Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl by Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum
CW: Biphobia, Queerphobia, Homophobia, Toxic Home Life, Neglectful Parents, Divorce, Academic Struggles, Undiagnosed ADHD, Coming Out, Toxic Friendship, Ableism, Cursing, Underage Sexual Content, Bullying, Injury
5/5
Obviously, if a book is both queer and Jewish, I'm going to want to read it. With a title like Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl, I didn't need any confirmation that Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum's book would be a Jewish and queer one. This book was very wholesome*, nerdy, and full of diverse representation. I'm so glad I found it and I want more books like this one to exist.
During a game of Spin-the-Bottle, Margo Zimmerman realizes that she is a lesbian. Later on, she realizes that she knows nothing about the culture or the lingo. That's where Abbie Sokoloff comes in. Abbie is failing a class and Margo wants to learn how to "be queer" so the two of them team up to teach each other what they know. As they learn about the topics they signed up for, they also learn about each other. Abbie is bi, loves skateboarding, and doesn't have a good home life. Margo wants to be a big-animal vet, is autistic, and is a high-femme nerd. These two might just want more than a transactional relationship.
This novel is very much about being queer. That's not inherently a bad thing and worked very well here, but not everyone is going to want to read a "coming out" book. If that kind of plot isn't for you, that's okay, but this book will not be for you. Now that that's been addressed, I loved the range of queer rep and the types of queer discussions in Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl. Obviously, Margo and Abbie are queer, Margo's older sibling is non-binary, poly, and pansexual, plus there are side and background queer characters. Topics covered in the book are that you don't need to know the culture to be queer, there isn't just one way to be queer, biphobia, sexual health, and more. While stereotypes are explored, just being yourself is ultimately championed.
Throughout the story, both girls have something major they're learning about themselves: Margo and her relationship to being a lesbian, Abbie and why she's specifically failing AP US History. As they both already know they're Jewish and Margo already knows she is autistic, these things are treated as just a baseline part of who they are. It isn't new, the authors weren't trying to single it out. Some of Margo's autistic traits did get explained, but all of the Jewish representation felt as though it was just there for the Jewish members of the audience. As Abbie had to figure out that she might have ADHD, that was worked into her plot, not just her character. Considering how much love for scholarly intrigue and debate exists in Judaism, I like to see it as one of the most neurodivergent religions. I'll always appreciate the two being represented together.
The actual writing was great too! I'm not just here for representation of course! Shrum and Waxelbaum clearly understand queer and autistic media and how to write for that audience. We want our favorite shows mentioned, to avoid the Big Fight trope, a happy ending, problems from within the community to be addressed, and plenty of opportunities to laugh. These are all found in Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl. The pacing always felt natural and nearly all of the characters felt developed. Heavy topics like divorce and biphobia are included in the book, but the authors make sure to take care of the characters and the audience, keeping the book wholesome.
If you want more queer/Jewish/neurodivergent stories in your life, make sure to add Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl by Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum to your TBR. These high school seniors are about to have one heck of a year, so go have it with them!
*Except for one random detailed sex scene that felt out of place. At least they were laughing during it.
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