There aren't many memoirs written with a teen audience in mind, so I didn't quite know what to expect going into this book. It is important, though, to mention that this isn't just a memoir. As it says on the cover, Johnson calls this a memoir-manifesto. And it is most definitely both.

Johnson spends time telling their own story of growing up knowing they weren’t quite like all the other boys, but without the words to express how they really felt. This memoir doesn't shy away from the difficult parts of their life, which Johnson mentions at the beginning--some people think some of the subject matter might be too heavy for a teen or young adult, but that is the age they were when experiencing these things.

I was already hooked before I even finished the introduction. This paragraph really struck me:
"I want the words of my life story to be immortalized. I want to immortalize the narrative of joy and pain, this narrative of triumph and tragedy, this narrative of the Black queer experience that has been erased from the history books. An existence that has been here forever."

As much as this is a record of Johnson's life, it is also a guide to young queer Black boys. They speak directly to boys who are like them who might not have the support they need to flourish. They are there for the Black queer boys who have no one to turn to in their own lives, and they are vocal about their support.

Obviously, I am not the target audience of this book. But I can see how vital and how important this book will be to the young people to whom Johnson speaks. I hope that this books lands in the hands of those who need it most, because for those kids, this memoir-manifesto could be life-changing.

(Edited to change pronouns after author came out as non-binary)