Leah on the Offbeat

Summary: Leah Burke is your normal high school senior. She loves to play the drums, and she’s a talented artist even if she is too shy to show anyone her drawings. She has a group of friends that she loves, and is close to her single mother, who had her when she was a senior herself. But as graduation looms closer, things begin to change. The threat of long distance romances and friendships start to fracture relationships, her mother has a new boyfriend, and Leah is too nervous to come out as bisexual to her friends, even as her feelings for one of them grow stronger. 

Critical Evaluation: In Leah on the Offbeat, Becky Albertalli paints a realistic picture of what it’s like to be a modern-day teenager, particularly one on the cusp of graduating from high school. The tone of the novel is casual and conversational, which is sure to make teens reading it feel as though these are conversations they could be having in their day-to-day lives. 

The highlight of the novel is how Albertalli portrays the relationships between characters. Leah and her mother, for example, are extremely close, and yet Leah feels threatened by her mom’s new boyfriend. Their conversations, while filled with love, are often tense as Leah is reluctant to meet and accept this new relationship. Through the novel, friendships and relationships are tested as graduation gets closer and the seniors start to worry about what is coming next for them. There are makeups and breakups so realistic, young adults may wonder if Becky Albertalli is listening into their conversations. Albertalli also does a good job of seamlessly incorporating relevant cultural references, like Tumblr and Harry Potter. This cements the characters in a certain time period that teenagers will be able to relate to, as they are currently living through it. 

Leah on the Offbeat also explores what it’s like for a teenage girl to be bisexual, which isn’t often explored in literature. It confronts some stereotypes and harmful assumptions about bisexuality. Leah says in the novel, “If this were Nick flirting with me, Garrett would think whoa: competition. But because it’s Abby, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s like it doesn’t count” (Albertalli, 2018, p. 117). This type of representation is well needed and appreciated in young adult literature. 

At times the main character of Leah can feel a little hard to connect to. Though her character growth is minimal, it’s definitely still there as she gains confidence and comes into her own at the end of the novel. Despite being hard to like at times, teenagers will relate to her strong emotions over the changes happening around her. Those who were fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda will also enjoy seeing these characters again. 

Reader’s Annotation: High school senior Leah is experiencing a lot of change, in her family, her friendships, and what she wants for the future. She’s also hesitant to come out to her friends as bi...but what happens when she starts to fall for one of them?