Man O' War - by Cory McCarthy (Hardcover)

About the Book

On a field trip to SeaPlanet, seventeen-year-old Arab-American high school swimmer River McIntyre has a chance encounter with Indy, a happy, healthy queer person, which sets off a wrenching journey of self-discovery, from internalized homophobia and gender dysphoria, through layers of coming out, affirmation surgery, and true love.

Book Synopsis

A Stonewall Honor Book

An achingly honest and frequently hilarious coming-of-age novel about an Arab American trans teen fighting to keep their head above water in a landlocked Midwestern town.

Man o' wars are not jellyfish, and River McIntyre is not happy. River doesn't know why they're unhappy--though perhaps it has something to do with the way they relate more to captive marine life at the local aquarium than to the people around them. That is, until they have a run-in with Indigo "Indy" Waits on the annual class field trip. Face-to-face with an affirmed queer person, River leaps out of the closet and into the shark tank. Literally. What follows is a wrenching journey of self-discovery that spans years and winds through layers of coming out, transition, and top surgery, promising a free life for River with so much more than happiness: A life that's full of trans joy and true love.

"River is the most emotionally engaging character I've read in a long time, and this novel is a deep and comprehensive exploration of the journey transgender people trek through the confining world they're born into. Eye-opening, heartfelt, and real--with a massive payoff of true love." --A.S. King, author of Dig, winner of the Michael L. Printz Award

Review Quotes

A Stonewall Honor Book

"I loved the way this book explored the intersection between trans and mixed-race identity through a deeply honest portrait of how small-town life can constrict when you don't fit in. I wish it had existed when I was a teen grappling with my own identity."--Tehlor Kay Mejia for the New York Times

★ "A beautiful and relentless current of emotion."--Kirkus, starred review

★ "A thoughtful, nuanced exploration of what it's like to feel trapped--and how to make it out."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "McCarthy engages with every aspect of River's life to create an extraordinary story with incredible depth.... [F]erociously resists the idea that coming out is a simple or straightforward process."--BookPage, starred review

★ "In this intimate and deeply character-driven story, the exceptional writing exquisitely captures River's cutting but self-protective voice. McCarthy makes it clear that there is joy and love to be found in moving from the captivity of anger and pain to the liberation of being able to be exactly who you are. Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, this is a poignant, affirming story."--SLJ, starred review

"This gorgeous story of self-discovery is a triumph."--Buzzfeed

"There are parts of River's journey that make you ache to read, but there is so much joy in the healing! This is a really authentic tale about the journey to queer joy and all the bumps and obstacles along the way."--New York Times bestselling author Aiden Thomas for Entertainment Weekly

"Cory McCarthy has written a triumphant trans coming of age novel with depth, nuance, heart and humor."--Ms. Magazine

"McCarthy deftly presents the humor and heartbreak of River's journey, avoiding easy answers and embracing nuance. Readers will root for River through the pain, anger, and swim meets and be rewarded with a love story destined to make a splash."--Booklist

"River is the most emotionally engaging character I've read in a long time, and this novel is a deep and comprehensive exploration of the journey transgender people trek through the confining world they're born into. Eye-opening, heartfelt, and real--with a massive payoff of true love." --A.S. King, author of Dig, winner of the Michael L. Printz Award

"An emotional gut punch of a coming-of-age book, and an absolute masterclass in writing character growth. I was so invested in these characters, and the prose was legitimately breathtaking."--Becky Albertalli, NYT bestselling author of Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

"With a voice like a tidal wave, Cory McCarthy crafts a story about the messy, beautiful work of discovering--and rediscovering--the parts of yourself that are most difficult and rewarding to love."--Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay

"This is a book that will pull you through the cold honest water of the closet with laughter and love. McCarthy assembles pain, realization, romance, and joy into a living thing--a man-of-war everyone will be able to see themselves in. Man O' War is the pressure of a deep dive, and then coming up for air. Astoundingly honest and compelling."--Lev Rosen, acclaimed author of Camp

"Man o' War is epic in every sense--in its journey, its love story, its wholehearted embrace of self. I couldn't put it down."--Elana K. Arnold, National Book Award finalist and Michael L. Printz honoree

"Man o' War is a love story that takes you to the deep end and back again. When you and River emerge from its depths, you'll be breathless and shining with love. It's funny, painful, sad, and deliriously sweet--a beacon for everyone who's ever felt submerged by the expectations of others."--Martha Brockenbrough, author of Into the Bloodred Woods

"Layered, honest, funny and heartbreaking, McCarthy has written a story so unflinchingly honest and pure it will stay with you for years to come."--Sara Farizan, award-winning author of If You Could Be Mine

An Autostraddle Best Book of the Year
A BookPage Best Book of the Year
A Buzzfeed Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

About the Author

Cory McCarthy (he/they) is the award-winning author of numerous bestselling and award winning books for young readers, including Hope Is an Arrow, about fellow Arab American Kahlil Gibran, and Man o' War, a Stonewall Honor Book. He also contributed to the Michael L. Printz Award winning anthology The Collectors: Stories. Cory studied poetry and screenwriting before falling in love with writing for young adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts, where he now teaches.