Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix

Reviews

Praise for Self-Made Boys:

A National Book Award Longlist Selection
A Junior Library Guild Selection

"McLemore’s triumphant retelling is for anyone who read The Great Gatsby and thought, this book needs to be much gayer ... In this satisfying, emotional journey that celebrates love, family, friendship, identity, and forging one’s own path, McLemore captures the spirit of the original while adding nuance and depth, setting a new bar for what a great retelling can be." —Booklist, starred review

"McLemore cleverly and subtly weaves in imagery from the source material while crafting a unique look at queer relations in 1920s New York, and lush prose skillfully depicts the characters’ yearning for freedom and acceptance. This is a compelling reimagining, and a stunner in its own right." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Compelling and satisfying for Gatsby fans, critics, and neophytes alike, avoiding and subverting tropes and giving the main quartet the happy endings they deserve. In this absolutely stunning work, McLemore delivers their signature lyrical prose and rich symbolism. ... Richy imagined, fiercely tender, and achingly beautiful. —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Stunning ... McLemore's depictions of richly hued fashion and lavish parties paint a vivid picture of this tony era. ... Self-Made Boys draws back the proverbial curtain to reveal the complicated, painful and desperately romantic yearnings of youth." —Shelf Awareness, starred review

"I don’t know whether I devoured this book or this book devoured me. ... McLemore creates a heady cocktail of identity, acceptance and comfort in Self-Made Boys. Featuring tons of nuance when it comes to racism, colorism and equality, characterizations that echo the source material yet add layers upon layers of depth." —The Nerd Daily

"Anna-Marie McLemore cracks the Gatsby story wide open, breathing fresh life into these familiar characters with wisdom, honesty, and real tenderness. An all-time favorite—I was completely transported." —Becky Albertalli, New York Times-bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

"Tenderly written and achingly romantic, Anna-Marie McLemore has crafted a romance for the ages. Their Latinx lens provides more nuance and depth to the classic story. With a breath of fresh life, Self-Made Boys shows us how queer love has flourished in quiet corners across history." —Aiden Thomas, New York Times-bestselling author of Cemetery Boys

Praise for Remixed Classics:

"Lee (the Sidekick Squad series) elegantly situates Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1882 Treasure Island against a richly embroidered Qing dynasty backdrop in this carefully crafted queer interpretation. ... Inspired by female pirate Zheng Yi Sao, this deeply immersive adventure features deftly interwoven Chinese and Vietnamese, luscious culinary descriptions, and well-rendered explorations of imperialism, treasure, found family, and love." —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee

"'Fun' doesn’t even begin to describe this rich and imaginative retelling of Treasure Island. ... It’s obvious that this book was a labor of love, which made it all the more enjoyable to read. Pirate stories don’t get much better than this." —Hypable, on A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee

"Morrow’s ability to take the lingering stain of slavery on American history and use it as a catalyst for unbreakable love and resilience is flawless. That she has remixed a canonical text to do so only further illuminates the need to critically question who holds the pen in telling our nation’s story." —Booklist, starred review, on So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow

"Morrow's nuanced take on what life was like for newly freed Black people at this time will prompt readers to reconsider the simplistic good vs. evil, North vs. South mythologies that characterize too many Civil War narratives. ... Alcott fans and newcomers alike will find much to appreciate in Morrow's sophisticated remix." —BookPage, starred review, on So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow

"Impressive ... Via delicately written characterizations, each March woman exemplifies the notion that the wounds of bondage don’t disappear simply because freedom is at hand, and the racist catalyst of enslavement doesn’t disappear with the stroke of a pen, as a beloved story gains new meaning through the lens of enduring Black resilience, love, and hope." —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow

"Rousing ... Wholly original in its cultural perspective and its centering of strong female characters. ... By creating an almost all-female cast, Safi makes women the heart of her story at a time when they were seen as a 'bargaining chip.'" —Shelf Awareness, starred review

"If you love heists, found family, and stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, then put Aminah Mae Safi's heartfelt and humorous take on Robin Hood at the very top of your TBR. Sisterhood, cunning disguises, and a bit of horse thievery: Travelers Along the Way is an adventure story that has it all." —Jodi Meadows, New York Times-bestselling co-author of My Lady Jane, on Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi

"In Travelers Along the Way, Safi has assembled the perfect team to steal my heart. This is the thoughtful, thought-provoking, and wildly fun retelling of Robin Hood you’ve been waiting for!" —Kiersten White, New York Times-bestselling author of And I Darken, on Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi

"A gorgeously reclaimed Gothic. Atmospheric and incisive, What Souls Are Made Of cuts deep into the question of identity and the ghosts of legacy haunting these windswept moors. I’m a Tasha Suri fan for life." —Chloe Gong, New York Times-bestselling author of These Violent Delights, on What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri

"This remix of Wuthering Heights is an epic piece of historical fiction, and a testament to Suri's incredible storytelling skills." —Buzzfeed, on What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri

Advance Praise for Lakelore:

"Lovely and deep, colorful and creeping, perfect magic." —E.K. Johnston, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Ahsoka

Praise for The Mirror Season:

"A masterpiece intertwining painful teen realities involving injustices based on race, ethnicity, class, and gender with trauma and healing within loving, supportive families." —School Library Journal, starred review

"An empowering story of two survivors healing together... Their vulnerable, spellbinding story, colored with magic realism and achingly beautiful prose, is about healing after trauma, reclaiming your body and choices, and the empathetic understanding between survivors." —Booklist, starred review

"McLemore whips up a magical realist tale as spellbinding as the pan dulce creations described within this novel’s pages ... With haunting prose and sharp insight, McLemore expertly combines the piquant with the sweet." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The poetic and vulnerable prose illuminates the need for more open conversation about sexuality, consent, and abuse without the limits of the gender binary ... Piercing magic." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"An unforgettable story of trauma and healing, told in achingly beautiful prose with great tenderness and care." —Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

"A powerful, harrowing, and important story about trauma, identity, taking back power and the redemptive nature of healing. These characters will stay with me forever. An absolute must read." —Aisha Saeed, New York Times-bestselling author of Amal Unbound and Yes No Maybe So

Praise for Dark and Deepest Red:

"McLemore weaves another magic spell ... This novel will leave an indelible mark on readers' hearts." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"McLemore fashions another gorgeous novel ... McLemore’s well-choreographed story will dance on in readers’ minds." —Booklist, starred review

“One of the most beautiful books I’ve read in years. McLemore is a master." —Susan Dennard, New York Times–bestselling author of the Witchlands series

"Any fan of McLemore’s body of work, Bone Gap by Laura Ruby, or Malinda Lo’s fantasy will revel in this novel. A magical and lovely first purchase for all YA shelves." —School Library Journal, starred review

"McLemore is at their finest ... They write open-heartedly about families found and families given, the weight of expectation and the price of duty, and in the end offers up something that's vibrant, wondrously strange, and filled to the brim with love of all kinds." —Booklist, starred review

"McLemore weaves in powerful themes of identity, family, and first love, but there are also much-needed messages about overcoming hurtful stereotypes and expectations. McLemore's poignant retelling is a must-read for fans of fantasy and fairy tales." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Praise for Wild Beauty:

"No one does magical realism quite like McLemore ... Sheer magic: fierce, bright, and blazing with possibility." —Booklist, starred review

"McLemore weaves an intricate tale of family, love, loss, and flowers." —School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for When the Moon Was Ours:

A National Book Award in Young People's Literature Longlist Selection
A 2017 Stonewall Honor Book
A James Tiptree Jr. Award Winner

“McLemore’s second novel is such a lush surprising fable, you half expect birds to fly out of the pages … McLemore uses the supernatural to remind us that the body’s need to speak its truth is primal and profound.” —Jeff Giles, New York Times Book Review

"Lushly written and surprisingly suspenseful, this magical tale is not just a love story, but a story of the secrets we keep and the lies we tell, and the courage it takes to reveal our authentic selves to each other and to the world." —Laura Ruby, Printz Award-winning author of Bone Gap

"McLemore mesmerizes once again with a lush narrative set at the thresholds of identity, family, and devotion ... Readers will be ensnared in this ethereal narrative long before they even realize the net has been cast." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"With luminous prose infused with Latino folklore and magical realism, this mixes fairy-tale ingredients with the elegance of a love story, with all of it rooted in a deeply real sense of humanity. Lovely, necessary, and true." —Booklist, starred review

Praise for The Weight of Feathers:

A 2016 William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist

"Scales and feathers touch and burn in McLemore’s stunning debut. The beauty of the language wraps around you, not letting go until long after the final page." —Jaleigh Johnson, New York Times-bestselling author of The Mark of the Dragonfly and Secrets of Solace

"Ethereal and beguiling ... The enchanting setup and the forbidden romance that blooms between these two outcasts will quickly draw readers in, along with the steady unspooling of the families’ history and mutual suspicions in this promising first novel." —Publishers Weekly

"Readers beguiled by the languorous language...will find themselves falling under its spell ... A contemporary, magical take on an ever compelling theme." —Kirkus Reviews