A.J. The Human

A.J. The HumanI purchased this book because I follow the writer's video series on tiktok and knew her to have a diverse cast of characters in her stories. I was not disappointed with this book! The main character is autistic. Already a level of representation that is not often seen. While this, and the fact that she is nonverbal, affect how the main character functions in society, she is a strong character who is never infantilized for being neurodivergent. She does not live in a very accepting society, and we see that in the way that many characters treat her, but the character herself is a strong, intelligent person who is actively trying to fix the issues of the society she lives in. The story is engaging and interesting, showing many different political and personal motivations working against one another. There are characters who show that strength is not always a physical thing, but also an emotional one. With two peoples at war for generations, will they have the strength to find forgiveness and forge new bonds in the face of opposing political, religious, and cultural pressures? I loved every minute of this book and look forward to reading the sequel when it comes out!