Dear Wendy
Books | Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship
4
Ann Zhao
Two aromantic and asexual college students explore friendship, relationships, and queer identities in this bestselling debut described as "The platonic love story of my dreams!" by Alice Oseman, New York Times-bestselling creator of Heartstopper!Sophie Chi is in her first year of college and has long accepted her aroace (aromantic and asexual) identity. She knows she’ll never fall in love, but she enjoys running an Instagram account that offers relationship advice to students at her school. No one except her roommate can know that she’s behind the incredibly popular “Dear Wendy” account.When Joanna “Jo” Ephron (also a first-year student and aroace) created their “Sincerely Wanda” account, it wasn’t at all meant to be taken seriously. But now they might have a rivalry of sorts with Wendy’s account? Oops. As if Jo’s not busy enough having existential crises over gender identity, whether she’ll ever truly be loved, and the possibility of her few friends finding The One then forgetting about her!While tensions are rising online, Sophie and Jo grow closer in real life, especially once they realize their shared aroace identity. Will their friendship survive if they learn just who’s behind the Wendy and Wanda accounts?This book is a work of fiction, but it deals with real issues including depictions of aphobia (discrimination against asexual and aromantic individuals), anxiety/stress from negative social media attention, frank discussions of sex and sexuality, and various diaspora feelings.
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Author
Ann Zhao
Pages
368
Publisher
Feiwel & Friends
Published Date
2024-04-16
ISBN
1250885019 9781250885012
Community ReviewsSee all
"3.25. Wish I enjoyed it more but I definitely see the value in this story. "
Z G
Zariah Grant
"Slight spoiler, ALICE OSEMAN PLEASE READ THIS!! <br/><br/>My first ever platonic love story. Maybe? I don’t remember but I think so! <br/>Anyway, I like seeing the perspective of someone who is aroace because I don’t know much about it. I’ve mainly read about/ seen gay or lesbian perspectives. <br/>Now thinking about it, this would be one of the most perfect books for Issac from heartstopper to read. ALICE PLEASE READ THIS!! <br/>I think the mix between platonic relationships, anonymous feuds, and asexuality/aromantic brought together a good theme and a good story. I love how the families were supportive, even if one didn’t 100% agree, they still showed their daughter support. <br/>I do think however when Sophie and Jo do find out they are in a Instagram feud, it happened too soon, but also too slow. I felt like when they actually found out that it just happened in a snap and I wish it happened differently, but the thing is, I don’t know how else I would have wanted it to happen. <br/>I am glad that them finding out about each other, didn’t pull their friendship about, but pulled them closer. <br/>What a coincidence that they’re both aroace and under an anonymous Instagram! What a great way to meet your life long best friend. (Mainly towards the second part because it’s funny, and the first part is empathetic because they can support and learn with each other.) <br/>I hope there is a second book too this, hard to think about what I would want to happen next!"
"4.5 stars<br/><br/>I need all of the platonic love stories!! Yall, the aroace rep in this book was fantastic! I especially loved that even though both Sophie & Jo are aroace, their experience with their identities was so different! And as an aroace person myself, I could see myself in both of them but my experience with my identity has also been so different than them as well. And on top of the aroace rep, there was also so much different rep with all of the side characters & with the stories that came from the Wanda & Wendy accounts! Also, the advice aspect of the book reminded me of another book that I adore (but it’s an smp title so I won’t name it) and I loved that!! The overall plot of the story wasn’t my favorite, it just stressed me out a little lol but besides that I loved it and I think it’s gonna be an important addition to aspec fiction"