Mariko Tamaki

A poignantly funny novel from the co-creator of the bestselling Printz Honor and Caldecott Honor Book This One Summer.

Saving Montgomery Sole

“What are you afraid is going to happen if someone is sad?”
They could leave, I thought. They could fold in on themselves and just disappear. They could not come out of the bedroom, ever.

Montgomery was quite relatable and I saw myself in her many moments in the book. The anger with religion and the anger towards the people who were homophobic and harmful towards her loved ones. It was refreshing to read a book where the main character had two mums that were in a healthy relationship and the author didn’t try use harmful stereotypes like I have witnessed in the past with series and books.

It addressed religious trauma which I think is a huge problem that a lot of lgbtq+ people and the people who have watched their loved ones being affected by it deal with. Montgomery had witnessed her parents being affected by the way her grandparents weaponised their religion to be hateful towards the family, Montgomery became almost fearful of religion as a result.

I’ll be honest and say that it took me a while to get into this book but once I did, I began to enjoy it. I would’ve enjoyed this story more if it was longer and we were able to witness more character growth. Overall, I liked the story and would probably revisit it.

Nadine 

Got me to finally read "the outsiders" so that's one good thing... 
Sensitive dealing with families that are "different" i.e. 2 gay mums.

Galaxia

i think it's impossible to be named montgomery and be uninteresting, and i think monty knows that. i liked the way this book dealt with queer families, not just queer teenagers. and i love any book that includes healing crystals and eyeball amulets for luck. while monty does act a bit childish and immature, i think i'm just as immature. i really identified with her and it was easy for me to understand the things she was going through and the way she reacted to them.

Krys C.

Saving Montgomery Sole is a beautiful and offbeat novel from Mariko Tamaki, co-creator of the bestselling Printz Honor and Caldecott Honor Book This One Summer. Montgomery Sole is a square peg in a small town, forced to go to a school full of jocks and girls who don't even know what irony is. It would all be impossible if it weren't for her best friends, Thomas and Naoki. The three are also the only members of Jefferson High's Mystery Club, dedicated to exploring the weird and unexplained, from ESP and astrology to super powers and mysterious objects. Then there's the Eye of Know, the possibly powerful crystal amulet Monty bought online. Will it help her predict the future or fight back against the ignorant jerks who make fun of Thomas for being gay or Monty for having two moms? Maybe the Eye is here just in time, because the newest resident of their small town is scarier than mothmen, poltergeists, or, you know, gym. Thoughtful, funny, and painfully honest, Montgomery Sole is someone you'll want to laugh and cry with over a big cup of frozen yogurt with extra toppings. Praise for Saving Montgomery Sole: "As with Montgomery Sole, my life is made bearable and glorious by a Mystery Club—a group of authors who tell the truth with wit and verve and style. Mariko Tamaki is in this club. . . . She’s the coolest member." —Daniel Handler, author of Why We Broke Up "Saving Montgomery Sole is a beautiful and eloquent book that perfectly captures the yearning for a mystery larger than ourselves." —Holly Black, author of The Darkest Part of the Forest “A deeply satisfying, smart, and necessary kind of book. Tamaki takes a classic high school narrative and infuses it with magic, queerness, and compelling complexity.” —Kate Schatz, author of Rad American Women A-Z "Mysticism and emotion live side by side for Montgomery Sole, a teen girl who is trying to unravel both the mysteries of the universe and of other people. I gobbled this book up in one sitting." —Kate Scelsa, author ofFans of the Impossible Life "Mariko Tamaki treasures and tears apart the quirky, confounding, and awkwardly beautiful parts of being a teenager, lending her unique talent and authentic voice to a cast of oddballs who also happen to be our neighbors, friends, and family." —Corey Silverberg, author of Sex Is a Funny Word "Mariko Tamaki's writing is my comfort food! Try saving Montgomery Sole, end up saving yourself.” —Raziel Reid, author of When Everything Feels Like the Movies “A quietly assured story . . . Montgomery’s slow confrontation with reality creates a realistic, satisfying arc, and Tamaki’s economical storytelling results in dimensional characters whose struggles feel viscerally real.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “Tamaki balances the story’s lighter and more intense moments through Monty’s smart, forthright first-person narration . . . Meanwhile, the well-developed and likable supporting cast raises the novel’s emotional stakes . . . Offbeat and authentic—an uncommon treat.” —Kirkus Reviews “The characters are refreshingly diverse for YA literature, in both sexuality and race, and the conversations around religion, homophobia, and society are written as if they are a norm of Montgomery’s life—never straying into preachy or didactic territory . . . A strong addition to most school or public library YA collections.” —School Library Journal