Casey McQuiston took the world by storm back in 2019 with their New York Times-bestselling novel Red, White & Royal Blue. Their newest work, I Kissed Shara Wheeler, is the author’s first foray into young-adult literature.
In I Kissed Shara Wheeler the main character, Chloe, sets out to find her classmate, Shara Wheeler, after she mysteriously disappears during prom. Chloe is joined by Shara’s neighbour, Rory, as well as Shara’s jock boyfriend, Smith.
One of the greatest strengths of Red, White & Royal Blue was the strong and well-fleshed-out characters. I was expecting the same level of intrigue and complexity with the characters in I Kissed Shara Wheeler.
Unfortunately, at the outset, I found the characters to be lacking the same spark that inhabit those in Red, White & Royal Blue. No one gripped my attention and kept me wanting more.
However, there is a definite shift in the characters by the second half of the novel.
As Chloe goes further along the trail of clues Shara left behind, the people involved in Shara’s life begin to reveal more of their personal lives and unique challenges to Chloe. I did still find the character of Chloe to remain fairly one-dimensional and unsurprising, but I was sufficiently content with the development of the other characters, so this wasn’t a huge problem.
The novel addresses sensitive topics—such as the complex relationships that often exist between gender, sexuality, and religion—deftly and with respect. I like that the book portrays not only the difficulties but also the sense of community that can arise through growing up feeling like you are “other.”
One of the biggest pluses of this book for me is that it includes non-binary representation. I’ve read many queer novels and I had yet to meet an explicitly non-binary character. Not only is there non-binary representation here, but the book explains how someone may figure out that they are non-binary and the difference between the pronouns one uses and their gender.
Besides the obvious mystery aspect of this novel, McQuiston shows the beauty of young queer relationships and first loves, as well as the freedom and happiness these characters experience by being themselves.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler is about love, growth, finding your community, and resisting erasure, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.