Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
CW: Underage Drinking, Bi-phobic Parent, Racism, (Implicit) Pathological Demand Avoidance, Fat-phobia
4.5/5
I considered not writing a review for this book as I tend not to for books in a series. However, two factors changed my mind. First, "Simon-verse" is a little different from a normal series because it is made up of spin-offs. The other is that I've seen a lot of hate towards Leah that seems unfair. I'd like to defend her honor. I was hesitant to get into Becky Albertalli, or at least "Simon-verse" at first. I believe it is a part of my autism to be resistant to things that are popular, even things I would love. I started reading Albertalli's work with The Upside of Unrequited due to the Jewish content involved. I didn't know the book was part of "Simon-verse", but I didn't need to. As I got more into Albertalli's books, I continued to steer clear of the "Simon-verse". Thankfully, I eventually caved.
Leah and the Offbeat is the third book in the "Simon-verse" but can easily be read as a direct follow-up to Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. It follows all of the characters we were introduced to in the first book, especially Leah, Simon's best friend. She is in the closet about being bi to everyone at school. She is nerdy, plus sized, and resistant to change (relatable). When a boy in her friend group makes his crush clear to Leah, she starts questioning if she wants a relationship. This question becomes harder to answer when her long term crush, Abby, becomes a possibility. Will Leah be able to stop over-thinking and pursue her own crush?
When I watched the Love, Simon movie, I got the feeling that Leah had a crush on the new girl, Abby. When the movie didn't include that detail explicitly and neither did the book, I decided it was just a missed opportunity. I knew that Leah and the Offbeat would be about Leah being bi, but I had no idea that she would actually have a chance with Abby or want to. The story between the two girls is believable and true to the established canon. It also balances well with the concerns about college, money, and the relationships outside of Leah and Abby’s.
Earlier, I mentioned that Leah had received a lot of hate after this book was released. I even saw one person claim that she had surpassed the villain of the first book for the role of "Worst Character". The book was difficult to read at times, mainly when Leah was being difficult. She was rude to her mother, wouldn't give her mom's boyfriend a chance, made a big deal out of a song she didn't like, and kept self-sabotaging. I do not know if Albertalli explored this intentionally or not, but it is clear that Leah has Pathological Demand Avoidance, which is a trait of Autism. I try not to diagnose a lot of characters with autism, even being autistic myself, but seeing Leah as autistic brings a lot of clarity to the story. I believe those being mean about Leah simply didn't understand her. Partially, I avoid doing this because I am not a therapist or psychologist, but the main reason I avoid this is because if a story shows a potentially-autistic character in a negative light, it can be problematic. As far as I am aware, Albertalli is not autistic, but she did write Leah well, allowing me to feel comfortable with giving her the Autism label.
I appreciate Leah on the Offbeat for exploring two bi girls falling for each other, for letting Leah love her body, for showing us how Simon and Bram handle leaving for college, and showing Leah as hard to swallow in a very real way. I hope people who haven't read this yet will give it a chance, but please make sure to read Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda first!
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