Monday, February 03, 2014

Review- Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Goodreads Summary:

This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.

This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.


REVIEW:

I have lost track of the amount of time since Boy Meets Boy has been on my TBR. When I finally had the book in my hand, I couldn't wait at all to get to it. I hadn't read any epic and soul shattering book in 2014 and Boy Meets Boy seemed like the perfect choice to break that rather plain start to my New Year reading. Being the person that I am, I went from backward to forward and ended up reading the short story for Infinite Darlene and David Levithan's interview which features as part of the tenth anniversary celebration of the book before actually starting the story. And I loved those two bits! 

I have read quite a lot of LGBT books and the reason why I keep searching for more is because I love reading books that fall under that category. While most of the books I've previously read take up the issue very seriously, David Levithan has actually created a utopian town in 
Boy Meets Boy, where being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is nothing but normal. Of course there are families who have problems with it, but it was great to see that these families were clearly in minority. While I did love this whole concept and it gives me hope that someday, town by town, the whole world will be cool about seeing and most importantly, accepting everyone as human beings and giving love all the freedom it deserves, I did miss that drastic and serious issue that's always taken up in such stories. 

The protagonist in 
Boy Meets Boy, Paul, for me, had a very uncanny resemblance to Stephen Chbosky's Charlie in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and I actually liked it. Paul was a soft and sensitive guy who was just trying to figure himself and his life out by trying to establish a sort of stability in the many friendships and relationships he has previously had and is currently having. I liked Paul. He seemed normal and ordinary with his daily problems and his own way of getting through with them and that makes it so easy to relate to his simple personality. I loved how involved everyone was in everything in this beautiful town. The many characters tended to get a little confusing for me but I had fun reading about each one of them nonetheless.

While Boy Meets Boy wasn't as moving or as epic as I thought it would be from the many positive reviews I've read for it, I still loved every bit of this cute, funny, inspiring, neat, sweet and tender book. Author David Levithan's writing is simply amazing and beautiful. He's definitely one of the most promising writers I've read and I'm going to read practically all his books I can possibly lay my hands on. For a book that was written in 2003 and that shines like a bright star ten years after it's release, Boy Meets Boy lacked that something which is something I'm yet to figure out but like it did with most readers, it's definitely going to stay with me. 

RATING:



5 comments:

  1. I've heard about this book, but I didn't know it has an LGBT theme. Very nice review! I haven't read any of David Levithan, I'm still dragging my feet but I hope I'll pick up one of his books in the future.

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    1. I hope you do so soon, Goldie. Thank you for stopping by!

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  2. I love the unique take on a LGBT book! But I can see what you mean about missing the more serious and meaningful side of the issues. I love Charlie sooo much so I have to imagine I would love Paul, as well!

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    1. I'm so glad you understand what I'm trying to say, Aylee. Thank you for stopping by!

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  3. Hahaha! I sincerely hope so and you really should. Thank you for stopping by, Aman!

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