Among the many, many Young Adult novels that I’ve read, *Brooklyn, Burning* is unique in two distinct ways. First—and most obviously—it refuses to gender its protagonist, Kid, or the object of Kid’s affection, Scout. Initially, this (intentional) failure to identify the gender of the two characters at the center of the novel evoked anxiety and discomfort in me—how could I imagine these characters, I thought, if I don’t know their respective genders? As I became more acquainted with Kid and Scout, however—and this is largely due to Brezenoff’s skill as a storyteller—their genders no longer mattered to me. I was more concerned with their happiness. And this reading experience, I realized, brilliantly reflects one of the novel’s prominent themes—love, affection, and genuine emotional connection transcends gender (whether socially constructed, biologically determined, ambiguous, definite, known, or unknown).

This novel’s other unique characteristic is its focus on homelessness and the impact of gentrification on urban neighborhoods and the queer youth who inhabit them. Kid and Scout—as well as their friends Konny and Jonny (and Felix—a spectral yet significant presence whose past is crucial in understanding Kid’s character)—lack any sort of nurturing home environment (whether in the conventional sense or any other sense), and the circumstances that resulted in their homelessness are directly related to their ambiguous gender identities and sexual orientations.

Employing a contemporary setting and featuring current cultural realities in a story that depicts a quest for the quintessential source of happiness, Brezenoff has woven a masterful and original tale of displaced urban youth in search of love and family. ( )

Review from library copy but at one point I had an e-ARC

I'm now kicking myself for not reading this when I had an ARC from NetGalley. Absolutely amazing. I'm glad we don't know what Kid and Scout look like at all. Highly recommended.
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I wanted to read this for two reasons: 1) I'd heard a lot about theme of androgyny in this novel, and how the protagonist is never identified as male or female, gay or straight, and that really intrigued me; and 2) It's set in Brooklyn. You guys know I'm a sucker for local geography.

It definitely delivered on both of those counts, but I don't know how much more I got out of it. If the main character had a less unique or ambiguous identity, or the setting lacked those familiar landmarks, this would just have been an average YA novel. ( )

I like this book even more than its awesome cover. Understated prose, deliberately ambiguous gender and sexuality and love and pain and hope, music that doesn't overpower or date the book, and a setting that feels like a living, breathing part of the story...all ingredients for a truly interesting read. ( )

I read Brooklyn, Burning this summer and never got around to writing a review for it. That has nothing to do with how I felt about the book since I adored it. I just didn't know how to express how much i loved this book.

What really through me for a loop at first is the major switch in point of view. A lot of it is Kid's narrative in first person but whenever Kid is telling Scout's story, there point of view switches to second person. It took some time to get use to it but even though second person is usually a terrible idea, Brezenoff definitely did it right.

I really liked how this book was really open ended and really up for interpretation. Kid's gender is never revealed. A ton of LGBTQ are addressed in this book. Kid was kicked out of his house because of as his dad says, "I’ve got the only kid I know who doesn’t know whether to be straight or gay or a girl or a boy or what" and Kid's dad couldn't accept that at all.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are very well developed and I could relate to each of them in someway. It's a book about love and lost and just longing to be accepted. Beautiful really. I definitely recommend this book. ( )