None of the Above

by I. W. Gregorio

Overview

A groundbreaking story about a teenage girl who discovers she's intersex . . . and what happens when her secret is revealed to the entire school. Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between.

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant?

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She's a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she's madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she's decided that she's ready to take things to the next level with him.

But Kristin's first time isn't the perfect moment she's planned—something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy "parts."

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin's entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062335319
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/07/2015
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	1,189,473
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	HL770L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

I. W. Gregorio is a practicing surgeon by day, masked avenging YA writer by night. After getting her MD, she did her residency at Stanford, where she met the intersex patient who inspired None of the Above, her debut novel. She is also a founding member of the We Need Diverse Books team. A recovering ice hockey player, she lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/27/2015
A painful first sexual experience and a visit to the gynecologist confirm high-school senior Kristin's fears that she is different from other girls. Although she appears to be female on the outside, she is actually intersex. In this provocative and enlightening first novel, physician Gregorio creates a heart-wrenching story of self-discovery inspired by one of her patients. Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Kristen (who continues to identify as female) confides in only one person outside her family, but word gets out, and she soon becomes the target of cruel taunts from many students, including her enraged boyfriend. Once a confident homecoming queen and track star, Kristin no longer knows who she is or what the future will bring. It takes a courage and support from a therapist and an intersex college student for Kristen to accept that the perception of others does not define her identity. Kristin's harrowing quest to come to terms with the insensitivity of strangers and acquaintances will strike a familiar chord with any reader who has felt estranged. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jessica Regel, Foundry Literary + Media. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

I couldn’t put this book down—it opened my mind in ways that few books have done before.

Jacqueline Woodson

[A] remarkable novel...Eye-opening and important.

Booklist

None of the Above is a sensitive, beautifully written story, told with heart (break) and humor. Gregorio deftly explores the isolation of being ‘other’ in a highly relatable way. Bravo!

Kristin Elizabeth Clark

Like the beloved physician she is, I. W. Gregorio brings rare knowledge and acute empathy to the illumination of an anatomical difference—and to the teens who discover, in the nick of time, the saving grace of knowing and being one’s truest self. A book unlike any other.

Beth Kephart

None of the Above is a powerful story of discovering one’s true identity. This book will open hearts and change minds.

Stephen Chbosky

Noble, daring and necessary—IW Gregorio’s groundbreaking debut is a bittersweet, painful and ultimately life-affirming voyage of identity.

Elizabeth Wein

Kristin’s struggle with her identity is wrenching and authentically conveyed.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

[A] remarkable novel...Eye-opening and important.

Booklist

01/01/2015
Gr 9 Up—Kristin Lattimer embodies the all-American teenage girl. She's sporty, well-liked, cool but humble enough to be shocked when elected Homecoming Queen, with two loyal best friends and a loving boyfriend. Even in the wake of her mom's death from cervical cancer, Kristin's future is looking pretty bright. Until her first time having sex with Sam goes painfully awry, leading to a doctor's appointment that reveals she is intersex. Suddenly, Kristin's life is thrown wildly off-kilter as she struggles with her condition and its impact on her self-esteem, academic life, and most important relationships. The novel is engaging and well paced, with smart young characters. However, their witty banter and sage insights don't always seem to capture a youthful voice—the novel;s pedagogical intent threatens to overwhelm the natural rhythm of speech, making these 17 and 18 year olds sound like medical mouthpieces from time to time. Gregorio's helpful author's note explains that numerous AIS perspectives and sources were consulted in the writing process; it is evident that research was done to give this fictional account realism and nuance. Links and resources about being intersex are provided for further reading. While the text occasionally reads like a fictionalized medical record, this book serves as a useful introduction to the discussion around intersexuality, particularly from a youth viewpoint.—Ashleigh Williams, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

2015-01-10
Cross-country runner Kristin Lattimer is devastated when an OB-GYN diagnoses her with androgen insensitivity syndrome, an intersex condition.Exuberant after being voted queen at the homecoming dance, Kristin decides she's finally ready to have sex with her boyfriend, Sam. Their attempt at intercourse, however, turns out to be prohibitively painful, and Kristin promptly schedules an appointment with her best friend's gynecologist. Her pelvic exam and a series of follow-ups reveal that Kristin has AIS. After she confides in two friends at a party, rumors about Kristin's condition spread, and she is ostracized. The particulars of AIS are explained in matter-of-fact detail and filtered effectively through Kristin's point of view. Kristin and her bullies use the word "hermaphrodite," but the author is careful to note that the term is widely considered derogatory and that "intersex" and "disorder of sex development," or DSD, are preferred. Discussions of Kristin's gender strike an equally appropriate balance: Kristin worries that her diagnosis means she's "not exactly a girl," and Sam rejects her as a "faggot," but other voices express kinder views. A supportive and warmly drawn group of side characters rounds out the story, and the figure of Caster Semenya, a runner speculated to have AIS herself, serves as a role model and figure of hope. Sensitive, informative and a valuable resource for teens in Kristin's shoes. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews

None of the Above is a powerful story of discovering one’s true identity. This book will open hearts and change minds.” — Stephen Chbosky, bestselling author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

“[A] provocative and enlightening first novel...will strike a familiar chord with any reader who has felt estranged.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“I couldn’t put this book down—it opened my mind in ways that few books have done before.” — Jacqueline Woodson, award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming

“Noble, daring and necessary—IW Gregorio’s groundbreaking debut is a bittersweet, painful and ultimately life-affirming voyage of identity.” — Elizabeth Wein, award-winning & NYT bestselling author of Code Name Verity

“Like the beloved physician she is, I. W. Gregorio brings rare knowledge and acute empathy to the illumination of an anatomical difference—and to the teens who discover, in the nick of time, the saving grace of knowing and being one’s truest self. A book unlike any other.” — Beth Kephart, award-winning author of Going Over and Small Damages

“None of the Above is a sensitive, beautifully written story, told with heart (break) and humor. Gregorio deftly explores the isolation of being ‘other’ in a highly relatable way. Bravo!” — Kristin Elizabeth Clark, author of FREAKBOY

“Engaging and well paced, with smart young characters…a useful introduction to…intersexuality.” — School Library Journal

“Sensitive, informative and a valuable resource” — Kirkus Reviews

“None of the Above rises above most young adult fiction because it has potential to evoke significant change...[A] compelling and touching narrative.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“[A] remarkable novel...Eye-opening and important.” — Booklist

“Kristin’s struggle with her identity is wrenching and authentically conveyed.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

None of the Above rises above most young adult fiction because it has potential to evoke significant change...[A] compelling and touching narrative.

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Kristin’s struggle with her identity is wrenching and authentically conveyed.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Kristin’s struggle with her identity is wrenching and authentically conveyed.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books