DCP Stories Collection

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The Upside of Unrequited

The Upside of Unrequited follows seventeen-year-old Molly, a clever, crafty girl who’s had 26 unrequited crushes but has never actually been in a romantic relationship. Terrified of rejection, Molly carefully guards her feelings and crushes from afar, always keeping to herself. When her twin sister Cassie suddenly falls head over heels for a new girl and becomes a lovesick mess, Molly feels left behind and lonely. She sees an opportunity when Cassie’s girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick, and Molly decides if she can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and have her twin back. Throughout the summer, Molly navigates the messy realities of growing up: family dynamics (her two loving moms planning their wedding following the Supreme Court’s Decision on gay marriage), the pressure of being in a relationship, questions about body image and desirability, and the genuine uncertainty of figuring out who she is.

Review

What’s Done Well

  • Love makes a family. While donor conception is not the main focus of this book, when the topic comes up, it is always normalized. Molly and her family also repeatedly establish that DNA is not the only thing that ties a family together.

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