Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

I had the crazy opportunity to watch Love, Simon a few weeks ago on a plane trip across the country. The movie didn’t disappoint, but I hadn’t read the book. I felt like I should read the book as well and that’s exactly what I did. LOL.

Here’s more about the book

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

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I had about two days to read this book before it was due back at the library. Sometimes I do that. I borrow books from the library and only read them within a few days from when they’re due. It’s probably a terrible habit and I’m a terrible person, but whatever. I read the book.

If you didn’t know, Simon is gay and hasn’t come out to anyone yet. He meets a friend named Blue on this school-wide Tumblr account called “Creeksecrets.” However, someone finds his emails to Blue and blackmails him for a date with one of his best friends.

I think I was blessed for being at least a generation behind on blogs that cover all the gossip at school. At least you can suffer silently with the secrets you kept. But the same can’t be said about kids nowadays and Simon shows the issues that arise with that.

First off, who lets a Tumblr exist for a high school? It’s like airing out your dirty laundry for everyone you know to see. When you’re in high school, the high school is basically everyone you know. I did a cursory check on Tumblr to make sure my high school isn’t on there. Thankfully it isn’t.

While I did love the story and I loved hearing about Simon and his friends, I’m afraid to say that I liked the movie way better than the book. There weren’t any glaring differences between the two. I just felt like the movie built up to what the book was trying to build up to. I almost thought the copy of the book I received was missing the whole set up of this story because it started with the blackmail.

But despite the weird way that this book is laid out, I did love it. Simon is a good kid with a secret that he’s afraid to tell people. I mean, if that’s not high school then what is? I loved reading the emails between Simon and Blue. I loved watching their relationship blossom into more than just a friendship. I was so glad to see them together in the end.

For all its organizational faults, Simon was such a feel-good read. It was almost too feel-good and even though it does touch on bullying a little, I feel like it could have been tackled head on. It was only recently I read about a boy who killed himself because he had come out to his classmates and was bullied for it. Also the fact that Simon was pretty privileged with a very understanding mother and father seemed to bypass the fact that the decision to come out is not an easy feat for some.

But in the case of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens’ Agenda, I think Simon’s verdict is #winning.

• Paperback, 303 pages
• Balzer and Bray
• Rating: 4/5 Stars
• Find Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda on Amazon