Juno Loves Legs is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that follows two friends through difficult times. Set in working-class Dublin during the 1980s, we are introduced to Juno who lives in poverty with her seamstress mother and alcoholic father. “Legs” lives in the same Irish housing estate with his germaphobic mother. Both Juno and Legs are labeled as outcasts and often beaten at their Catholic school. After Juno stands up for Legs against bullies, the two strike up an unlikely friendship and they find comfort in one another. Eventually a horrific tragedy separates them and they must learn how to navigate a cruel adult world on their own.

This devastatingly beautiful story immediately took hold of me and did not let go. I read it in one sitting with watery eyes and a heavy heart. Geary thoughtfully depicts addiction, poverty, homelessness, sexuality, and abuse. The content is brutal but it makes the moments of joy that much sweeter. The characters were so vivid, their pain so real. I just wanted to reach through the pages and squeeze them. Instead of feeling bitter towards the people who wronged them, Juno and Legs hold onto the idea that people aren’t inherently good or bad, they are just complicated. An unforgettable story that emphasizes the importance of chosen family. Don’t sleep on this book!

CW: alcoholism, addiction, abuse, homophobia