Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity

by Kristin Elizabeth Clark

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Disclaimer: I cannot speak to the authenticity of the transgender experience, but the author's note gives reassurance that she's had a great deal of input from those who can. I also want to direct anyone who is curious about the specifics to Dahlia Adler's review, because she does a way better job than I ever could with outlining the representation.

So, where to begin with this one? Jess was kind of selfish, to be honest. The thing is, I liked that Jess was a little selfish- I mean, she kind of had the right to be worried about this kind of stuff, so it made sense. I am also glad that Chunk called her out on it, because it wasn't an excuse to not think of Chunk's issues. She got to be a little too wrapped up in her own stuff at times, and it seemed to always come at Chunk's expense, which seemed super unfair, since he had been an awesome friend to her from the start and wasn't exactly asking for a whole lot in return. Then there were times that I thought that Chunk needed to be a bit more sympathetic, since this was kind of a huge deal for Jess. But the bottom line to that all is, I think that is really an accurate portrayal of friendships in general. Misunderstandings, and selfishness, and hurt feelings are all a part of growing and learning, so that was quite realistic to me.

The family stuff was great. I loved that Jess's mom was so supportive. I hated that her dad wasn't, but I think it's (sadly) quite realistic. I understood her anger at Jan, but I wish she hadn't used the term "cow" to talk about her. Especially with Chunk being overweight- and most especially since Jess knows what it is like to have issues with one's body.

The road trip piece was a little anticlimactic, which did take away from the story for me a bit. I had kind of hoped that they'd have a few more "big" adventures, but this was mostly about their relationship, which was fine, but I do love a road trip book so I was sad that it was lacking a little in that department. I am a bit conflicted with the ending because while I liked it, it seemed a bit rushed and maybe too easy?

Bottom Line: This is a quick, sweet coming of age book that deals with family and friendship dynamics and navigating teenage life through the eyes of a transgender young woman.