Name: Bria's review of Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith
Item: Stay Gold
Rating: 3
Author: Bria

Tobly McSmith

Debut author Tobly McSmith delivers a coming-of-age teen love story about a transgender boy who’s going stealth at his new Texas high school and a cisgender girl who is drawn to him, even as she’s counting down the days until graduation. Perfect for fans of David Levithan, Becky Albertalli, and Jenny Han. Pony just wants to fly under the radar during senior year. Tired from all the attention he got at his old school after coming out as transgender, he’s looking for a fresh start at Hillcrest High. But it’s hard to live your best life when the threat of exposure lurks down every hallway and in every bathroom. Georgia is beginning to think there’s more to life than cheerleading. She plans on keeping a low profile until graduation…which is why she promised herself that dating was officially a no-go this year. Then, on the very first day of school, the new guy and the cheerleader lock eyes. How is Pony supposed to stay stealth when he wants to get close to a girl like Georgia? How is Georgia supposed to keep her promise when sparks start flying with a boy like Pony? Funny and poignant, clear-eyed and hopeful, Stay Gold is a story about finding love—and finding yourself.

Stay Gold

Katto

Bria

I love Pony’s character, but I don’t like Georgia’s. She seems fake nice to me. I don’t know what I’m seeing because everyone else seems to love her.

trixie

i’m so very tired of storylines where lgbt people fall in love with bumbling cishets that say totally out of pocket things regarding their identity but it’s fine bc they’re just ignorant and then they learn!!!!!! and save the day!!!!!!!! it’s 2020 no more savior stories we have progressed past the need for savior stories

Jamieson

❝ Stay gold, Pony. The world needs you. Stay gold when it’s hard. When it’s lonely. When it’s scary. Especially when it’s scary ❞



When I heard about this book from the publisher, I was pretty excited. It was pitched as a contemporary romance, comparable to ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’, which is a series I adore. I was expecting a sweet, fluffy romance between the new boy, Pony, who is trans and a popular cheerleader at his school called Georgia. This is what this book is … and it also … isn’t.

The first thing I want to say about this book is anyone going into it purely expecting a fluffy contemporary romance may potentially be disappointed and maybe even feel a little blindsided like I was. While Stay Gold does have a contemporary romance with a happily ever after, a lot of this story follows Pony tackling, oftentimes intense, transphobia and discrimination. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, it is important and valid for these issues to be explored in fiction. It just wasn’t what I expected and I want other people to go into this with the right expectations.

Stay Gold follows Pony, a seventeen-year-old trans boy who is attending a new school in Texas and has decided to go stealth, meaning he will keep his identity a secret. This is a decision he faces come criticism for, mainly from his out and proud best friend Max who believes more people should be out and visible, and from his sister Rocky who supports him and wants him to be open and honest. When Pony arrives at school, he meets and starts to fall for a popular cheerleader called Georgia. During the process of their romance, Pony comes to the realisation he needs to be honest with Georgia about his identity, and his ultimate decision to come out to her sets of a string of events at his school and a discussion around queer identities.


  ❝ We only get one chance at life. I couldn’t spend another day stuck because I was worried about what people thought of me ❞



First, I want to point out some basic things I did and didn’t like before I get into a more complex discussion of this book and why my feelings on it are mixed.

One thing I did like was Pony and Georgia’s respective characters and personalities. I particularly liked Georgia. She was a really fun character to follow, with lots of flaws and quirks that made her interesting. Pony was a really sympathetic character, and by the end of the book, I was really invested in him. Their romance was also cute, I liked the parts of them just hanging out as friends, I thought it developed their relationship well and their jokes and banter together were cute.

I also liked how both Georgia and Pony had friends outside of each other. Georgia’s cheerleader friends were an interesting group and I liked the subplot about their team and relationships. The relationship between Pony and his sister Rocky was also something I loved. I adore sibling relationships in books and I thought this one was well done, and their genuine love for each other, mixed with the way they would tease each other felt so authentic. I also liked the happily ever after the characters got, especially acceptance from friends and family, which I felt was most deserved given how dark this book gets in places. It has some cliche rom-com moments, and I kinda loved them. I also found myself quite sucked into this story, like any good contemporary romance, I felt like I was flying along absorbed into the story and drama. I also loved the hopeful and uplighting ending. It really made me feel warm and happy and I think it was a perfect ending for this story. 

On the other hand, I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, it’s first-person addressing the reader which is my least favourite point of view. I also thought some sections of dialogue were a little stilted, and maybe didn’t read like teens talk. But this is a debut, and those are things I can forgive, and it didn’t majorly interrupt my reading experience.


  ❝ They raised daughters named Sarah and Rachel and now they have a transgender son named Pony and a unicorn named Rocky. They must wonder where it all went wrong ❞




Those likes and dislikes aside, I want to talk about how this book wasn’t exactly what I expected. The characters, and by extension, the romance felt like they functioned as a tool to educate non-cis people about the realities of being a trans teen, and even more broadly non-queer people about the queer community. At times, this book felt stilted because portions would be ‘info dumps’ about living as a trans person, which felt more like they came from the author than naturally from the character. Further, depictions of violent sexual and physical assault, as well as inclusions of suicidal thoughts by the main character were included as a vehicle to educate. For example, the main character contemplates suicide, which acts as a gateway for the book informing and giving statistics about high suicide rates in trans teens. I’m not saying this is necessarily a bad thing to portray in a book, it is just that I think people looking to be educated may resonate with this more than those looking to be represented.

I think I was also looking for more of an arc for Georgia, and maybe for her to have to work a little bit more for her ‘redemption’. I felt the narrative didn’t really address her treatment of Pony and the inconsistencies between her actions and dialogue felt underexplored.

Finally, I’ve seen almost every pre-review address this, so I thought I would quickly discuss it too. A large focus of this book is around being ‘out and proud’. Pony is criticised by his friends and family for going stealth. His best friend Max is particularly critical, even threatening to end their friendship when Pony refuses to share a petition about a trans friend that could potentially out him. I was looking for more nuance in this discussion. I think the general message of the power that can come from being out and proud, and the representation it gives others was powerful. I also thought the narrative could have delved more into the complexities of it. Max going to a liberal art school, having accepting family and all queer friends and thus a vastly different experience to Pony is only briefly mentioned and not really explored. Further, there is a part where Max calls Pony ‘brave’ for coming out and thus getting assaulted, which felt a little off to me.

Overall, I think a lot of my issues with this book boil down to the fact this book didn’t explore queer issues with the nuance I wanted, nor did it give me the story I was expecting. Which is not necessarily a criticism. I think this book is meant to be an introduction to trans issues and the queer community, and that is important. I think this is probably going to be an important and useful book to a lot of people. It’s just not really the story I was looking for. I am sure some people will feel represented by it because realistically, Pony’s experiences are unfortunately ones which trans teens may face. At the same time, there are some discussions and ideas I think may not resonate with every reader, which is fine too. But I think it is a book which ultimately tries to give hope and be uplifting while trying to tackle serious issues head-on.

I would recommend this to people who are interested in the premise, as long as you’re knowing it’s not a wholly fluffy contemporary romance. I think the focus on trans issues was important, and the happily ever after ending for the character was sweet.


This is a book I have quite a few thoughts about. While on the surface it is a fluffy rom-com, and it does deliver that to some degree, I was blindsided a little by how much the main character goes through in this book. It’s a book I’ll definitely be following through release date, to see more reviews about, especially from ownvoices reviewers. I think it’s going to be a book that some people resonate with, and others do not. And that it is fine. A book doesn’t have to encapsulate every experience or be written in a way to appease every viewpoint to be worthwhile. I feel I was not the target audience of this book, but I also feel there is potentially a market and audience for this book out there that may really benefit from reading it.



  this is an ARC and included quotes are subject to change upon publication. stay gold releases on may 26th! thank you to HarperCollins for sending me an advanced copy of this title



content warnings: misgendering and deadnaming of trans character, sexual and physical assault of main character on page, use of trans and lesbian slurs, public outing, suicidal thoughts and ideation, harassment, homophobia

Told in two voices, Pony, who is concealing his transgender identity at his new Texas high school, and Georgia, a cisgender cheerleader counting the days until she graduates, develop a complicated relationship.

This was absolutely amazing. It leaves you with many feels and many things to think about.

Make sure to check out the trigger warnings for this book if that's something you need!

Rachel Evans

(2/5) Audiobook - 6 hours 12 minutes - I have a lot of issues with this book. I think there were bad messages and representation present in the book. On the surface, the plot is fine. It's very cliched, and predictable and convenient, but not bad. Just not particularly good. I found the characters very shallow and boring. I couldn't really tell you anything about the main characters. Pony doesn't really seem to have many personality traits other than 'trans' and 'obsessed with girl he just met'. While being trans can be a massive part of someone's life, it isn't the only part, and I think this just made the character feel two-dimensional and hard to connect with. He just never felt like a real person. Georgia felt a little 'not like other girls'. She wasn't a huge offender, not compared to some main characters in other books, but it still felt like she was 'special' for having a personality outside of cheerleading. She was also very shallow at times, and this didn't make her very likeable at all.
However, there are parts of this book that just really don't sit right with me. For one, the message being conveyed seems to be 'if you aren't openly trans, you are not a good person'. While the opposite is touched upon, the overarching theme is that the main character is a better person once he starts becoming an 'activist'. Activism is obviously important, but I think its wrong to assume a trans person must actively be 'helping' the community to have worth. Trans people should be allowed to exist just as they want to. Being openly trans is obviously what some people want, but the expectation that this applies to all trans people just isn't accurate. 
Overall, this book, on surface-level, wasn't objectively bad, but I think it contained messages and themes that weren't particularly good.

Steph L 

A very important read 

I picked up this book on a whim because it was a deal of the day. This book has a lot of heart, and is an important read for people in the LGBTQ+ community.

marilynn

If you're expecting a sweet fluffy read all the way through, don't.
This book lacks any trigger warning, and the description makes it seem like it's cute and adorable, which for about 2/3 of it, yes it is pretty sweet, but then the third part gets really dark and contains stuff like: 
CW:
transphobia, homophobia, public outing, dysphoria, pressure by peers to come out, issues with alcohol, and a not graphic but still not easy to read sexual assault scene

As for the book itself, I loved it. It was amazing, it was funny and I loved how the opening scene was narrated. Pony is a very sweet person, he's very funny and is just great over all. Georgia, however, I liked her, but what I didn't like was how mad she got after Pony told her that he's trans. She d0esn't have the right to get mad at him for keeping this from her since they barely even know each other. I understand that it might have been a shock, but it doesn't excuse how she told him that he had lied to her. 

What did she expect? For him to go on the first day of school and be like  'hi, I'm Pony I'm trans'  ?!?!?!

He goes and musters all of his courage to tell her that he's trans, and she gets mad at him.

 It's not a fucking easy thing to say Georgia 

But other than that I actually enjoyed her character and how she grew to not care about what other people now say about him and how she defended him at the end. Her friends are nice too, but Mia can choke.

I am really happy I read this it has been on my radar for a while, but I just hope for possible triggers to be included.

Flavia Louise

I actually loved this book at least a bit unexpectedly.
The story is quite unique and well told in my opinion.
Now why not give it 5 stars (so 4.5 really)?
Well maybe for quite a petty reason which is maybe a bit spoilery and also maybe weird. IDEK
(view spoiler)[ why did the author decide that Pony would need 25,000 $ for top surgery when sure top surgery is effin expensive but not that expensive. the STAY GOLD fundraiser literally had a 50,000 $ goal to help MULTIPLE people  (hide spoiler)]

Torrey

um conflicting feelings. i loved pony and reading about his story but the side characters? were we supposed to actually like them??? idk

anyways content warnings: transphobia, homophobia, assault, suicidal thoughts

Alora

Ok so I'm writing my review on my phone so either there is going to be alot or nothing at all... 

Stay gold was an amazing book and I actually was crying at the end of the book because it was so sweet. The story is about a transgender boy and the girl he likes and who likes him and how their relationship progresses before and after she learns that he is trans. I'm not speaking for the trans community when I say this, I just want to offer my opinion. The author is transgender and so I feel like for someone who has not experienced this, the book has some pretty good insight into the trials and tribulations of being trans.

The book is called stay gold and the main character is named Pony which is a nod to the book The Outsiders and while I made the Pony / Ponyboy connection right away, I didn't make the Stay Gold connection until the very end when it is pointed out. 

So to cap this all off... This book was absolutely amazing!! It was sweet and funny and a bit sad and I think that Stay Gold would be a great book to be able to start to understand the everyday struggles of trans people.

Lore

Stay Gold, Pony.

Nauseatingly adorable but excruciatingly heartbreaking at times. This book was so good I read it in a day.

TW: transphobia, homophobia, forced coming out, anti-trans violence, suicidal thoughts, unsupportive family (I may have missed a few less obvious triggers)

Debut author Tobly McSmith delivers a coming-of-age teen love story about a transgender boy who's going stealth at his new Texas high school and a cisgender girl who is drawn to him, even as she's counting down the days until graduation. Perfect for fans of David Levithan, Becky Albertalli, and Jenny Han. Pony just wants to fly under the radar during senior year. Tired from all the attention he got at his old school after coming out as transgender, he's looking for a fresh start at Hillcrest High. But it's hard to live your best life when the threat of exposure lurks down every hallway and in every bathroom. Georgia is beginning to think there's more to life than cheerleading. She plans on keeping a low profile until graduation...which is why she promised herself that dating was officially a no-go this year. Then, on the very first day of school, the new guy and the cheerleader lock eyes. How is Pony supposed to stay stealth when he wants to get close to a girl like Georgia? How is Georgia supposed to keep her promise when sparks start flying with a boy like Pony? Funny and poignant, clear-eyed and hopeful, Stay Gold is a story about finding love--and finding yourself.

Shannon Thomas

I want to start my review by urging readers to check the trigger warnings for Stay Gold before reading, it covers some tough subjects that some readers may find upsetting.
I really loved Stay Gold. It’s not easy reading, it covers tough and real hardships faced by trans people, but I think Tobly McSmith deals with those hardships with care and consideration.
I was thankful that Pony had such an amazing sibling, and that Pony himself was such a strong and inspiring character for trans kids to have to look up to.
I think my favourite thing about this book is that, while Pony isn’t perfect, he stood true to himself. I think sometimes people take it for granted that some people feel safe and supported enough to be out and clear with everyone they meet. It’s definitely important to remember we should never pressure people if they’re not ready to be out and it doesn’t make them any less a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I hated that at times Pony was pressured to tell everyone he’s trans when that’s his private business and it’s no one’s choice but his own whether he tells people he’s trans.
I’d really recommend this one, it had me cackling with laughter whilst also dealing with important topics.

Candyce Kirk

Anna Wilson

Oooohhh this hurt me a lot. If you’re interested in this book please please check out any content warnings bc I think this book can be very triggering! I think the cover is a little misleading with its lightness, this is a heeeeavvvy read.


https://www.instagram.com/p/CP_2nbLrw...

Kath Lau

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

  trigger warning: physical and sexual assault (graphic), suicidal ideation/attempt, homophobia, transphobia, lesbophobia, misgendering and deadnaming


I was expecting for a fluffy and cute queer romance novel but there is nothing cute and fluffy about this book except the cover, the title and the synopsis. We have Pony, a trans man who wants to have great start in his new school, and Georgia, one of the popular girls in school. They have their meet-cute and everything is fun and sweet until Pony has decided to tell her about his sexuality.

I finished it two weeks ago and I wasn’t sure what to feel after reading it so I took some time to write my review. I really wanted to love this book but there were so many things that didn’t sit well with me. I actually thought Pony and Georgia are good together. I enjoyed the banter between them and I could totally see myself rooting for them. Pony is an interesting character and you can really sympathize with his struggles. He is flawed and I liked his character most of the time. Georgia is also not perfect and I liked how her character developed throughout the story but I couldn’t ignore how she reacted when Pony came out to her. It’s just unacceptable and I hated that she got away with it so easily. I think the only character that I genuinely liked and enjoyed was Rocky, Pony’s sister. Their relationship was definitely my favorite.

There were a lot of important issues in this book that were not properly addressed. Like how Georgia gets mad at Pony for “lying” to her about being trans. How Pony’s trans bestfriend makes him feel bad for not being out and proud. I understand that Pony wants to blend in with his male friends but does he has to be sexist too? He also mentioned that he reads Harry Potter (instead of books written by queer authors which he actually likes) in public so girls will be interested on him. I mean, come on! Also, the fact that Pony’s father, who is totally against his sexuality from the start, has finally “accepted” him right after talking to Georgia. And the ending. I wanted for Pony to be happy but I wasn’t a fan of how the story ended. It’s quite conventional and like I said, there were lots of unresolved issues.

I appreciated that this book is an ownvoices novel because we need more of these but I don’t think that I can recommend this one. I’m not trans so I can’t really speak on the representation. I know the author means well and he’s probably speaking from experience but I highly suggest you to read or watch ownvoices reviews in case you’re planning on reading this book.

Big yikes it was extremely problematic, cute in some areas and v unrealistic

Sophie Elaina 

I didn’t love the way this was written at the beginning, it was a little cheesy, but it did get better throughout and I did get used to it. But the first-person addressing the reader style isn’t a favourite of mine. At times it made scenes and monologues feel info dumpy and as though I as the reader was getting educated and lectured to. It was almost like a guide for anyone who doesn’t know what it’s like to be a trans teen. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it felt stilted to read and made the book less enjoyable. 

The plot for this wasn’t my favourite. It’s kind of predictable and I’ve read a few books very similar and watched a million films with similar aspects. But it was enjoyable and just because I’ve read this kind of story before doesn’t mean it’s a bad story, if you know what I mean. It’s a preference and having a more diverse version of this kind of story made it worth the read.

There are no where near enough books with transgender characters and I loved this book for the representation. But I can’t speak about how good the representation is of a trans character on a personal level. I haven’t seen enough own voices reviews yet so I’ll be looking out for them. But I can say there were instances where I felt as though the author was trying to be honest and heartfelt but it came across a little accusatory? As though certain decisions different people make regarding their safety and coming out are a bad thing. The main character going stealth and keeping the fact that they are trans from others they don’t know is written as though it’s a bad thing. I didn’t like this because everyone is different, not everyone will be in the same situation and not everything happens because of certain decisions people make. Sometimes people can be horrible and life can deal you a shitty hand. It’s okay to protect yourself in any way you want to. And the fact that the Pony’s best friend actually belittles him and makes him feel guilty for the choices he’s made was very uncomfortable to read. And I like that this book makes the reader feel uncomfortable, but what happens is never addressed further than that, only in a way that portrays it as being wrong.

I did think that the author did a good job at showing that no one should blame themselves for other people’s actions, the process of getting there was just a little too messy. As a whole it was much more intense and hard-hitting than I was expecting and had been led to believe by the synopsis. There are some light-hearted scenes but mostly it follows Pony experiencing and reflecting on transphobic and abusive encounters. And trying to navigate around these while worrying what his friends and others think of him. In addition to having suicidal thoughts, which were used as a segue to teach the reader about statistics. As a whole I think a lot of things lend this to being a more educational read for the non-trans than for trans teens looking to represented. 

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it, but make sure you’re in the right headspace for heavy topics. There is a very abusive scene that takes place in the school bathroom that was extremely graphic and hard to read, so please be wary reading this if you think that might be triggering for you.

Rating: 3.75 Stars

——-

So so so excited for this!!! 👀👀👀

Thank you so much to Harper Collins for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Katto &
Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

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