26, 2019
ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
CW: queer slurs, ableist slurs, homomisia
The take away for this is: aw, that was nice. I liked it, and at one point could not put it down despite desperately needing to sleep.
I think the thing that made me kind of end up not loving it as much as I thought I would is how some of the things turned out. I'm not sad about the way things turned out, and probably would've hated any other ending, but yah know....
It was Jonathon and Makenzie. Like, it's just those two characters that got me iffy. Makenzie dating Jonathon after all the shit Jonathon put Wyatt through, lol no. Like, he forgave them coz and all but nah, by the end I was not here for them. I don't trust them. Wyatt deserves a better best friend if I'm being honest, he deserves someone who doesn't deliberatly hurt him by dating someone who's tormented him for years. Like nah, not here for that.
But other than that, this was a good read and I enjoyed it and I'm glad everything worked out in the end and it has a happily ever after and in a perfect world Wyatt and Martin love their best gay lives.
Oh, and I appreciate that although Wyatt was more focused on Lincoln being gay, he didn't end there, he did mention that Lincoln might be bi (even though it always seemed like an afterthought). So yah. Cool read, definitely.
CW: queer slurs, ableist slurs, homomisia
The take away for this is: aw, that was nice. I liked it, and at one point could not put it down despite desperately needing to sleep.
I think the thing that made me kind of end up not loving it as much as I thought I would is how some of the things turned out. I'm not sad about the way things turned out, and probably would've hated any other ending, but yah know....
It was Jonathon and Makenzie. Like, it's just those two characters that got me iffy. Makenzie dating Jonathon after all the shit Jonathon put Wyatt through, lol no. Like, he forgave them coz and all but nah, by the end I was not here for them. I don't trust them. Wyatt deserves a better best friend if I'm being honest, he deserves someone who doesn't deliberatly hurt him by dating someone who's tormented him for years. Like nah, not here for that.
But other than that, this was a good read and I enjoyed it and I'm glad everything worked out in the end and it has a happily ever after and in a perfect world Wyatt and Martin love their best gay lives.
Oh, and I appreciate that although Wyatt was more focused on Lincoln being gay, he didn't end there, he did mention that Lincoln might be bi (even though it always seemed like an afterthought). So yah. Cool read, definitely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2018
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Generally, this is really good, and I enjoyed it, but there are still some questions... Like, is this not a little over the top? Why would it be such a big deal that a kid put proof of Lincoln being gay online? There are loads of stuff online - if people don’t want to believe it they just won’t believe it. I don’t understand why they all tried to get Wyatt to shut up about it (nor why it was such a big deal in the first place, but then again, I’m not from the US, sooo...)
Also, the whole TV show fiasco - wouldn't they consider what type of talkshow it was before just agreeing to have their son appear on it?
Aaand, I kinda wanted Jonathan to be gay, but (spoiler alert!) that didn't happen
Generally, this is really good, and I enjoyed it, but there are still some questions... Like, is this not a little over the top? Why would it be such a big deal that a kid put proof of Lincoln being gay online? There are loads of stuff online - if people don’t want to believe it they just won’t believe it. I don’t understand why they all tried to get Wyatt to shut up about it (nor why it was such a big deal in the first place, but then again, I’m not from the US, sooo...)
Also, the whole TV show fiasco - wouldn't they consider what type of talkshow it was before just agreeing to have their son appear on it?
Aaand, I kinda wanted Jonathan to be gay, but (spoiler alert!) that didn't happen
August 2, 2018
This powerful novel combines raw emotion with detailed historical evidence. Readers will be drawn into Wyatt's story as he struggles with being true to himself, and come out the other side questioning who writes the history we learn. Speaking truth to power, indeed. Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill belongs in every library that serves teens. Highly recommended for grades 7 & up.
October 24, 2020
Michael Crouch narration of Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill was a very entertaining and made me laugh out loud.
His pacing and modulation were perfect.
Kudos also to the faultless audio production and editing.
Lee Wind 's Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill is charming, off-beat , insightful and satisfying.
I just reviewed Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill by Lee Wind. #QueerasaFiveDollarBill #NetGalley
His pacing and modulation were perfect.
Kudos also to the faultless audio production and editing.
Lee Wind 's Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill is charming, off-beat , insightful and satisfying.
I just reviewed Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill by Lee Wind. #QueerasaFiveDollarBill #NetGalley
December 1, 2022
Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill | Lee Wind | 01Dec2022
-------------------------
One-Sentence Review
Interesting premise; predictable execution.
---------------------------
Published/Pages : 01Jan2018 | 300 pages
Location: Lincolnville (Oregon)
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ+
TW: bullying, homophobia, homophobic slur, slur against differently abled people, racism, toxic masculinity, hate speech
Characters: Wyatt Yarrow, Mackenzie Miller, Jonathan Rails, Charlie, Ty, Mr. Clifton, Mr. Guzman, Rhonda Sykes, Martin Sykes, Earnest Van Lawson, Mr. Miller
-------------------------------
Rating Analysis
Premise: 8/10
Introduction: 7/10
Number of Characters: 6/10
Character Development: 6/10
Backup History for the Story: 6/10
Fiction Quality: 6/10
Pace of the Story: 6/10
Dramatic Effect: 7/10
Climax: 7/10
Impact it Made: 7/10
TOTAL: 66/100 (6.6 Stars = 3.3 Stars ~ ★★★)
--------------------------------
Review
This one most certainly had its heart in the right place. And to pair it up with a rather interesting premise to propel the story, it definitely had me keyed in. America has always been a divisive place throughout its history - the globally portrayed image is unquestionably a much more sanitized, glossed over, glammed up version of the beautiful high-rises of New York and lush mansions of Beverley Hills, but what lies in the every day's of the small towns is truly where the mind of the country is. And we have experienced the rude awakening of that more so than ever in the last few years, ripples of which unfortunately might continue to surface for years to come.
Lee Wind manages to bring all these relevant issues up rather deftly while seeping the story in a period of history and of an historical figure who has been very pivotal to the American essence. What Mr. Wind does not manage quite as successfully is to stuff all of that in a story with present day characters and create drama that could have made objective sense, execution-wise. Characters are inherently black or white, with very little scope for a character to spend time in the gray. There is immense drama in the very subject matter here and all the characters needed to do was react - but somehow the author chose to put them on two sides of the ongoing debate without giving us a narrative arc of how someone might have been hinged right in the middle.
Having said that, the author manages to paint the extremes rather nicely (and given how realistic they could be based off of the daily news we hear, it is a sound effort indeed). The YA novel hits all the regular beats along the way, but I couldn't help but wish for a more nuanced narrative. I would have loved to read about instances where someone in the book actually took the time to see what was being said and WHY it was being said, both my the main character and the opposing side. There was a lot of show, very limited tell.
But, I would like this book to get some traction. I do not know of the veracity of the idea of Abraham Lincoln being gay (there are a lot of references that the author has included to point that out though which does make me rather delighted to believe it!), but seeing a story like this which bucks the norm that all the great changes in history were only brought about by cis, straight, white men and anybody deviating from this is essentially slandering the very sanctity of what it is to be American, is indeed refreshing. What we have been fed throughout all these years may not necessarily also be true or without an agenda and the fact that questioning history is okay - are themes that might be uncomfortable, but are necessary.
And nothing is more necessary than learning to accept people, no matter how different they are from you. Difference is not always dissonance.
Reaction Section
-------------------------
One-Sentence Review
Interesting premise; predictable execution.
---------------------------
Published/Pages : 01Jan2018 | 300 pages
Location: Lincolnville (Oregon)
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ+
TW: bullying, homophobia, homophobic slur, slur against differently abled people, racism, toxic masculinity, hate speech
Characters: Wyatt Yarrow, Mackenzie Miller, Jonathan Rails, Charlie, Ty, Mr. Clifton, Mr. Guzman, Rhonda Sykes, Martin Sykes, Earnest Van Lawson, Mr. Miller
-------------------------------
Rating Analysis
Premise: 8/10
Introduction: 7/10
Number of Characters: 6/10
Character Development: 6/10
Backup History for the Story: 6/10
Fiction Quality: 6/10
Pace of the Story: 6/10
Dramatic Effect: 7/10
Climax: 7/10
Impact it Made: 7/10
TOTAL: 66/100 (6.6 Stars = 3.3 Stars ~ ★★★)
--------------------------------
Review
This one most certainly had its heart in the right place. And to pair it up with a rather interesting premise to propel the story, it definitely had me keyed in. America has always been a divisive place throughout its history - the globally portrayed image is unquestionably a much more sanitized, glossed over, glammed up version of the beautiful high-rises of New York and lush mansions of Beverley Hills, but what lies in the every day's of the small towns is truly where the mind of the country is. And we have experienced the rude awakening of that more so than ever in the last few years, ripples of which unfortunately might continue to surface for years to come.
Lee Wind manages to bring all these relevant issues up rather deftly while seeping the story in a period of history and of an historical figure who has been very pivotal to the American essence. What Mr. Wind does not manage quite as successfully is to stuff all of that in a story with present day characters and create drama that could have made objective sense, execution-wise. Characters are inherently black or white, with very little scope for a character to spend time in the gray. There is immense drama in the very subject matter here and all the characters needed to do was react - but somehow the author chose to put them on two sides of the ongoing debate without giving us a narrative arc of how someone might have been hinged right in the middle.
Having said that, the author manages to paint the extremes rather nicely (and given how realistic they could be based off of the daily news we hear, it is a sound effort indeed). The YA novel hits all the regular beats along the way, but I couldn't help but wish for a more nuanced narrative. I would have loved to read about instances where someone in the book actually took the time to see what was being said and WHY it was being said, both my the main character and the opposing side. There was a lot of show, very limited tell.
But, I would like this book to get some traction. I do not know of the veracity of the idea of Abraham Lincoln being gay (there are a lot of references that the author has included to point that out though which does make me rather delighted to believe it!), but seeing a story like this which bucks the norm that all the great changes in history were only brought about by cis, straight, white men and anybody deviating from this is essentially slandering the very sanctity of what it is to be American, is indeed refreshing. What we have been fed throughout all these years may not necessarily also be true or without an agenda and the fact that questioning history is okay - are themes that might be uncomfortable, but are necessary.
And nothing is more necessary than learning to accept people, no matter how different they are from you. Difference is not always dissonance.
Reaction Section
August 14, 2020
I listened to an advance copy of this audiobook thanks to netgalley.com.
I was so surprised when I learned that Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill was Lee Wind’s debut novel! The story follows fifteen-year-old Wyatt, who lives in the Lincoln Slept Here Bed & Breakfast that his parents run. When he is tasked with a book report about Abraham Lincoln, the librarian gives him a book of published letters between Lincoln and Joshua Fry Speed. Wyatt, being a closeted gay himself, recognizes the letters as love letters. He publishes his findings in a blog post. It blows up. His tiny homophobic town loses their minds. Wyatt hopes that if everyone who loves Lincoln can believe that he is gay, then maybe they will see that other gays aren't so bad. But the rainbow can only follow the storm.
Let me start by addressing the elephant in the room: the very homophobic town. I don't doubt they exist, but I did find it a little unbelievable. At first, I thought the librarian was gay, and gave Wyatt the book in a small act of solidarity. However, the 180 later made me second guess myself.
That aside, I found the book very engaging. Wyatt found the support he needed outside of his community and, in the happy-ending storytelling tradition, managed to pull everyone together to rise against hatred. I like my books messy, so this was a little tidy for my taste but it wasn't more than can be expected. And, honestly, I was a little proud of the characters for their hard work and perseverance.
The book had plenty of layers: Wyatt had to face his own queerness, the hatred of others (including the media), and also see his parents as actual people capable of making mistakes. All the characters were well-rounded. This is probably why I was so surprised that this is Lee Wind's first novel. I look forward to more from him!
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Micheal Crouch. He did a great job with the narration. Each character was distinguishable, the pacing was smooth, and it was always clear what was going on.
I was so surprised when I learned that Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill was Lee Wind’s debut novel! The story follows fifteen-year-old Wyatt, who lives in the Lincoln Slept Here Bed & Breakfast that his parents run. When he is tasked with a book report about Abraham Lincoln, the librarian gives him a book of published letters between Lincoln and Joshua Fry Speed. Wyatt, being a closeted gay himself, recognizes the letters as love letters. He publishes his findings in a blog post. It blows up. His tiny homophobic town loses their minds. Wyatt hopes that if everyone who loves Lincoln can believe that he is gay, then maybe they will see that other gays aren't so bad. But the rainbow can only follow the storm.
Let me start by addressing the elephant in the room: the very homophobic town. I don't doubt they exist, but I did find it a little unbelievable. At first, I thought the librarian was gay, and gave Wyatt the book in a small act of solidarity. However, the 180 later made me second guess myself.
That aside, I found the book very engaging. Wyatt found the support he needed outside of his community and, in the happy-ending storytelling tradition, managed to pull everyone together to rise against hatred. I like my books messy, so this was a little tidy for my taste but it wasn't more than can be expected. And, honestly, I was a little proud of the characters for their hard work and perseverance.
The book had plenty of layers: Wyatt had to face his own queerness, the hatred of others (including the media), and also see his parents as actual people capable of making mistakes. All the characters were well-rounded. This is probably why I was so surprised that this is Lee Wind's first novel. I look forward to more from him!
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Micheal Crouch. He did a great job with the narration. Each character was distinguishable, the pacing was smooth, and it was always clear what was going on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2020
This is a debut for Lee Wind and it is a good, interesting book.
It is a young adult story that talks about normal teenage drama i.e. first love, boyfriends/girlfriends, mean teachers, bullies, money problems etc. It also talks about self-acceptance and tolerance toward people who are different than what is supposed to be "normal".
It took me some time to get into Wyatt's world but his story definitely got better with time. It is not a perfect book, I didn't like Mackenzie and Wyatt's parents. I didn't understand her behavior most of the time (but maybe i am too old) and she was really, really annoying (right from the start). Wyatt's parents got on my nerves so often I had to make breaks just to cool off. How could they blame his son for their problems (it was a school assignment ffs!)?
On the other hand Lincoln and Joshua had my full attention - I didn't know their story and I started searching for more information about them.
This story is well written, fast paced and even though I've never really warmed up to Wyatt or that I found the ending kind of unbelievable, I really enjoyed my time spent in Lincolnville. I would love to read more about Martin because he was my number one in this book.
I will definitely read/listen to the next book by this author.
* I was gifted an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review *
It is a young adult story that talks about normal teenage drama i.e. first love, boyfriends/girlfriends, mean teachers, bullies, money problems etc. It also talks about self-acceptance and tolerance toward people who are different than what is supposed to be "normal".
It took me some time to get into Wyatt's world but his story definitely got better with time. It is not a perfect book, I didn't like Mackenzie and Wyatt's parents. I didn't understand her behavior most of the time (but maybe i am too old) and she was really, really annoying (right from the start). Wyatt's parents got on my nerves so often I had to make breaks just to cool off. How could they blame his son for their problems (it was a school assignment ffs!)?
On the other hand Lincoln and Joshua had my full attention - I didn't know their story and I started searching for more information about them.
This story is well written, fast paced and even though I've never really warmed up to Wyatt or that I found the ending kind of unbelievable, I really enjoyed my time spent in Lincolnville. I would love to read more about Martin because he was my number one in this book.
I will definitely read/listen to the next book by this author.
* I was gifted an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review *
March 10, 2019
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, man! There's a lot to say about this book. It's not perfect, but it's pretty close.
Just the small bits I didn't like, those mostly refer to the extremes in this book. One example is how the parents react once they hear MacKenzie and Wyatt are dating. Bit over the top. I felt the same about other bits of the book, but for spoiler reasons I'll stick to this example.
Other than that, I loved finding out that this is based on real sources. I'm not American, so I definitely don't know anything about Lincoln's sexual orientation, so it was a very new and interesting read to me. The character development was very well done, not just all good and evil, and the plot was great! I love that the story didn't just stick to being about homosexuality and the acceptance, or lack off, but that I went the extra mile by adding more groups of people who could use some more love and acceptance.
This book is definitely top notch modern day LGBTQ+ YA contemporary. This author is new to me, but I'm definitely curious to read more.
Oh, man! There's a lot to say about this book. It's not perfect, but it's pretty close.
Just the small bits I didn't like, those mostly refer to the extremes in this book. One example is how the parents react once they hear MacKenzie and Wyatt are dating. Bit over the top. I felt the same about other bits of the book, but for spoiler reasons I'll stick to this example.
Other than that, I loved finding out that this is based on real sources. I'm not American, so I definitely don't know anything about Lincoln's sexual orientation, so it was a very new and interesting read to me. The character development was very well done, not just all good and evil, and the plot was great! I love that the story didn't just stick to being about homosexuality and the acceptance, or lack off, but that I went the extra mile by adding more groups of people who could use some more love and acceptance.
This book is definitely top notch modern day LGBTQ+ YA contemporary. This author is new to me, but I'm definitely curious to read more.
Read
January 20, 2019I don't believe the things happening in the book are farfetched, but Martin causes a point of contention for me. I don't like how he basically peer pressures Wyatt into lying in bed and "canoodle" with him. That is a problem and I don't want them together at this point.
We'll see how far I get with this one.
We'll see how far I get with this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2021
3.5
Not perfect, but very important. If you have an opportunity to listen to the audiobook, please wait till the end, as the author's note and interview really adds up to the experience.
Not perfect, but very important. If you have an opportunity to listen to the audiobook, please wait till the end, as the author's note and interview really adds up to the experience.
August 28, 2020
Rep: gay main character, gay Black boy as love interest
Warnings: extreme homophobia, including targeted attacks and use of homophobic slurs; bullying and cyberbullying
It's difficult to start with this review because on one hand this book made me feel a lot of things (well, primarily rage on behalf of the main character) while on the other hand, it is an upsetting book to read. The story is about a closeted kid, Wyatt, living in a very homophobic town, where his father runs a Lincoln-themed B&B called Lincoln slept here (he claims to have the bed where Lincoln slept in at Springfield) and his mother works for the mayor. Wyatt is frequently bullied by his classmates, especially by the mayor's son, Jonathan, who bullies him using homophobic attacks and slurs. When Wyatt gets a book of letters from Lincoln to Joshua Speed for his school project where he has to write a book report in the form of a blog, he discovers that Lincoln may have been queer and if one of the most celebrated presidents being queer could be okay, he hopes that means it can be okay for him to be queer, too! Problem is when he 'outs' Lincoln on his blog, using the letters as proof, all hell breaks loose in his town.
The reaction to this blog is swift - Jonathan takes the opposing stance and denounces him, his teacher and principal call him a liar and threaten to suspend him if he doesn't take down the blog and retract the radio interview and his family is sued (attempted) for defamation. People just don't want to consider the letters and think in another way - for them, Lincoln was great and him being queer would make him not great, which Wyatt can't understand. The story is about his fight to uphold his own free speech, and another boy, Martin, who he finds online supports him with help from his lawyer mother. Meanwhile, Wyatt is having his own problems with his supposed best friend, Mackenzie, who at the start was his girlfriend but dumps him when he stands by his blog and instead starts dating his nemesis, Jonathan.
The content in this book - the bullying and the homophobia - can be upsetting for many queer people. There are right-wingconservatives bigots galore, so you can expect every vitriolic statement possible; there is one right-wing host who goes on a whole rant on his show and that pretty much made me throw something across the room (I didn't, don't worry). Sometimes, it did feel that the drama that arose from a simple book report could be so extensive, but honesty if you consider American conservatives (or heck, any conservatives), it isn't that much of stretch. We already see such examples of overt homophobia in the news, media, etc, so for me, yeah, I didn't find that so out of the realm of the possible. Which is why I would advise caution when you pick this book because the content is quite enraging.
With the ending, I feel some aspects of the story were hurried along to achieve some closure. For example, in the start of the book, you feel for Wyatt not being able to come out of the closet because (a) he lives in a homphobic town, and (b)he is a freshman, which means 3.5 years more of this hell. But towards the end, we don't get to know how his life might be in the town anymore. Secondly, I was not satisfied with Mackenzie being let off the hook, because she barely does anything to get forgiveness for her awful behavior. Apparently, getting along with the homophobes is fine just until they advocate for murder; otherwise they are apparently very fine to kiss. Jonathan himself does pretty much nothing - swooping in to save at the last minute doesn't count, Mackenzie - and doesn't even apologize to Wyatt for bullying him for all these years and attacking him with his blog.
Finally, the audio, narrated by Michael Crouch is done quite well, although I did have to get used to it in the start because I felt that the voice was slightly muffled in quality and since most audiobook players don't have equalizers, it can be a bit of an adjustment to listen to.
Overall, is it a good book about a closeted kid finally getting to tell his truth as well as open up discussion? Yeah! But will you be able to get through it? Maybe, with a lot of teeth gritting.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from I'm Here. I'm Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, via Netgalley.
Warnings: extreme homophobia, including targeted attacks and use of homophobic slurs; bullying and cyberbullying
It's difficult to start with this review because on one hand this book made me feel a lot of things (well, primarily rage on behalf of the main character) while on the other hand, it is an upsetting book to read. The story is about a closeted kid, Wyatt, living in a very homophobic town, where his father runs a Lincoln-themed B&B called Lincoln slept here (he claims to have the bed where Lincoln slept in at Springfield) and his mother works for the mayor. Wyatt is frequently bullied by his classmates, especially by the mayor's son, Jonathan, who bullies him using homophobic attacks and slurs. When Wyatt gets a book of letters from Lincoln to Joshua Speed for his school project where he has to write a book report in the form of a blog, he discovers that Lincoln may have been queer and if one of the most celebrated presidents being queer could be okay, he hopes that means it can be okay for him to be queer, too! Problem is when he 'outs' Lincoln on his blog, using the letters as proof, all hell breaks loose in his town.
The reaction to this blog is swift - Jonathan takes the opposing stance and denounces him, his teacher and principal call him a liar and threaten to suspend him if he doesn't take down the blog and retract the radio interview and his family is sued (attempted) for defamation. People just don't want to consider the letters and think in another way - for them, Lincoln was great and him being queer would make him not great, which Wyatt can't understand. The story is about his fight to uphold his own free speech, and another boy, Martin, who he finds online supports him with help from his lawyer mother. Meanwhile, Wyatt is having his own problems with his supposed best friend, Mackenzie, who at the start was his girlfriend but dumps him when he stands by his blog and instead starts dating his nemesis, Jonathan.
The content in this book - the bullying and the homophobia - can be upsetting for many queer people. There are right-wing
With the ending, I feel some aspects of the story were hurried along to achieve some closure. For example, in the start of the book, you feel for Wyatt not being able to come out of the closet because (a) he lives in a homphobic town, and (b)he is a freshman, which means 3.5 years more of this hell. But towards the end, we don't get to know how his life might be in the town anymore. Secondly, I was not satisfied with Mackenzie being let off the hook, because she barely does anything to get forgiveness for her awful behavior. Apparently, getting along with the homophobes is fine just until they advocate for murder; otherwise they are apparently very fine to kiss. Jonathan himself does pretty much nothing - swooping in to save at the last minute doesn't count, Mackenzie - and doesn't even apologize to Wyatt for bullying him for all these years and attacking him with his blog.
Finally, the audio, narrated by Michael Crouch is done quite well, although I did have to get used to it in the start because I felt that the voice was slightly muffled in quality and since most audiobook players don't have equalizers, it can be a bit of an adjustment to listen to.
Overall, is it a good book about a closeted kid finally getting to tell his truth as well as open up discussion? Yeah! But will you be able to get through it? Maybe, with a lot of teeth gritting.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from I'm Here. I'm Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, via Netgalley.
July 14, 2020
Queer as a Five Dollar Bill is GREAT, and had me hooked right from the start. The book was out on audio when I got around to reading it, and that was an absolute pleasure to experience. The narrator is brilliant, and the storyline had me fully reacting the whole way through. I don't think I have reacted to a book so much before —passionately talking back amidst the characters’ conversation, sometimes catching myself about to shout out an interruption, often breathing out huge frustrated sighs.
It’s worth noting that I don’t read books if they’re unnecessarily or shamelessly antagonistic. I will stop reading a book at any point, no matter how charming the characters or premise may be, if I am made to listen to violent homophobia or nonsensical, idiotic rudeness that, yes is realistic, but is not at all what I open my heart to when I’m reading. I have no patience or tolerance for it. But Lee Wind crafted some kind of magic in this, his incredible timeless breathtaking debut, and made it so there was just enough to spark an instinctive response, a sense of righteous anger, without allowing the darkness to tip right over.
When Wyatt comes out to his parents, it's goood. There’s the briefest moment of uncertainty, a flicker of emotion where my eyebrows literally shot up, which I don't think has EVER happened. But, one breath later, you realize it's all okay. I loved Wyatt's courage, his conviction, his perspective, Martin's patience. There's a cute scene where Martin tells Wyatt all his clever comebacks to the homophobic comments people make —a supremely special and encouraging scene that I wish we saw in books and films more often!
I loved that Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill talks frankly about the social justice issues of the past, and the way they're still today's issues. The characters question each other, and they question themselves. Always with such sincerity. It's SO important in the fight for, and the ongoing conversation of, equality and true justice, that we allow ourselves and our heroes to be imperfect. —When Rhonda and Martin talk with Wyatt's family about Martin Luther King, it’s the kind of conversation I have with my friends and family. That's the kind of awareness that matters, and is helpful if you allow it to seep into the rest of your life.
There's a wonderful interview at the end of the audiobook, where Lee Wind says a bunch of lovely things that make me like him even more. When asked about his hopes for the book, he quotes Anne Lammott, whose books have rescued me from the depths of complete and utter loss of direction. The line says “Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” and it perfectly encapsulates what this book is. I hope Lee Wind is a thousand times proud to have his book shining on bookshelves all over the world. I’m so proud to know I have one to share.
Content warnings: There's tons and tons of homophobic language, bullying, really hateful speech and even a white republican uprising against the idea of Lincoln being gay that feels all to real. I didn't find it too harsh to withstand, though. I think the author balanced it carefully. But it IS intense, and realistic, and horrible. Also, Martin is quite… concerned with dust mites, and he carries a plastic bed cover with him to protect himself; A routine that Wyatt describes as weird several times.
It’s worth noting that I don’t read books if they’re unnecessarily or shamelessly antagonistic. I will stop reading a book at any point, no matter how charming the characters or premise may be, if I am made to listen to violent homophobia or nonsensical, idiotic rudeness that, yes is realistic, but is not at all what I open my heart to when I’m reading. I have no patience or tolerance for it. But Lee Wind crafted some kind of magic in this, his incredible timeless breathtaking debut, and made it so there was just enough to spark an instinctive response, a sense of righteous anger, without allowing the darkness to tip right over.
When Wyatt comes out to his parents, it's goood. There’s the briefest moment of uncertainty, a flicker of emotion where my eyebrows literally shot up, which I don't think has EVER happened. But, one breath later, you realize it's all okay. I loved Wyatt's courage, his conviction, his perspective, Martin's patience. There's a cute scene where Martin tells Wyatt all his clever comebacks to the homophobic comments people make —a supremely special and encouraging scene that I wish we saw in books and films more often!
I loved that Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill talks frankly about the social justice issues of the past, and the way they're still today's issues. The characters question each other, and they question themselves. Always with such sincerity. It's SO important in the fight for, and the ongoing conversation of, equality and true justice, that we allow ourselves and our heroes to be imperfect. —When Rhonda and Martin talk with Wyatt's family about Martin Luther King, it’s the kind of conversation I have with my friends and family. That's the kind of awareness that matters, and is helpful if you allow it to seep into the rest of your life.
There's a wonderful interview at the end of the audiobook, where Lee Wind says a bunch of lovely things that make me like him even more. When asked about his hopes for the book, he quotes Anne Lammott, whose books have rescued me from the depths of complete and utter loss of direction. The line says “Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” and it perfectly encapsulates what this book is. I hope Lee Wind is a thousand times proud to have his book shining on bookshelves all over the world. I’m so proud to know I have one to share.
Content warnings: There's tons and tons of homophobic language, bullying, really hateful speech and even a white republican uprising against the idea of Lincoln being gay that feels all to real. I didn't find it too harsh to withstand, though. I think the author balanced it carefully. But it IS intense, and realistic, and horrible. Also, Martin is quite… concerned with dust mites, and he carries a plastic bed cover with him to protect himself; A routine that Wyatt describes as weird several times.
April 8, 2020
I listened to the audio book and Michael Crouch was fantastic as always.
As a non-American I can't say I know much about Lincoln. We do talk very briefly about him in high school but mostly in a kind of "who was the American presidents, please line them up, kind of way" and we know he was assassinated and freed the slaves. That's pretty much it. So, that's all I knew going into this book, I had no idea how much he meant to the American people. I'm not sure I still do. Because...
Maybe he is a huge deal. He is if you read this book. The whole (tiny) town this book is situated in goes berserk when our mc claims he might be queer. The homophobia is our of proportion and it feels like no one is positive to the idea. Idk, I feel that maybe it's a tad bit too much. I wish there was someone who was on the mc's side except for Martin and his mom, who are both outsiders. Someone grown up in the town. Another student. Not even Wyatt's best friend supports him. Okey, she has her reasons but there is circumstances that makes her not supporting him I feel makes it too excessive.
In short, it's too much. Everything is over the top. All of it. But I still like the book a lot. And Michael Crouch does a great job. If I can complain on anything it would be that he says chapter (x) way too fast when he finishes a chapter. Yeah, there are bigger issues in this world. (also, that's probably an editing issue and not his fault)
As a non-American I can't say I know much about Lincoln. We do talk very briefly about him in high school but mostly in a kind of "who was the American presidents, please line them up, kind of way" and we know he was assassinated and freed the slaves. That's pretty much it. So, that's all I knew going into this book, I had no idea how much he meant to the American people. I'm not sure I still do. Because...
Maybe he is a huge deal. He is if you read this book. The whole (tiny) town this book is situated in goes berserk when our mc claims he might be queer. The homophobia is our of proportion and it feels like no one is positive to the idea. Idk, I feel that maybe it's a tad bit too much. I wish there was someone who was on the mc's side except for Martin and his mom, who are both outsiders. Someone grown up in the town. Another student. Not even Wyatt's best friend supports him. Okey, she has her reasons but there is circumstances that makes her not supporting him I feel makes it too excessive.
In short, it's too much. Everything is over the top. All of it. But I still like the book a lot. And Michael Crouch does a great job. If I can complain on anything it would be that he says chapter (x) way too fast when he finishes a chapter. Yeah, there are bigger issues in this world. (also, that's probably an editing issue and not his fault)
July 27, 2018
Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill is more than just an entertaining and well-told coming out story—it’s a love letter for history geeks that shows how our heroes are human and diverse and maybe more like us that we might have originally thought. Steeped in historical facts and references, the story follows closeted teenager Wyatt, who lives and works in his family’s Lincoln-themed bed and breakfast, as he struggles to find the courage to be his authentic self. While reading real letters between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Fry Speed for a school project, Wyatt ascertains that the two men were not just good friends—but in love. His conclusion—evidence for which he posts on a blog—is met with extreme resistance from the people in Wyatt’s hometown of Lincolnville, Oregon. Soon, Wyatt finds himself is a battle to bring the truth about Lincoln to light—while staying firmly in the closet himself. Wyatt’s battle—and the negative publicity and personal attacks it causes—brings the family business to the brink of bankruptcy, but it also brings a civil rights lawyer and her incredibly cute son into Wyatt’s life. The longer Wyatt fights against Lincoln’s love for Joshua being hidden away, the more he realizes he needs to stop hiding his own truth.
This book is engrossing, moving, fun, and chock full of real history and quirky small-town realism. It takes turns you don’t expect but always stays true to its overall theme: That the value of being one’s authentic self is immeasurable.
This book is engrossing, moving, fun, and chock full of real history and quirky small-town realism. It takes turns you don’t expect but always stays true to its overall theme: That the value of being one’s authentic self is immeasurable.
January 24, 2022
NetGalley ARC.
This book angered me so much. The rampant homophobia was just so hard to handle and I'm straight! It was appalling and very hard to listen to. I was incensed. The problem is that small towns across the US are very much like this fictional town of Lincolnville, Oregon. Or this version is fictional. Not sure if a town with that name exists in Oregon. Lincoln City does!
Anywho, aside from the assholery of the town, I really liked Wyatt and Martin and the blog and the premise of what if a beloved historical figure was found out to have been gay. Hey straight people, it's not a big deal.
This book angered me so much. The rampant homophobia was just so hard to handle and I'm straight! It was appalling and very hard to listen to. I was incensed. The problem is that small towns across the US are very much like this fictional town of Lincolnville, Oregon. Or this version is fictional. Not sure if a town with that name exists in Oregon. Lincoln City does!
Anywho, aside from the assholery of the town, I really liked Wyatt and Martin and the blog and the premise of what if a beloved historical figure was found out to have been gay. Hey straight people, it's not a big deal.
December 7, 2020
I don't think I've ever read so much homophobic slurs in a queer book. That book made me incredibly uncomfortable. I had great hopes for it but it seriously dug down every homophobic cliché one can imagine. And it doesn't exactly get better until the end. I was close to put it down as a DNF but I have no idea how I managed to pull through. The chatacters are so horribly homophobic...
How can an author who's queer himself be comfortable with writing a book with so many homophobic remarks? Did he flinch everytime while writing or was he able to distance himself from all of that somehow?
How can an author who's queer himself be comfortable with writing a book with so many homophobic remarks? Did he flinch everytime while writing or was he able to distance himself from all of that somehow?
November 18, 2018
this book was so dramatic lol
August 4, 2020
Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill is the first audiobook that I have ever read. The whole experience was intimate, and given that my sexuality resonates with that of Wyatt, and similar experiences of being in a closet, I could imagine it being written for me.
Lee Wind has done a great job in unwinding a fact that might bother a culture and a civilization, the subtitle declares of this claim: Certainly if you know that a figure that means History to a group of people and the world, and that person turns out to be anyway different than how they're written down in History, then, as they say, "all hell will break loose."
I am ardent that it might be the reason that many publishers must have denied publishing this book, if Lee went to them to get it published. However, it couldn't have been queerer and bold a step to self-publish it. If we've to tell our stories, then we might as well own it completely. Let no one decide our history, it'll be the one that we'll write.
I was fascinated with Wyatt, a closeted ninth-grader who happened to be working on a History assignment. Given that he was questioning his sexuality, his family - who wanted, of course, the best for him, which means dating a girl, Wyatt loathed the idea of questioned it within his sort of intimate kissing encounters with Mackenzie; but while working on this assignment he stumbles upon a fascinating fact in a book.
Speculation, or some may even call them proper evidences, of Abraham Lincoln being gay. He had exchanged most romantic of letters with Joshua Fry Speed, and its those letters that made him pick this topic and go on into the quest to find his authentic self.
He goes through all the problems that he could. Of course, people started making fun of him calling him queer. And the teacher gives him an ultimatum to begin the assignment afresh or disclose the evidence in full; and on top of that the librarian turns up in his house to request for returning the book, his single-point evidence.
The principal also calls him and rebukes in his room. What would happen to you if you're questioning your sexuality, and you discover that you're not how the society or the world wants you to be. It's that confusion and amidst all this the resilience of this character that comes out, no pun intended, beautifully well in this book.
Apart from that, the most important part of writing this book as he mentioned in an interview that came with this audiobook was this: All our histories is straight? It's not even possible to imagine that none of the great men, women, and others who walked this planet Earth were different from the gender binary that society wants to maintain. It's where the queerness of this book, and its urgency to claim our history is why this book is of utmost importance and deserves to be read. Congratulations to Lee Wind for this book.
Lee Wind has done a great job in unwinding a fact that might bother a culture and a civilization, the subtitle declares of this claim: Certainly if you know that a figure that means History to a group of people and the world, and that person turns out to be anyway different than how they're written down in History, then, as they say, "all hell will break loose."
I am ardent that it might be the reason that many publishers must have denied publishing this book, if Lee went to them to get it published. However, it couldn't have been queerer and bold a step to self-publish it. If we've to tell our stories, then we might as well own it completely. Let no one decide our history, it'll be the one that we'll write.
I was fascinated with Wyatt, a closeted ninth-grader who happened to be working on a History assignment. Given that he was questioning his sexuality, his family - who wanted, of course, the best for him, which means dating a girl, Wyatt loathed the idea of questioned it within his sort of intimate kissing encounters with Mackenzie; but while working on this assignment he stumbles upon a fascinating fact in a book.
Speculation, or some may even call them proper evidences, of Abraham Lincoln being gay. He had exchanged most romantic of letters with Joshua Fry Speed, and its those letters that made him pick this topic and go on into the quest to find his authentic self.
He goes through all the problems that he could. Of course, people started making fun of him calling him queer. And the teacher gives him an ultimatum to begin the assignment afresh or disclose the evidence in full; and on top of that the librarian turns up in his house to request for returning the book, his single-point evidence.
The principal also calls him and rebukes in his room. What would happen to you if you're questioning your sexuality, and you discover that you're not how the society or the world wants you to be. It's that confusion and amidst all this the resilience of this character that comes out, no pun intended, beautifully well in this book.
Apart from that, the most important part of writing this book as he mentioned in an interview that came with this audiobook was this: All our histories is straight? It's not even possible to imagine that none of the great men, women, and others who walked this planet Earth were different from the gender binary that society wants to maintain. It's where the queerness of this book, and its urgency to claim our history is why this book is of utmost importance and deserves to be read. Congratulations to Lee Wind for this book.
October 17, 2018
I ended up enjoying Queer as a Five Dollar Bill by Lee Wind much more than I expected to. The premise itself was super interesting, but the initial chapters were a bit slow and I couldn’t decide if I was really into the book or not. The writing style was decent but not awesome. However, I’m really glad that I stuck with it as the plot quickly started to unfold.
In Queer as a Five Dollar Bill, Wyatt lives in Lincolnville, Oregon, in the Lincoln Slept Here Bed & Breakfast that his parents own. The town, thanks to its name, is pretty much dedicated to Lincoln history, and idolizes President Lincoln. In his high school history class, Wyatt and his classmates are assigned a project in which they have to read a book about Lincoln and write blog posts about it. In his research, Wyatt discovers that Abraham Lincoln was in a gay relationship at one point and wrote his blog post about that, hoping that it could become a bridge to his own coming out in his conservative town. However, quite the opposite happens, and when his blog posts gain national attention, Wyatt is forced to deal with the consequences.
Like I said, there is nothing remarkable about Lee Wind’s writing style, but it had a lot of redeemable factors that made me ultimately really enjoy the book. I loved Wyatt’s character – he was really easy to identify with, I didn’t find him annoying, and I found his process of coming out relatable and credible given his circumstances. I also loved the use of history in the book, with direct quotes from primary sources – Lee Wind included actual letters, as well as sources marked in the back of the book, from Lincoln’s letters to back up the thesis that Lincoln was, in fact, queer. After the first few chapters, the plot picked up and I literally could not put the book down because I just wanted to know what was going to happen next and how Wyatt was going to deal with it. The pace was really well written.
Above all, I loved the theme of unity, where people of different beliefs and backgrounds are willing to put down their weapons and stand together for a common belief and a greater good. I think this is a book that is really relevant in today’s political and social climate, and it has a great message of how to deal with it. In a few words, don’t judge others – we are all different, in many different ways, and we just can’t let those differences come between us.
*I received this ebook as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.*
In Queer as a Five Dollar Bill, Wyatt lives in Lincolnville, Oregon, in the Lincoln Slept Here Bed & Breakfast that his parents own. The town, thanks to its name, is pretty much dedicated to Lincoln history, and idolizes President Lincoln. In his high school history class, Wyatt and his classmates are assigned a project in which they have to read a book about Lincoln and write blog posts about it. In his research, Wyatt discovers that Abraham Lincoln was in a gay relationship at one point and wrote his blog post about that, hoping that it could become a bridge to his own coming out in his conservative town. However, quite the opposite happens, and when his blog posts gain national attention, Wyatt is forced to deal with the consequences.
Like I said, there is nothing remarkable about Lee Wind’s writing style, but it had a lot of redeemable factors that made me ultimately really enjoy the book. I loved Wyatt’s character – he was really easy to identify with, I didn’t find him annoying, and I found his process of coming out relatable and credible given his circumstances. I also loved the use of history in the book, with direct quotes from primary sources – Lee Wind included actual letters, as well as sources marked in the back of the book, from Lincoln’s letters to back up the thesis that Lincoln was, in fact, queer. After the first few chapters, the plot picked up and I literally could not put the book down because I just wanted to know what was going to happen next and how Wyatt was going to deal with it. The pace was really well written.
Above all, I loved the theme of unity, where people of different beliefs and backgrounds are willing to put down their weapons and stand together for a common belief and a greater good. I think this is a book that is really relevant in today’s political and social climate, and it has a great message of how to deal with it. In a few words, don’t judge others – we are all different, in many different ways, and we just can’t let those differences come between us.
*I received this ebook as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.*
August 18, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in December 2018.
"Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" by Lee Wind is a heart-warming coming-of-age story of a 15-year-old closeted gay boy who stumbles into a piece of secret history and, armed with his new knowledge, finds the strength to be himself, to fight for what he believes in and make the world a better place in the process.
What I really liked about this novel is how all the characters are incredibly mutlifaceted and interesting: even the high school bully ends up being more complex than you would have thought. The characters' fears and hopes, their struggles and all their contradictions made them feel truly human and relatable.
What I appreciated a little less is the intrinsic American-ness of the story. At times it felt like it didn't have much to do with me, since I'm not from the USA, President Abraham Lincoln is not a big deal for me and all the history and the traditions referred to in the book are alien to me. I had never even heard the expression "Queer as a Three-Dollar Bill", so I didn't catch the pun in the title until it was explained away in the narration. Before reading this book, I had no idea which American president is printed on a five-dollar bill, although I did know that President Lincoln was definitely on one of the bills.
Aside from these small details, everything else in the novel was totally enjoyable and resounded deeply inside me.
I can recommend reading this to anyone who is struggling with being different or discriminated against--not just bullied LGBT teenagers, but members of any persecuted minority.
The world would be a better place, if more people like Wyatt existed in real life.
Also, the narrator of the audiobook did an amazing job bringing each different character to life, and it's been a pleasure to listen to him.
"Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" by Lee Wind is a heart-warming coming-of-age story of a 15-year-old closeted gay boy who stumbles into a piece of secret history and, armed with his new knowledge, finds the strength to be himself, to fight for what he believes in and make the world a better place in the process.
What I really liked about this novel is how all the characters are incredibly mutlifaceted and interesting: even the high school bully ends up being more complex than you would have thought. The characters' fears and hopes, their struggles and all their contradictions made them feel truly human and relatable.
What I appreciated a little less is the intrinsic American-ness of the story. At times it felt like it didn't have much to do with me, since I'm not from the USA, President Abraham Lincoln is not a big deal for me and all the history and the traditions referred to in the book are alien to me. I had never even heard the expression "Queer as a Three-Dollar Bill", so I didn't catch the pun in the title until it was explained away in the narration. Before reading this book, I had no idea which American president is printed on a five-dollar bill, although I did know that President Lincoln was definitely on one of the bills.
Aside from these small details, everything else in the novel was totally enjoyable and resounded deeply inside me.
I can recommend reading this to anyone who is struggling with being different or discriminated against--not just bullied LGBT teenagers, but members of any persecuted minority.
The world would be a better place, if more people like Wyatt existed in real life.
Also, the narrator of the audiobook did an amazing job bringing each different character to life, and it's been a pleasure to listen to him.
September 17, 2018
I'll start by saying that this book in now in my TOP 5 of the more than 130 books I've read so far this year! I think it's a terrific YA novel, for many reasons-- more than that, I think it has broad appeal (and importance) to a much wider circle of readers.
Author Lee Wind writes with passion and clarity, weaving in important words regarding bullying, coming out, acceptance and equality. All this as 15 year old Wyatt explores the very real possibility Abraham Lincoln might have been gay. And if Lincoln was gay-- his family and friends would easily accept his own coming out, right?
Even though Wind's hero (Wyatt) believes this to be true, he (Wind) does not try to convince or drive this home to the reader-- instead he asks the reader to open their mind to the possibility; he builds an even stronger case for how fascinating history can be. There's so much more to discover when you take the time to look deeper for the truth.
And then there is Martin. What a perfect example of hope and a conceivable future. Wind not only uses Martin to show Wyatt 'what can be' but also uses him to transition the story from coming out to one of acceptance and equality. Wind carefully sidesteps the easy choice of merely pointing fingers at villains and instead shows the potential for change-- in the hearts and minds of people willing to open their minds.
I certainly wish books like this had been available when I was at that young stage of my life. I would have felt less alone-- even though the connection was (would have been) with a fictional character in a book. I felt a magical bond with the story and highly recommend it for people of all ages.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Author Lee Wind writes with passion and clarity, weaving in important words regarding bullying, coming out, acceptance and equality. All this as 15 year old Wyatt explores the very real possibility Abraham Lincoln might have been gay. And if Lincoln was gay-- his family and friends would easily accept his own coming out, right?
Even though Wind's hero (Wyatt) believes this to be true, he (Wind) does not try to convince or drive this home to the reader-- instead he asks the reader to open their mind to the possibility; he builds an even stronger case for how fascinating history can be. There's so much more to discover when you take the time to look deeper for the truth.
And then there is Martin. What a perfect example of hope and a conceivable future. Wind not only uses Martin to show Wyatt 'what can be' but also uses him to transition the story from coming out to one of acceptance and equality. Wind carefully sidesteps the easy choice of merely pointing fingers at villains and instead shows the potential for change-- in the hearts and minds of people willing to open their minds.
I certainly wish books like this had been available when I was at that young stage of my life. I would have felt less alone-- even though the connection was (would have been) with a fictional character in a book. I felt a magical bond with the story and highly recommend it for people of all ages.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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