Felix Ever After

Callender said that they were inspired to write the book because of a lack of representation in books and other media of characters who shared their identity. They wanted to center a "Black, queer, trans masculine person who identifies as a demiboy."^[4] Callender wrote in the book's foreword that the first transgender character they saw in media, Adam from Degrassi: The Next Generation, changed their life, and they hoped protagonists like Felix could help other readers find representation.^[5][11]

Callender also wanted to represent a character that knew they were trans, but started to re-question their identity, because Callender found this was a common experience for many queer people. They wanted to make a trans story that was romantic and fun, rather than focused only on their gender identity. Finally, Callender wanted to emphasize that Black and brown queer people like Felix and themselves, are worthy of love.^[11]

In a 2020 interview, Callender was concerned by the lack of support for Black queer stories even as queer stories received more recognition and support. They said this neglect was a form of invisible racism that is easy to dismiss and hard to prove, and hoped that Felix Ever After and similar works could erode that prejudice so that more works and representation could follow.^[11]

Time named Felix Ever After one of "The 100 Best YA Books of All Time" alongside Catcher in the Rye, The Outsiders, and others.^[3]

The book was generally well-received, including starred reviews from Booklist,^[12] Publishers Weekly,^[13] and School Library Journal.^[14]

Booklist's Kaitlin Connor noted, "Felix's hard-fought and dramatic journey toward self-discovery will resonate with teens looking for narratives about diverse LGBTQIA characters learning to love themselves."^[15] Amanda MacGregor, writing for the School Library Journal, praised the book's diverse cast of characters and the protagonist MacGregor calls "achingly relatable".^[14] The Publishers Weekly said Callender created "an exhilarating cast of queer characters, many of whom are people of color, who are as relatable as they are realistic."^[13] The magazine also praised the whodunit plot and all its twists, concluding the review with an overall praise of the main character and the story.^[13]

Reviewing for The Horn Book, Luann Toth mentioned the "sound information and responsible psychological guidance" present in the novel without detracting from the overall experience.^[16] Shelf Awareness's Kieran Slattery, noted, "Callender ... adeptly weaves a poignant bildungsroman that builds suspense as, layer by layer, new dimensions of Felix's identity are unmasked with each failed attempt to identify his tormentor."^[17] Slattery continued, stating, "In a society where the lines between in-person and social media interactions blur, Callender believably captures this interconnectivity with teenagers whose identities are shaped, dismantled and reconfigured by their social media use."^[17]

Kirkus Reviews offered a negative review, calling it "an exhausting read" due to the complicated story and the "devastating episodes of self-doubt and anxiety" Felix goes through.^[6] The reviewer concluded Felix Ever After is a "trauma- and drama-filled demiboy's story that's not for the faint of heart."^[6]

Callender condemned the Kirkus review in a Medium post titled "re: Kirkus", calling it offensive and transphobic.^[18][19] Ray Stoeve, writing for Autostraddle, likewise described the review as transphobic.^[20] Rachel Charlene Lewis, interviewing Callender for Bitch, compared their frustrations towards reviewers who misunderstand trans identities with Mason Deaver's experiences with reader misgendering following I Wish You All the Best. She asked Callender what they would want readers to understand about trans characters and authors: they responded that the relevant issues were diverse, contrasting the ease of addressing misgendering with the layered transphobia of the Kirkus review.^[19]

In 2023, the book was challenged but kept at Old Rochester Regional High School.^[21] In 2024, the book was banned in Beaufort County, South Carolina.^[22]