Review Detail

What I Liked: This book begins with the impression that everything is perfect and nothing could go wrong in Simon’s life, which was off-putting, with him being a teenager. Don’t let the first half of the book fool you, though, as things are about to quickly shift for Simon, and he’s going to have to deal with some heavy things before getting settled back into his life.

Now it’s hard to talk about this book without giving spoilers because events that happen in the second half of the book are where all the character development occurs. It’s interesting to read as Simon figures out how to deal with grief, moving forward, and his relationship with PJ. These scenes that occur later in the story are heartbreaking and leave you rooting for things turn out okay for Simon in the end. The beginning of the story does a great job of introducing you to Simon and ensuring that you are attached to him, so when devastating events take place, you want to keep reading just to know he’ll be okay.

The support system that Simon develops throughout this book is amazing, as they all play different roles throughout his coming out and other events that later impact him. It was nice to see that he had parents who supported him and who normalized his coming out. Simon meeting Hector early on in his journey to figuring out his sexuality was an important piece of the story, and refreshing that an adult was willing to step in and answer the questions that Simon was having when he felt that he had no one else to speak with.

The depiction of anxiety as an alien in Simon’s stomach was amazing and relatable. It was great to see how this played out and the role that this played in PJ revealing his relationship with Simon to his parents. It was also fascinating to find out more about PJ because of a panic attack that Simon has, in which PJ has no choice but to seek help from someone he knows.

Final Verdict: Somewhere in Nowhere is a complicated coming-of-age story that tackles grief, coming out, family dynamics, and more. This is perfect for people looking for a coming-out story that incorporates romance, grief, friendship, family, and much more.