Books › You Should See Me in a Crown
You Should See Me in a Crown
533 pages
A joyful, anxiety-laced, and ultimately triumphant celebration of queer Black girlhood and the courage it takes to take up space.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into the bright, chaotic, and deeply emotional halls of high school, but with a fiercely protective best friend by your side. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, driven by a conversational voice that is equal parts witty and vulnerable. It perfectly captures the stomach-dropping anxiety of feeling like an outsider, only to slowly replace that dread with the warm, swoony glow of first love and genuine self-acceptance. The atmosphere is steeped in both the intense pressures of teenage social politics and the radiant joy of finding your people. It is a big-hearted, triumphant experience that will delight anyone who loves a classic rom-com structure infused with unapologetic queer joy and a protagonist you cannot help but root for.
- Mood
- joyful
- swoony
- hopeful
- high-school-nostalgic
- Tone
- earnest
- witty
- warm
- anxious
- triumphant
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- queer joy · Black girl magic · overcoming imposter syndrome · finding your people · navigating high school politics
- The writing
- Conversational and sharp, perfectly capturing the witty, rapid-fire internal monologue of a teenager trying to hold it all together.
- The arc
- Moves from anxious, self-doubting isolation to a radiant, unapologetic embrace of one's true self and community.
- Who it's for
- Anyone looking for a big-hearted, queer coming-of-age story that balances real-world anxieties with unapologetic joy and a swoony romance.
Content notes
- homophobia
- racism
- anxiety and panic attacks
- sick grandparent
About the book
Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.
But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down... until she's reminded of her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. There's nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She's smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams... or make them come true?
Description from Open Library.
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