Critics' Opinion:
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Published Jul 2022
352 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Paperback Original.
Publication Information
Bounced between foster homes since the age of seven, Jessica knows better than to set down roots. Most of the kids at her new Michigan high school think she's a witch anyway (because, you know, goth).
The only one who gives her the time of day is geeky Oscar, who wants to recruit her fashion skills for his amateur cosplay group. But Jess is fine showing off her looks to her Insta fans—until a woman claiming to be her biological mother barges into her DMs.
Jess was claimed by the state when her bio mom's mental illness made her unstable. While their relationship is far from traditional, blood ties are hard to break. There's only one problem: Jess can't reunite with her mom in New York City without a bunch of paperwork and she worries her social worker will never approve the trip. That's when she remembers Oscar's cosplay group, which is aiming for that big convention in New York...
So, Jess joins Oscar's team—with every intention of using them to get to her mom. But her plan gets complicated when she discovers that, actually, cosplay is pretty great, and so is having friends. And Oscar, who Jess thought was just a shy nerd, can be as gallant and charming as the heroes he pretends to be. As the big convention draws near, Jess will have to decide whether or not chasing a dream of "family" is worth risking the family she's built for herself.
"Zrull's debut vulnerably and empathetically celebrates geekdom and connection featuring a goth queen teen who uses her image as a shield against the world...Zrull sensitively depicts complex topics such as mental illness, body positivity, and foster care via a confident, good-humored protagonist and a fully realized cast. Jess's joyful cosplaying exploration inspires, and her willingness to open up to those who care for her is thoroughly uplifting." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"First-person narrator Jess' voice is a mix of jaded, too-cool-for-school snark and stirring vulnerability, and each supporting character feels like a fully realized, perfectly imperfect individual. Moments of teen angst and triumph are weathered realistically, and the ending provides a welcome sense of closure after the characters' sometimes-harrowing emotional journeys. These geeks will warm even the coldest, darkest hearts." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
This information about Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Lindsay S. Zrull is a former foster teen. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master's degree in Library and Information Science and earned a second Master's degree in Creative Writing from Harvard Extension. She currently works as Curator of Astronomical Photographs for the Center for Astrophysics.
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