I did really enjoy First Year Out and grew to love all the characters but especially Lily. I liked the art style and the story, which was a bit of a whistle stop tour of a typical trans experience and journey.

I saw some other reviews which mentioned the book feeling a bit like a school textbook, which I agree with to an extent. Of course all the issues Symington mentioned are hugely relevant and important to discuss for any trans person, but the story was very much expected.

Overall, this graphic novel is a lovely story of what it is to be trans and the journey to get there. It has a positive, hopeful message and would be the perfect book as an introduction for someone who wasn’t as aware of these issues (but less so for a younger audience).