Full Disclosure was one of the books I read in June during Pride Month, and it was one of my favourites that month and one of my favourites of the year. I didnโt really know where to start with a review so I knew it was perfect for a Reasons to Read!
Simone has had to move school after her previous school found out sheโs HIV-positive. Hoping to fly under the radar at her new school she begins to make new friends romance blooms between her and a boy. But then she receives an anonymous letter threatening to tell the school of her HIV. Full Disclosure is such a stunning debut from a young author and I am so excited to see where Garrettโs career takes her.
HIV POSITIVE REPRESENTATION
The heading for this works two-fold: it is representation of someone who is HIV positive, and it is also positive representation of someone who has HIV. Iโm pretty certain I havenโt read a book before which featured a main character with HIV, and if I have I doubt it was portrayed well. Simone lived a healthy life with HIV and itโs informative and wonderful. To this day people are still scared of people who have HIV and books like this one will eventually help to rid people of fear and misconceptions. It was clear throughout Full Disclosure that Garrett did a lot of research into the condition.
SEX POSITIVE
I love reading YA books which are sex positive, and Full Disclosure is definitely a standout in this regard. Simone and her friends discuss masturbation, they go to a sex shop and look at toys. These scenes were so nice to read, I think had this kind of stuff been in the boks I read when I was a teen I would have felt so much better about discovering these things myself. I think thereโs a lot of attention and jokes about masturbation for teenage boys but it is so rarely mentioned when it comes to other genders, and I hope books like Full Disclosure can help break that barrier down and normalise it.
FANTASTIC DISCUSSIONS ABOUT QUEERNESS
Throughout the book there are some wonderful discussions about queerness and fluidity. Simone doesnโt feel like sheโs queer enough and isnโt sure about her identity. She has a number of queer friends and 2 dads who are very certain in who they are but Simone has no idea really.
FUNNY & HEARTWARMING
Above all Full Disclosure is a coming of age story, and you know I love those. Itโs a story about self-acceptance and understanding. Simone struggles with who she is and as she comes to terms with her Positive status she also comes to terms with her sexuality and her place in the world. If you, like me, love coming of age stories but are looking for diverse voices and new takes on the genre then Full Disclosure is definitely a book to consider.
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Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 November 2020
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 November 2019
Top reviews from other countries
- Rebecca FafardReviewed in the United States on 21 February 2022
A breath of fresh air in a stale genre
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on 4 October 2020
Pleasantly surprised
Book ReviewAmazon CustomerPleasantly surprised
Reviewed in Canada on 4 October 2020
FULL DISCLOSURE BY Camryn Garrett
โMy HIV isnโt a threat to you but your ignorance is a threat to meโ
โDo you know why HIV-Positive people donโt disclose? Because itโs dangerous. People have been injured and even murdered for disclosing.โ
Book Summary
Simone Garcia-Hampton is a 17year old junior starting over at a new school after her HIV status was disclosed to everyone at her old school by a close friend- Sarah. Simone starts this new school thinking everything is going to be different; this is a fresh start, no one knows her here, but it isnโt.
At first, everything seemed like it was going great. She is living her dream, she is the student director for a huge musical RENT which is coincidentally about living with AIDS this is where she meets and hooks up with her crush Miles- who is surprisingly charming and witty unlike your average high school jock. Miles is different. He is mature in a way that surprises Simone.
She also finds โher peopleโ Claudia and Lydia who she became best friends with almost immediately, sharing every little secret from romantic relationships, sexuality, Gender identity, Sex, GSA meetings, trip to the sex toy shop, to dinner with her Dads except her HIV status.
She is hesitant to tell her new friends or Miles, this isnโt because she is ashamed, but she knows people are ignorant about HIV, the reaction from her last school after her HIV positive status was disclose proved that. She is afraid they may out her or treat her differently like her best friend/first love interest Sarah did so he keeps it to herself until she starts getting scary notes from an unnamed source threatening to out her to school if she doesnโt stay away from lacrosse player Miles.
Reflection
I fell in love with this book almost immediately. I mean how could i not? I flip to page 6 and I am reading about not one, but two forms of birth control mentioned by these intelligent and curious young characters. The book gods finally heard my cry for a book written by a young person for young people that openly discusses everything relationships, sex, sexuality, and birth control in a way that is fun, that is relatable, that answers questions in a manner that is devoid of shame, fear, and guilt but embraces curiosity and Camryn did that for me with Full disclosure.
This book is a conversation starter, it is the type of book I imagine would be passed around in my all-girls high school if I were still 13 and in high school.
It touches on a lot of topics.
Firstly, we see the importance of having a strong support system- When Simoneโs status was disclosed her Dads, her best friends, her boyfriend were the ones who advocated for her, supported her, and stood by her all through. This shows us the importance of having a community of people that acknowledges you and put your needs first.
I loved loved loved Miles, he was one of my favorite characters aside from Simone obviously because his reaction was in the most unpredictable after Simone disclosed her status to him even though he didnโt know much about HIV. He did his own research after been told instead of bombarding Simone with ignorant questions that could have easily been answered by a little google research. There is something to be learned here. It is okay to be curious, it is okay to ask clarifying questions but it is just as important to do our own research, to check our own biases instead of burdening marginalized people with educating us. We see this burden put on marginalized groups time and time again as if dealing with oppression isnโt a burden enough.
In the end, I liked that this wasnโt a sad tale. I want us to read more happy stories of marginalized people. I want us to read more stories where characters living with HIV get their happy ending and live a full and fulfilling life.
Images in this review
- AlexReviewed in the United States on 20 June 2020
Spectacular Debut for Theatre Lovers
- EmilyReviewed in the United States on 6 October 2020
Wonderful novel that helped me through pandemic
