Review by Emily Battaglia, 17
Miss Meteor By Anna-Marie McLemore and Tehlor Kay Mejia
Lita has always longed to become the beauty pageant winner Miss Meteor. This year may be her final chance, because she’s slowly dissolving into stardust and wants to depart from Earth following her dream. She can’t do it alone, enlisting the help of her ex-best friend to prove that you need to look a certain way to be beautiful.
While the setting may at first seem cliche—the jocks, mean popular girls, and bullied underdog are all featured—Miss Meteor takes a unique spin on the classic YA high school drama. First, to interrupt the formula, is the sheer amount of representation. Organically integrated into the narrative are fantastic LGBTQ+ and Latinx characters who are as human as they are complex. They make mistakes and they grow from them. They find their voices and are not afraid to fight for what they believe in. They have a fun, loving support system rarely witnessed in YA. The ensemble cast in Miss Meteor is truly special. Even though the novel is told solely through the alternating perspectives of main characters, Chicky and Lita, the supporting cast is just as fleshed out and deep. A face is put behind each name in Miss Meteor, attention and care given to every persona even if they only appear for a short time. Relationships are natural and the romance is a realistic outgrowth of encouraging, sturdy friendships. Despite an exciting beginning, Miss Meteor does stagnate in the middle of the novel, yet regains footing to unfold a marvelous conclusion. I truly recommend this story, however do warn that there is an amount of xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia and fatphobia that may trigger some readers.
3.5 stars.
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Catalog Number: YA M NORTH,P
390 pages