Author’s Note: I use the term LGBT+ to refer to all sexualities and identities other than Cis and Heterosexuality.
In a world where straight or heterosexual relationships are the dominant type of love stories, LGBT+ themed books are often the go-to books for LGBT+ youth and their allies.
Becky Albertalli’s Simonverse books, consisting of Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda and Leah on the Offbeat are just two LGBT+ books that have come out (pun intended) in recent years, but they are arguably the most important LGBT+ books.
The Simonverse books are important for their LGBT+ themes, but more importantly, for showing that LGBT+ youth have the same worries, concerns, hopes and dreams that we all face in our youth (although LGBT+ certainly have to deal with more, especially in terms of discrimination) and that regardless of our sexuality or gender identity, we are all human.
Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda
The first book in the series is probably the most well-known of the books. It was adapted into a feature film called Love, Simon in 2018, with Nick Robinson starring as the titular character.
Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda follows not-so-out teenager Simon Spier. Simon has been emailing a classmate known to him only as Blue. Simon and Blue share the same secret: they are both gay teenagers who are not out to anyone but themselves.
Simon lives a typical life. His parents are loving and supportive. He has two sisters he loves to tease, but thinks the world of, not that he would ever tell them (description borrowed from the movie). He has three close best friends: Leah, Nick and Abby.
But, a fellow classmate discovers Simon’s emails with Blue and threatens Simon with blackmail unless Simon helps his classmate get “set up” with Abby.
The book chronicles Simon’s attempts to keep his secret safe while also trying to figure out who Blue is as he finds himself falling for his anonymous friend.
Leah on the Offbeat
The sequel to the Simon book is Leah on the Offbeat, in which Simon’s best friend Leah serves as narrator and main character. Similar to Simon in the first book, Leah has a secret: she is bisexual (out only to her mother), and seems to have a huge, secret crush on someone.
Leah on the Offbeat follows the same group of characters introduced in the first book and chronicles their lives a year later as both their senior prom and graduation from high school approaches. It also serves into a deeper analysis of Leah (naturally, as she is the narrator) and helps explain some of her actions in the first novel.
Although the presence of emails is largely absent, reading Leah’s thoughts helps clearly define her character, and it makes for the big scene at the end of the story (at prom, of course) one of the most memorable love scene moments.
The best part of Leah on the Offbeat is that while Leah is the main character and the story largely focuses on her, all of the characters from the first book are present and have a main role in the story. And since it takes place a year after the first book, it’s not simply a rehash of the first book from another perspective.
Love, Creekwood
The Simonverse has one more story coming at the end of June.
Love, Creekwood is a novella that will serve as an epilogue to both books. It will likely take place in the days before the group’s high school graduation, as Leah on the Offbeat ended at prom, with its final scene set a few months later and taking place solely via email.
Becky Albertalli has said she didn’t originally plan to write more books for the Simonverse, but enthusiasm from the readers prompted this final entry in the series. She will donate all proceeds from Love, Creekwood to the Trevor Project.
Love Creekwood is due out June 30.
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