Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes
Genre: Science Fiction (Time Travel); LGBTQIA+ Fiction
Reviewed by Rebecca C., 9th Grade
Rating: 10/10
Omg, this book was a pleasant surprise!!! I love it so much, I don't know what to say!! Spin Me Right Round was probably the best coming-of-age queer book I've ever read. It was so cool to read about a religious school in the 1980s and see how far we’ve come. I had no idea how life was back then and how bad it was for queer people. In Spin Me Right Round, Luis attends a somewhat progressive high school, where there is more freedom for queer people like him than when his parents went to school there. Unfortunately, there still isn’t complete acceptance of queer people and Luis wants to change that, mostly for himself. On his way to talk to a teacher about convincing the principal to allow same sex couples at prom, (so he and his boyfriend can attend the dance), he gets knocked out with a wooden beam. Luis is brought back to his school in the 80s, where no one could be openly queer and dancing was a sin. This means that it wasn’t exactly safe for him to be gay there, and he also goes to high school with his parents. Students at his school believe that Chaz, his mom’s friend, is gay (though he never confirmed it). In present time, Chaz is dead and people think he committed suicide because of students bullying him. Luis decides that he was brought back to the past to prevent Chaz’s death and get him his first kiss. Luis just wants to get back to the future by helping Chaz and trying not to alter his present world that much. “When you wake up in the past, the future is yours.”
Honestly, I love how Luis' experience at his parents' high school changed his perspective on their lives and what they've been through. It changed him as an overall person. He learned not to judge people when they don't agree with his choices and not to make everything about him. Though it was kind of weird that Luis' mom was literally friends with him and he is her child...That part was a little confusing. I really loved the characters. Luis was such a bright, unashamed character and I loved him!! Even though his father was a homophobe, Luis fought for his newfound friends and was like *can’t touch this*.
When I finished this book, I was surprised by a few things, mainly things to do with romance, but I guess you’ll just have to read to find out! Not only was this book about getting Luis' "progressive" high school more queer rights, it was also about strong females who deserve to be acknowledged. Mostly just Leeza. Probably only Leeza. (FYI, Leeza is this super amazing, confident character who does something super awesome toward the end!) Actually, not just Leeza! There was Luis’ mom, who supported him throughout the book despite dating a homophobe. Also, Ms. Silverthorn, who was one of the only Black female teachers at Luis’ school. She was his favorite teacher because she stood up for him in both the past and present. She was also very accepting.
This book as a whole had charming 80s moments like the dancing living in the moment scene, and the glowing promposal scene (which is not 80s but was too cute not to smile at!!!) I honestly wish I could time travel to when my mom was a kid because she always says how I'm so lucky that I have all this stuff, and she never did. Mostly because she was a “golden child” and I am very much not. But I definitely would not want to change the future! Seriously, in what world is dancing a sin???