Lark and Kasim Start a Revolution

I just love Kacen Callender's writing - Felix Ever After was a masterpiece of Queer Literature and I knew that I would feel the same about Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution. I don't normally talk about the actual book itself but I have to just to mention how gorgeous the sprayed edges are on the paperback- I love how it looks like handwriting as both Lark and Kasim are writers and I find it cute as anything to have this little detail.

The sheer amount of representation within Lark and Kasim Start a Revolution is wonderful see. We have Black/BIPOC characters, some who are neurodiverse in various ways, lgbtq and transgender characters and a sweetly written polyamorous relationship. All of which is wonderful to see and doesn't for one moment feel anything other than perfectly done and each and every character contributes to the story to give Lark and Kasim's story depth.

The neurodiversity especially resonated with me as I saw loved ones who has the same problems at times and the diverse way of seeing and processing what is around them. There needs to be more stories written that are truthful to how it is to be neurodiverse such as this, as many are quite contrived and detrimental. So thank you Kacen Callender.

I love that Lark especially is messy and complicated, they don't have life easy and they aren't infallible. They make mistakes, often in an attempt to do the right thing and are left suffering the consequences for it - some justified and some cruel. This is a reality of life and especially for someone such as our seventeen year old protagonist who puts their life and thoughts online for all to see, praise and judge. And boy! Aren't we judgmental as a species.

I felt for Lark, and wanted to several times reach through the pages and point out that the hole they'd inadvertently found themselves in due to someone else? Was only getting deeper and wish to drag them out because Lark is terrible and helping themselves believing it will all fix itself. Life as we know, doesn't work that way even in fiction most of the time (or not until near the book..) Kasim is a wonderful black trans character who I loved so much. He's gone through the ringer of life with an absentee father and being raised by his older brother who is working so hard to raise him that he's away from home for periods of time. He's so beautifully written and I loved his vulnerability hidden beneath a cool visard and indifference. There's a wonderful realness to him that I feel many will relate to.

The was cancel culture, responsibility for one's actions, depression, racism, transphobia and other serious topics are handled is wonderfully done and I think will possibly enable conversations between others to occur. It isn't done in a sensational manner at all, and thrown in for the sake of it. As a reader, the excellent character portrayal and worldbulding enables you to be immersed fully in the world of Lark and Kasim Start a Revolution and with the additional mention of masks etcetera; it feels very much as though it is a tale of now. Both in a good and a bad way given the awful way the lives of people similar to this group of teenagers, is being attacked in 2022.

The only thing I found that I personally could have done without is the voice of Lark's fictional character. I don't feel it adds anything to the book and often distracts from the actual situation such as when Lark is struggling with how others have reacted to their words etcetera.

Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution is another incredible book by Kacen Callender and I have a feeling that it will be like Felix Ever After and fly off the shelves. I'm so glad I got to read it.