Member Review

I Wish You All the Best is an engaging and honest exploration of the life of teenager Ben De Backer as he deals with the consequences of outing himself as non-binary to his parents. The text allows for an honest voice to be heard, conveying an authentic, complicated, messy story to unfold - warts and all.

The De Backer family dynamic is central to the events of the novel and Deaver handles this beautifully, never seeming to judge individuals' actions too harshly but allowing the reader to 'live' the life of Ben as he confronts the emotional turmoil, for good or ill.

Deaver carefully navigates the line between being 'preachy' or 'woke' deftly, drawing you in and enveloping you in, to what is ultimately a love story of self, family and friendship. Highly recommend.