Alex As Well
Alyssa Brugman
Alex wants change. Massive change. More radical than you could imagine.
Her mother is not happy, in fact she’s imploding. Her dad walked out.
Alex has turned vegetarian, ditched one school, enrolled in another, thrown out her clothes. And created a new identity. An identity that changes her world.
And Alex—the other Alex—has a lot to say about it.
Alex As Well is a confronting and heartfelt story of adolescent experience—of questioning identity, discovering sexuality, navigating friendships and finding a place to belong. Alex is a strong, vulnerable, confident, shy and determined character, one you will never forget.
With the same tenderness and insight as YA stars such as John Green and David Levithan, Alyssa Brugman has crafted a knockout story about identity, sexuality and family that speaks effortlessly to a universal teen experience.
Read Alyssa Brugman on the stylistic elements of Alex As Well and on writing an intersex character.
Interview/Review highlights:
andAlex As Well
‘A compassionate and moving account of a teenager’s struggle with identity.’
‘Brugman’s beautiful writing offers a startlingly accurate portrayal of teenage life and is a remarkable exploration of gender and sexuality. In typical Brugman style, Alex as Well tackles its subject matter with fearless honesty as well as with strong insight and a delightful sense of humour…Readers of authors such as John Green will devour this YA novel.’ 4 stars
‘Confronting, thought-provoking and often surprisingly amusing, Alex as Well is an amazingly powerful story of a young woman in conflict as she struggles to establish her identity within her family, friendships, community and, most importantly, within herself.’
‘Brugman successfully depicts Alex as a strong, unique character not defined by her problems…original, thought-provoking and rich in memorable characters and scenarios.’
‘A beautiful novel: one that rattles you and raises questions…Brugman deals with the controversial and confusing topic with understanding and gives Alex a strong voice that has the potential to give young adult readers a new perspective. Her writing is far and simple yet evocative.’
‘Brugman is to be congratulated on the tender care and leavening humour she has brought to an important and potentially confronting subject.’
‘Brutally honest and at times sad, happy, funny, perceptive, human and compulsive. You will not forget this novel in a hurry.’
‘This confronting coming-of-age novel highlights the need for sexual tolerance and understanding, and that we should all have the right to choose who we are.’
