An achingly honest and frequently hilarious coming-of-age novel about an Arab American trans swimmer fighting to keep their head above water in a landlocked Midwestern town.
River McIntyre has grown up down the street from Sea Planet, an infamous marine life theme park slowly going out of business in small-town Ohio. When a chance encounter with a happy, healthy queer person on the annual field trip lands River literally in the shark tank, they must admit the truth: they don’t know who they are—only what they’ve been told to be. This sets off a wrenching journey of self-discovery, from internalized homophobia and gender dysphoria, through layers of coming out, affirmation surgery, and true freakin’ 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
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
River McIntyre has grown up down the street from Sea Planet, an infamous marine life theme park slowly going out of business in small-town Ohio. When a chance encounter with a happy, healthy queer person on the annual field trip lands River literally in the shark tank, they must admit the truth: they don’t know who they are—only what they’ve been told to be. This sets off a wrenching journey of self-discovery, from internalized homophobia and gender dysphoria, through layers of coming out, affirmation surgery, and true freakin’ 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
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Praise for this book
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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 AC Rosen
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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 AC Rosen
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