I Wish You All the Best

I Wish You All the Best is like [b:George 40948486 George Alex Gino https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532559186l/40948486.SX50.jpg 44165520] in that it feels somewhat groundbreaking. It's a(n #ownvoices) book written for young readers featuring a nonbinary protagonist. That alone, I think, makes it valuable. It's often heartbreaking, but it's also sweet and even hopeful.I think my expectations were probably just too high (they were really high), but to be honest, I didn't love this as much as I wanted to. The pacing felt off. There were certain developments that felt inevitable, but we had to wait so long for them to finally happen. And when they did, it was more telling than showing (like Hannah and Ben's whirlwind joint therapy session and aftermath). Many secondary characters felt better developed than Ben. Maybe this was commentary on how stigma and being closeted can impact development, but it felt off, as if Ben's only memories were them spending time with their mom. The dialogue didn't always flow, and Nathan, while a sweetheart, sometimes read younger than a high school senior to me.All of this is to say, as important as I believe this book is (and I do), I wouldn't consider it a favorite. However, I am positive I Wish You All the Best will mean so much to so many. And the cover? Don't even get me started.