Symptoms of Being Human

This book was even more heartbreaking than I anticipated, but also so hopeful & uplifting. And the characters, my lord. The characters in SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN are the type that make a home in your heart.

Aside from my undying love for Riley's clever snark, there was Solo, a football and Star Wars loving jock nerd, and Bec, Riley's stunning, perceptive, and mysterious crush (mine too now.) Honestly all the supporting characters were amazingly written, with deep feeling and a light touch. I particularly loved seeing the ways that people--especially gender non-conforming people--can be hurt most by the ones who should love them best. I appreciated that there were no cardboard cut out characters. Everyone was flawed and rich and developed--even the villains.

But back to Riley because Riley was the greatest character. For all their wit and snark that made their POV a JOY to read, they also struggled understandably and realistically with anxiety, PTSD, dysphoria, & panic attacks. Garvin's writing drew me in--I felt all those feelings right along with Riley: the pain. The overwhelming emotion. It's such an experience to read a book that is a great, terrifying, emotional journey AS WELL as being a book about Important Issues, because of course, while gender fluid teens need to see themselves represented well in literature, gender binary people need to see them too. The greatest danger to non binary and trans people is gender binary people. Which is why EVERYONE needs to read SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN.

Riley is the first gender fluid character I’ve seen in any form of media as any type of character (main or supporting, that is). When I couldn’t find anything explicit about the author being gender fluid or trans-identifying in any manner himself, I had a moment of concern that the story would scream with ignorance. That fear was died very quickly because I was just excited to be reading about a main character that was also trans-identifying. And at the end of the book, I am very please to say that that fear was proved to be mislead.

The best part of the way he wrote this character, is that you never find out for sure what gender Riley was assigned at birth, which is irrelevant for people in real life as well. There are also no pronouns used for Riley anywhere in the book. You might think that sounds awkward, but the story is in first person, so the reader doesn’t really notice until they try to talk about Riley. (And forgive me for assuming pronouns, but I’m going to use they/them for Riley, because I can’t go without pronouns in this review without it sounding awkward.)

Other than this seemingly minor detail that makes me very happy, Riley is a very real person. They struggle with anxiety and depression, as many LGBT+ members do, and they unfortunately face bullying and harassment from those around them that just don’t understand. I think every reader can relate to Riley’s issues with fitting in somewhere and even trying to hide when we feel uncomfortable, because that’s such a human experience.

Through most of the book, the plot stays open. As a reader, I kept asking questions like, “what could happen next?” and “where are these characters headed now?” There was no main goal set at the beginning. Riley never said anything like “I am going to find a way to come out to my parents” or anything. There were a lot of sub-plots, like Riley trying to find friends at a new school, starting an anonymous blog, and trying to find a “purpose” as suggested by Doctor Ann. I can understand how this would be frustrating for readers, but I enjoyed to open possibilities of what could happen next.

I am a strong believer that minority groups deserve to have their stories told in ways where their identity isn’t plot. While stories that don’t center around the oppression of a character’s identity are nice, I do believe that some stories like this are necessary. We still need a few stories that bring these struggles to light. We still need stories that introduce the idea of a type of person that many still have not heard of. And I am very happy with the way that this story has accomplished this.

Final thought: I’m giving the story five stars. I’m in love with the characters, and I’m very satisfied with the accurate narration of the human experience in this story. It certainly earned it’s title.

If you want to learn more about gender fluidity and read a great story about self acceptance and the power of the internet, then I'd highly recommend Symptoms of Being Human. Riley has recently started identifying as gender fluid: some days they feel more feminine and other days more masculine. However, Riley is not "out." With a politician for a father, Riley's family is always in the spot light and that's not what Riley wants at all. They just want to blend in, especially at their new school. Although blending in does cause Riley to stick out.

Symptoms of Being Human is all about Riley dealing with anxiety and their identity. As part of that, their therapist recommended starting an anonymous blog to share Riley's experience with learning that they're gender fluid, what that actually means, and how day to day life is for them. Riley's blog is funny, sad, enlightening, and just real. Of course, we also get to see how the internet is not always a nice, accepting place which becomes evident when Riley gains a stalker who know who is really behind the blog which threatens Riley's safe space.

I do have to admit that in the beginning I was wonder what gender Riley was assigned at birth. It's never revealed. Any references to Riley's birth gender/sex are danced around with neutral words. But at about 100 pages in, I realized that I wasn't even wondering anymore. I was just immersed in Riley's story and wanting to know what would happen next as they start making friends and find a community to be a part of. However, there was one point where keeping gendered words out felt forced and more like a way to keep up the "mystery." I didn't like that at all.

Symptoms of Being Human was a great read. It was hard at times, because Riley does go through some very tough moments which broke my heart and upset my stomach. But it's not an overall sad book. It's very hopeful and informative, while still having an interesting story that I think a lot of people can relate to, no matter what their gender identity is.

I received this arc in return for an honest review.

Riley is gender fluid, and after leaving private school due to an incident and Riley's father's political campaign which is trying to get more funding for education, Riley ends up at public school, hoping that maybe things will be different. That maybe the student will be different.
But, they're not. Riley finds the same sort of bullying and people there, as well. Except for one of the football players, who is surprisingly nice and fun to be around. And the girl who seems to be more than what she seems.
When Riley's therapists suggests an anonymous blog to help cope, Riley gives it a try, and becomes an overnight blogging sensation. But when someone discovers Riley's identity, it could all call tumbling down.

This book was great. Riley is a fantastic character, and carries the book so well. I read the book super quick because I had a hard time putting it down. I was very invested in Riley as a character and what was going to happen in regards to the plot and in regards to Riley as a character.

Speaking of characters, all of them are fantastic. Even the ones who are jerks (and there are so many jerks in this book) are generally well-developed and three dimensional. Some of them get their comeuppance and some of them don't and that really worked for me because I found it very representative of real life, which I like.

I'll be thinking about this book, and Riley, for a long time.

[...]

Romance Score: Good Effort

Bec and Riley have a possible flirtation going on from the beginning. I liked Bec’s ambiguity – it felt like she wasn’t sure if Riley was interested, wasn’t sure if she herself was ready, and as though she was interested but getting in her own way. Riley’s confused and unpracticed concern about how to flirt was also adorable – something every reader can relate to when faced with someone we might actually like. I thought the build up was strong and the end made sense in the context of the rest of the story.

Gender Score: A+ Success

I renamed this category for this book because, given the plot and characters, using a gendered term didn’t feel right (and, yes, I know that anyone can be a feminist, but that’s not what I’m going for here). Riley’s story does a great job highlighting a lot of things: the pressure to conform to gender expectations, the difficult boundaries that the gender binary places on everyone, the way that not fitting into gendered expectations leaves a wake of troubles, and the fact that gender expectations and the dire pressure to conform inspires violence much too often. I think the story does a great job of talking about all of these things through Riley’s voice – it never feels like we’re getting a lesson or that Riley is reciting a definition (even when a definition does come up, it’s done within context so well that it doesn’t feel awkward). There are, of course, things that happen in this book for which I’ve deducted points in other reviews (example: gendered violence), but here it fits into the whole for a purpose and…this is a subjective review and I think it works.

Diversity Score: Between Good Effort and A+ Success

This book covers a wide range of characters from the full spectrum of “diversity checkboxes.” There are quiltbag characters, characters on both ends of the economic spectrum, at least one character struggling with mental health issues, and one clearly defined character of color. Obviously, as the focus on the book, the quiltbag characters are the most clearly written. I think this is an important book for anyone to read, but a genderfluid character is critical for readers looking for themselves in stories.

I also fully appreciate that Riley was seeing someone for mental health help – the more this is shown, the less stigmatized getting help will be and I’m all for that.

I couldn’t give a full score because I was a little thrown by the lack even a hint of Hispanic/Latino culture in the community. Won’t you find some infusion of this in every part of California? (Or am I stereotyping California right now?)

Awesome Factor: A+ Success

I really, really enjoyed Riley’s story. I hadn’t planned to pick up the book the night that I did, but once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I cried several times – in the beginning because I was happy to see Riley finding a community and then, once the horrible thing was done, because I felt so much sympathy and love for the character. I thought the story did a fantastic job of bringing in all the elements of good YA – high school angst, high school cliques, friendship, a blossoming romance, anxiety about finding out who you are, and social media – while adding elements essential to this story – explanations, explorations, and violence. I will also just add that, while I have written somewhat stilted words to avoid pronouns for Riley, Garvin does an amazing job. Having just read What We Left Behind, I think this book does an even better job of maneuvering around (not)gendering the main character.

Favorite Character

Solo – He managed to get his nicknamed changed – in high school! – and was kind enough to offer up his beloved Chewie backpack…how can you not love him?

Favorite Line

All of Riley’s blog posts – I’m not in the YA/high school population anymore and I’m inspired all the time by the brains, kindness, and empathy being displayed by those that are. (Yes, I know Riley’s blogs are written by Garvin, but I know actual teens that are just as skilled with words.)

Is this worth a book hangover?

Yes, but be ready for tears. This ends on a high note, but getting there is a tough journey. But, Riley, Bec, and Solo – and Riley’s parents – make it worth it.

Fun Author Fact

Garvin has had several different “lives” – as an actor, a band frontman, and now an author.

Read These Next

I haven’t read any of these, but they’re all on my list for exploring what gender means and how we work to understand our own identities: If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo (#ownvoices), Every Day by David Levithan, and Lizard Radio by Pat Schmatz.

Sometimes there are books that not only entertain you but you also learn from them. This is one of those. When I was growing up, we didn't talk about gender. Nobody in my part of the universe ever discussed that sometimes people feel like they were born in the wrong bodies or that they sometimes felt male and sometimes female. It was just not something that existed in my atmosphere. Things are different now and these things are not something I am familiar with. I attended a training once that discussed gender on a continuum but the instructor got angry and the lesson was lost on me.
This book was amazing. It belongs in that category of those books that we all need to read. Being a teenager is so damn hard even in the best circumstances. When you are outside the norm in any way, it can be even harder. This book is about Riley, a gender fluid teen. I had never heard that term before. Riley defines it this way "The world isn't binary. Everything isn't black or white, yes or no. Sometimes it's not a switch, it's a dial. And it's not even a dial you can get your hands on; it turns without your permission or approval."
Riley has recently moved from private school to a public school and is dreading the stares and judgement. Riley's father is a Congressman and his new platform is education reform. Being different is not beneficial in the public spotlight. Riley anticipates people's reactions and often over reacts to situations. Riley is smart and has quite a way with words. When Riley starts an anonymous online blog, things begin to change. Not all the changes are positive. People are seeking advice that Riley doesn't feel capable of delivering. Some people are degrading and mean.
I loved this book because it made a subject I have no experience with relatable. I learned about a topic that I was just barely familiar with. Any book that can entertain and teach me is a winner in my book. It's one I am going to buy so I can read it again and share it with others.

Original review @ 125Pages.com

I kept hearing about Symptoms of Being Human. It was on a ridiculous amount of most anticipated 2016 debuts so when offered a chance to read it, I snapped it up. As you may have noticed by previous reviews, I enjoy diverse books and like expanding my horizons by reading about different perspectives. I am glad I was able to read this, as gender fluid is not something I was familiar with. It is defined as – Gender Fluid is a gender identity best described as a dynamic mix of boy and girl. A person who is Gender Fluid may always feel like a mix of the two traditional genders, but may feel more boy some days, and more girl other days. Being Gender Fluid has nothing to do with which set of genitalia one has, nor their sexual orientation.

One of the main plot points of Symptoms of Being Human is that you do not know if the main character, Riley, is biologically male or female. I admit, at first, I tried to suss it out and kept looking for clues. Then a few chapters in, the story sucked me in and I forgot the gender issue and became entranced with Riley. Riley is a person trying to figure out where they best fit in, and not feeling comfortable in their own skin. Adding to this is the fact that Riley is a Congressman running for re-election in a conservative county. Riley tries to blend in and stay below the radar, until the blog that holds his/her innermost thoughts gets exposed.

Jeff Garvin created such a real world with the Symptoms of Being Human. I could visualize the school halls and sense the angst. The pacing was good, not too fast and not too slow. The plot was spectacular, such a unique view. The writing was crisp and carried the emotions well. Riley was a fantastic main character and so were the friends. The on negative was the standard YA parents. Unconcerned with their child’s emotions, they kept forcing their views and needs on Riley. Yes, I understand you need conflict to carry on a plot, but the school bullies did it just fine. One of these days YA parents will be supportive.

The Symptoms of Being Human is Jeff Garvin’s debut novel. In it he created a character to give a unique voice to an under-served community. I sincerely hope that Garvin continues to write and expand, not just my horizons, but those everywhere. Diversity in books is so important and I am glad to add another author to the list of diverse reads I loved.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

’m so used to reading fantasy, science fiction or post-apocalyptic that when I actually read contemporary it’s almost weird to read something so similar to real life. And that’s how I felt the entire time I read Symptoms of Being Human: weird.

As someone who has struggled with their gender identity, I had really high hopes for this book. For those who don’t know gender identity is completely different from sexual orientation. Here’s a decent quote from the book that I feel sums up gender identity pretty well:

"There are dudes who like to cross-dress (expression), but are still 100% comfortable being dudes (identity), and vice versa. So, even if you had X-ray vision and could see through my jeans, what you’d see there—or not see—does not determine my gender identity. Gender identity is not external. It isn’t dictated by your anatomy. It’s internal. It’s something you feel, not something you see—and it can be way more complicated than just male or female. Some people, like me, slide on a continuum between the two. Others, as I’ve learned via my pathological blog-reading obsession, feel like neither, or like a third, unnamed gender."

And honestly, if you’re curious about gender identity I would definitely recommend reading this! It will be a great starting point to learn more. The main character even deals with dysphoria and it’s portrayed in a very enlightening way.

Now, onto the book itself: I liked Riley right from the start, they were very relatable. I know what it’s like to feel like a girl one day and a boy the next. It’s not as bad now as it used to be. I’m pretty good with just being neutral. So Riley was definitely on a different level then me but still, the connection was there. It was really interesting to see how Riley used a site similar to Tumblr to help them through their thoughts and feelings. I think it really showed how some teens today are using the internet these days to connect with others and share their stories.

I think what surprised me the most about this book is that I never considered the fact that I needed to come out with my gender identity. Whereas, this entire story revolves around Riley coming out to their parents and the world. I mean, I don’t have high profile parents and in high school I didn’t even really know that gender identity was a thing. So I really kind of struggled with the whole idea of the book. Like, I understand that some people get really confused about gender identity, and it can be seen in the same light as sexual orientation. But to make such a big deal of it? I don’t know that seems kind of silly. I swear I’m not trying to play gender identity off as something that’s not important because it is, it really is. But for parents and teenagers to react the way they did because Riley is genderfluid? It seemed kind of excessive.

On a learning basis though, this book can introduce you to the struggles of someone with dysphoria and trying to accept oneself in such a heteronormative world. It can show you that there are so many teens out there struggling with gender identity who just want to know that they aren’t the only ones out there.

I feel like this didn’t end up being a review but more of a personal ramble of confusion. So if you take anything away from this, it’s this: gender identity is a real thing and even if you are just the slightest bit curious about gender identity give this book a try!

First off, this book is a touching story. There’s no doubt about it. It’s also an incredible piece of literature when it comes to analyzing why we as human beings care about other people’s desires, lives, looks, etc. so freakin’ much. Garvin has managed to create a story that should have every reader questioning his/her thoughts, hopefully, for the better.

This book is told from Riley Cavanaugh’s point of view. As the description says, Riley is gender fluid, some days Riley identifies as a boy, sometimes a girl. While I know there are plenty of people in the world who struggle with the binary gender system society has forced upon them, I have never read a book in a character’s head who has this dilemma. And, honestly, reading about Riley and the struggles happening within Riley’s family had me seriously questioning my own actions.

I’ve always thought of myself as an accepting person. People can wear what they want, be who they want, etc., with the only limitation being that someone’s actions can’t interfere with another person’s rights. This book had me truly second-guessing how progressive I actually was, simply because I kept wanting to know Riley’s sex. I would have to remind myself that Riley’s body didn’t matter to the storyline. Only Riley’s heart and voice ability were what mattered. And I hope that’s what Garvin was trying to get at by writing this story: that no matter if you have questions about someone else’s lifestyle choices, you should always recognize that the only thing that truly matters is what’s on the inside.

While this book had a fantastic message, there were a couple of problems I had with it. Mostly these problems just dealt with the pacing and convenience of some of the happenings in the plot. Oftentimes, events just happened way too quickly when they should have been flushed out a little more. Also, towards the end, Riley’s journey took a very monumental turn that came out of nowhere and wasn’t as delved into as deeply as I feel would have been realistic. Even Riley’s blog gets a little too popular a little too quickly to be 100% lifelike.

All in all, this book is a great story about not being defined by what’s on the outside, and I commend Garvin for writing Riley’s voice so well.

*Note: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

The Symptoms of Being Human is quite the story, one that I feel is important and a must read. It’s informative, eye-opening, funny and heartfelt all in one swoop.

Some issues not withstanding, the execution of this novel was nothing short of brilliant. The lack of pronouns would at times, frustrate me, but it’s necessary to really understand the story and GET IT. As a reader, we never find out what sex Riley is, and I am perfectly okay with that. It’s not important; and I hope other readers are able to see past biological parts and see Riley as well, HUMAN. I also loved the blogging aspect; using it as a journal and touching so many with words. It really brings to light just how powerful the internet can be, both good and bad.

Riley was an easy character to like — with quick wit and charm. But yet, lonely. The bullying, the stares and the questions in others’ eyes once seeing Riley put ME on edge, and it wasn’t even happening to me. Riley is easy to sympathize with and understand, especially with the mistakes made and constant guard up. Which is why the friends that Riley makes were fantastic.

There are a few things within the story that I thought were extreme. Yet, it’s hard to discuss because I while I can’t SEE so many things going wrong/horrible for one person within such a short amount of time, I don’t really know. I’ve never had to witness, or experience, these things so I can’t honestly say if it was written as shock value for the book, or real.

I just don’t know.

The Narrator

I loved the narration! Tom Phelan did an amazing job executing all of Riley’s emotions. There couldn’t have been another selected to narrate Riley. I am so glad I got to experience this story on audio.

Overall – I really liked The Symptoms of Being Human. I’m glad I got my hands on it and was able to experience and read Riley’s story.

This book is freaking awesome. The characters leap off the pages, the dialogue is LOL funny, everything about it is fresh. I'm fifty, and I was not familiar with the concept of being gender-fluid, but you don't need to be to enjoy this book.Everyone can relate to trying to figure out who you are, or how to be true to yourself in high school, Riley is just going through a more intense search than most of us do. The only thing I didn't like about the book was (without giving too much away) some characters' responses to being bullied. In books, kids are more independent from their parents than they are in real life because it makes for a better story if the kids/teens are making all the decisions about things. And in high school, kids are obviously more independent than they are in the younger grades. Yet, I would hope than teens that are being seriously bullied would consider asking an adult for help, but some characters in this book didn't. And if tormented teens stand up to bullies without getting help, what kind of response is best? I'm not sure it's appropriate to try to badly humiliate the bully-- this seems like it could just make the bullying rachet up and become worse. Anyway, the way certain characters dealt with bullying in this book did not seem quite believable to me. It also made me lose a little respect for them. But hey, like I said I'm fifty. Maybe the way the bullying was handled in the book would ring more true for a younger reader.

Symptoms of Being Human is a story about Riley, a gender fluid teen trying to navigate a new high school and deal with the pressures of being the child of a Congressman. Riley isn't out yet, and starts a blog as an outlet, hoping it will help with the anxiety and stress that is a daily occurrence. The blog becomes a huge success, and Riley seems to be doing well, until an anonymous reader online threatens to expose Riley's secret to the world.

I cried so many times while I was reading this book. I cried because, even though I haven't had to deal with the same struggles as Riley, I found so much in Riley's story that I could sympathize with. I cried because of the horrible cruelty that unfortunately still exists in our world. I cried because of the amazing kindness that also exists, and works every day to fight against the cruelty. Riley's story felt so real and relatable. I felt like the characters were a part of my life and I found myself caring so much about their story and what was happening to them.

Thank you to HarperCollins / Balzer + Bray for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN is a novel that follows the story of Riley Cavanaugh, a gender-fluid teenager who moves to a new town. Riley endures through a multitude of bullies and school stresses and suddenly becomes an internet sensation after Riley’s blog goes viral.

What’s interesting is that this LGBTQ+ book focuses generally on gender fluidity, which is a topic I don’t think comes up as often. I personally loved reading this book because I love learning about new aspects, such as gender identity, and I think Jeff Garvin did an amazing job educating readers about gender fluidity.

Riley has a great support system including her friends and parents, which I appreciated. Solo and Bec become Riley’s friends upon moving to a new town, and they are so friendly and funny and I was so happy that those three became such close friends. Riley’s parents try to be understanding and learn about what gender identity is as well, which I believe is a great example of what all people, especially parents should do.

Another aspect that I appreciated in this novel was the fact that Jeff Garvin didn’t specify whether Riley was born a girl or a boy because frankly, it didn’t matter, and the emphasis on gender identity and Riley’s happiness was enough.

As a fond reader of fiction and moving plots, I was intrigued by the drama but not as much as I wanted to—this novel essentially felt like a memoir from Riley’s perspective. Despite that, SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN is a novel that spreads an incredibly influential and important message. Definitely pick this one up!

Rating: ★★★★/5 stars

Riley, as a character, is awesome. Straight-up awesome! The kind of character that you will IMMEDIATELY fall for and want nothing but the best in the coming chapters. I wasn't a huge fan or a lot of the other characters in the book, but Riley really stuck out for me. If I was standing by Riley through this story, let's just say tackle hugs would be in order.

I was also pleasantly surprised by how well Riley's parents, despite their completely lack of knowledge, dealt with the concerning issues that presented themselves. (Sorry so vague, but that's just how I roll. #antispoilers)

This is such an important book, and not just for teens. Even though I'm in my thirties, I honestly had never heard of Gender Fluid until reading a book about it last year. It's something that exists in our world, yet it isn't discussed as much as it should be. Too many times this type of issue is overlooked simply because of lack of knowledge, and I love that there are books like this available for teens as well as adults alike. Yay for diversity!

(Thanks to Harper Audio & Balzer + Bray for the review copies!)

SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN by Jeff Garvin

Garvin's gender fluid character Riley is such a luscious human being; smart and sassy, alternately scared silly and brave beyond belief. Riley's struggles brought me to tears, repeatedly. That said, Riley's victories (both big and small) lit me up and made me want to cheer. Loudly. With lots of fist-pumping. Truth is, once I started this book, I could not put it down. This book accomplishes that elusive literary feat: Its message is terribly important and it is an amazing read.

I ached for Riley, who must wake up every morning and discover who they are and how they are going to navigate the world. (Yes, the pronoun is intentional. Pronouns are a big issue for people in the LGBT+ community and their allies. Read more about that at the U. Milwaukee LGBT Resource Center page.) The friends Riley makes at their new high school are also well-drawn, appealing characters who accept Riley for who they are, inside and out, and offer support when Riley is struggling with a threatening stalker.

SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN is appropriate for mature middle schoolers and up.

Who will like it?
Teens who want to know more about the gender spectrum.
Anyone who has felt out of place at school (who hasn't?).
Readers who love first person narrators.

What will readers learn about?
Even people who are "different" aren't alone. Opening up to others is a way to find friends and support.
The power of speaking up and speaking out.
The importance of being true to yourself

Considering myself an open-minded and progressive of sort of fellow, the concept of gender-fluidity has still been a difficult one to wrap my brain around. This book went a long way in helping me to fully and compassionately realize what it must be like to have an ever-shifting gender identity in today's black and white world of "man" and "woman. " This journey evokes a deep empathy for the protagonist and that is the most crucial step on the path to understanding and ultimately equality.

Beyond that, and perhaps more importantly, this was a truly engaging story. It was a book I didn't want to put down and was eager to pick back up. The first-person perspective slides you right into the bright, witty and troubled mind of the narrator, Riley. While the specifics of Riley's struggle are different from my own, I completely relate to them. As the title suggests, most everything Riley battles FEELS like something we all went through in high school and most likely still do in some adult version. Jeff Garvin has a created a subtle masterpiece, never drawing attention to his writing, and instead deftly pulling the reader into interesting characters that are authentic, always steering clear of the cliche by choosing instead to be truthful and honest.

Read this one.

Riley faces some normal teen challenges, like starting a new school, making friends, and keeping up her grades. But Riley also faces more intense challenges—specifically dealing with her fluid gender identity. The author creates an intimate and informative look at the struggles and triumphs of a young adult discovering her/himself. This story explores humanity from a fresh perspective that will leave readers feeling as though they’ve made a new friend. A truly brilliant debut novel that deserves to be shared.

This is a wonderful first book. Bravo, Jeff Garvin. How is this male author able to create such a genuine character as Riley? The author shows much knowledge and empathy for what is normally for any adolescent the right of passage into young adulthood. However, Riley must navigate these waters as a person who is being gender fluid. this makes for murky and at too many times chaotic waters created by insensitive, gender fluid phobic ignorant and anxious people. These people were blinded by gender issues and miss Riley's humanness and multiple creative Symptoms of Being Humantalents. I can't wait to read Jeff's next book.

Jeff Garvin does an amazing job in not only conveying teenage angst but also communicating the complex inner turmoil and social torment of a gender fluid teen. Although I'm not an trans person, but as a gay man, this novel brought back a lot of unpleasant memories of my school years and frankly, some of my professional life. Mr. Garvin educates the reader on trans violence and bullying throughout the story line in a very real way. If you aren't brought to tears, or at least close to it, reading parts of this book, then you'd better check your pulse. Anyone with any interest in the trans community should read this book. Actually, anyone looking for a good book should read this book!

The magic trick of Jeff Garvin's SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN isn't that he manages to conceal his protagonist's birth-assigned gender for the length of the novel - which is no small feat - it's that he makes the reader accept his gender fluid teen, Riley Cavanaugh, on Riley's own terms: charming, snarky, and articulate. Like the best novels, Garvin places you in Riley's very skin, which can be a tricky business, because as Riley describes, gender isn't always binary like a switch, it can be dial. And like the best novels, it opens your mind to a new experience and your heart to an indelible character.

Jeff Garvin has provided a thoughtful, well-written, and powerful book about a gender fluid teen. At a time when hatred, bigotry and phobias dominate the news, Garvin has artfully woven together a beautiful novel on an emerging topic with understanding, clarity and precision. The power of love, empathy and honesty emanate from this book. Regardless of your age, I'd recommend getting a copy. It is difficult to put down once you start reading it. The book will change your perspective, it will provide you with a dose of humanity and it will remind you that how you feel in your body may not be how others feel in their body. Kindness and love should always prevail in your interactions with others. Thank you Jeff. You and your novel have touched my heart.

As a teacher and a transgender woman, I cannot recommend this book enough. I am fortunate to work in a school with a librarian who has worked to offer books that speak to students who might otherwise be marginalized. High school is enough of a struggle without identifying yourself as being on the LGBTQ spectrum.

The impetus for writing the book is powerful. We need to all stand up when we see that injustice or inappropriateness is unchallenged. In Riley, Jeff Garvin creates a character who teaches us about the fluidity of gender and how this can manifest in every day life. I have read this book several times and cry each time. It reaches some of my students and gives us much to discuss.

I highly recommend it.

Does my headline evoke thoughts of computers or something related to code? Then you will expand your world by reading this book.
I like the story because I could feel Riley's struggle with "who am I" and "being different". I am binary and recalled that I struggled with this early in life, and I believe many do. But adding gender identity to this is something that is beyond my comprehension. This story introduced me to a person that is already struggling and needs compassion, not judgement, from everyone -including me- to get through.

Refreshingly the teen's gender is not explicitly stated, but it never feels gimmicky or obtrusive. Instead readers come to know (and love!) who Riley is as a person. Yes Riley’s dealing with gender-fluidity, but also facing typical teen drama like making friends at a new school, crushing on a fellow student, and the awkwardness that is conversations with parents. Full of heart and humor, with a side order of harsh reality, this novel sensitively gives voice to an underrepresented group. We need more stories like this!

The thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned about things I've never heard of. It's a great story. Widen your horizons. Read this story. If it's out of your comfort zone, well, you're the one missing out.

Should be required reading! Riley is a beautiful person and really has you rooting for them. The way the feelings are described in the blog and thoughts probably can go a long way toward helping people "IRL" verbalize thoughts difficult to explain. Very glad I read it.

Nowadays good books are hard to come upon, but they day I spotted this book at the library and checked it out was one THE best days of my life. This book is a real tearjerker. Simply amazing. You really feel Riley's pain and what makes it really realistic is that there are people out there that fell like this everyday. Its a real eye opener for the LGBTQAI community for self discovery as well as coming to terms. Please do your self a HUGE favor and read it. I PROMISE you will not regret it.

Such a great and heart-wrenching book! I must have cried for hours after reading this one! Completely life changing, such a beautiful and well-done story, so wonderfully crafted and written! You definitely don't want to miss out on this book!

I finished this amazing book in just 2 days. Garvin's book is brilliantly written; the way he bring the characters to life and details their innermost thoughts and ideas makes this book impossible to put down. I now have a tiny glimpse of the struggle that people who identify as gender fluid face every day. A must read for anyone trying to support a friend or loved one who identifies as part of the LGBTQ community.

Wondering what the difference between sex and gender is, or what gender fluidity is? I wondered that too considering none of this was covered at any point while I was in school or the years afterwards. Symptoms of Being Human explains it all, demystifying the terms and concepts through the story of a high school student facing unwanted attention for gender fluidity in addition the normal angst and body issues teenagers face. This is a good book for all JHS, HS kids and adults to read and learn from.

I laughed, I cried (sobbed at some points), I couldn't put it down. This book was recommended to me by a friend who found out my favorite book was "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". I read Perks probably four times a year and this one will be added into the rotation for sure. This book was just...beautiful.

As someone who has slowly slid down the gender spectrum, some of Riley's experiences perfectly coincided with ones of my own. The book made it very easy to see them outside the gender binary and without the categorization of sex. The description of anxiety attacks were very vivid and realistic. This story showed Riley very clearly and expressed them as a realistic, relatable person.

This book was amazing! I laughed, cried, and really enjoyed the writing style of this talented author. It is brutally honest in describing the struggles felt by people who are gender queer, and I learned a lot reading it.