How to Get Over the End of the World

Boldly weird, cool, and confident, this YA novel of LGBTQ+ teen artists, activists, and telepathic visionaries offers hope against climate and community destruction. From the National Book Award-longlisted author of Out of Salem.

James Goldberg, self-described neurotic goth gay transsexual stoner, is a senior in high school, and fully over it. He mostly ignores his classes at Cow Pie High, instead focusing on fundraising for the near-bankrupt local LGBTQ+ youth support group, Compton House, and attending punk shows with his friend-crush Ian and best friend Opal. But when James falls in love with Orsino, a homeschooled trans boy with telepathic powers and visions of the future, he wonders if the scope of what he believes possible is too small. Orsino, meanwhile, hopes that in James he has finally found someone who will be able to share the apocalyptic visions he has had to keep to himself, and better understand the powers they hold.

How to Get over the End of the World confirms Hal Schrieve as a unique and to-be-celebrated voice in LGBTQ+ YA fiction with this multi-voiced story about flawed people trying their hardest to make a better world, about the beauty and craziness of hope, about too-big dreams and reality checks, and about the ways in which human messiness--egos, jealousy, insecurity--and good faith can coexist. It also about preserving the ties within a chosen family--and maybe saving the world--through love, art, and acts of resistance.

ISBN-13: 9781644213018

Media Type: Hardcover

Publisher: Triangle Square

Publication Date: 10-03-2023

Pages: 336

Age Range: 13 - 17 Years

Hal Schrieve is a children's librarian in Manhattan and the best part of hir job is facilitating comics and creative writing workshops with young people. Hir first book, Out of Salem, was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Hal's comics are featured in We're Still Here, an all-trans comics anthology, and the zine Very Online. Hir fiction will be featured in the We're Here horror anthology out in late 2022. Follow Hal at @howlmarin on Instagram and @hal_schrieve on Twitter.