Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution: A Novel - Hardcover

Callender, Kacen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1419756877 ISBN 13: 9781419756870

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, 2022

Synopsis

From National Book Award–winner Kacen Callender, Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution is a contemporary YA that follows Lark’s journey to speak the truth and discover how their own self-love can be a revolution.

“A hilarious and bold love story for the ages.”—Mason Deaver, bestselling author of I Wish You All the Best

Lark Winters wants to be a writer, and for now that means posting on their social media accounts––anything to build their platform. When former best friend Kasim accidentally posts a thread on Lark’s Twitter declaring his love for a secret, unrequited crush, Lark’s tweets are suddenly the talk of the school—and beyond.

To protect Kasim, Lark decides to take the fall, pretending they accidentally posted the thread in reference to another classmate. It seems like a great idea: Lark gets closer to their crush, Kasim keeps his privacy, and Lark’s social media stats explode. But living a lie takes a toll—as does the judgment of thousands of Internet strangers. Lark tries their best to be perfect at all costs, but nothing seems good enough for the anonymous hordes––or for Kasim, who is growing closer to Lark, just like it used to be between them . . .

In the end, Lark must embrace their right to their messy emotions and learn how to be in love.

About this title

About the Author

Kacen Callender is the bestselling and award-winning author of multiple novels for children, teens, and adults, including the Stonewall Honor Book Felix Ever After and the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature King and the Dragonflies. Callender enjoys playing RPG video games, practicing their art, and focusing on healing and growth in their free time. They currently live in St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, where they were born and raised.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up—A queer Black neurodivergent teen learns about the revolutionary power of love and truth amidst the messiness of teenage life both online and off. Lark, 17 and nonbinary, hopes that if they crack 50,000 followers on Twitter, they will land a literary agent. When a viral tweet thread professing their love to an unknown friend gains them those followers, there's just one problem: Lark didn't write it; former best friend Kasim, who is trans, accidentally posted it on Lark's account. For complicated reasons, Lark takes credit for it. Suddenly, Lark's social media persona, all about love and peace, is threatened. The online world finds Lark's very public proclamations of being in love with another nonbinary person, Eli, to be inspiring and hopeful, but peers from their writing class believe Lark is toxic and fake. Lark, scared of rejection and honesty, navigates realizations about feelings for Kasim; about Eli, who may have ulterior motives; and about Sable, Kasim's girlfriend and Lark's unexpected crush. This introspective, character-driven novel tackles thoughts on community, accountability, intersectional identities, mental health, polyamory, online clout, self-worth, and the right to take up space just exactly as you are. While some secondary characters are underdeveloped, Callender's nuanced portrayals of the main characters and their sincere, vulnerable voices provides important representation. Lark and Kasim make plenty of mistakes but also change and grow from them, leading to self-reflection that feels genuine and earned. VERDICT A heartfelt and thoughtful look at a fractured friendship and the transformative capability of love and compassion.—Amanda MacGregor

Edition details

• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1419756877
• ISBN 13: 9781419756870
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336