WE ARE MAYHEM

Wrestling, taxidermy, and gender all are woven into one storyline about fitting in after relocating.

Thanks to Mom’s “mid-life crisis,” Birdie and her family have moved to the mountains in upstate New York where Dad grew up, leaving behind New Jersey, where Birdie was an intensely competitive gymnast. But her coach had informed her that her body was growing too big for elite gymnastics, so now Birdie’s contemplating joining cheerleading with summer best friend Lexie. After a late-night prank at Mostly Bones, the local taxidermy shop, goes wrong, Birdie is forced to work off her debt to the shop owner, famous wrestling legend Mad Mabel, the Mother of Mayhem. Meanwhile, she befriends Abigail Rose, Mabel’s granddaughter, whose passion for reviving a feminist version of Mabel’s brand convinces Birdie to join all-female wrestling squad the Future of Mayhem. The wrestling worldbuilding is robust but can be clunky and hard to follow at times. The short chapters feature visceral, detailed language and laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue. Charming tropes and captivating characters enhance the solid pacing, though a feud between two factions ends with an unbelievably easy resolution. Birdie’s coming out as nonbinary (she/they) is sweet, is lovingly received by friends and family, and provides an important reflection for teens everywhere who are struggling with big questions around gender identity. Major characters read white; the supporting cast includes racial diversity.

A wild, weird, and fun romp.