Review- How They Met and Other Stories by David Levithan

How They Met, and Other Stories on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes a confection from David Levithan that is sure to appeal to fans of Boy Meets Boy. Here are 18 stories, all about love, and about all kinds of love. From the aching for the one you pine for, to standing up and speaking up for the one you love, to pure joy and happiness, these love stories run the gamut of that emotion that at some point has turned every one of us inside out and upside down. What is love? With this original story collection David Levithan proves that love is a many splendored thing, a varied, complicated, addictive, wonderful thing.

Release date: 2014 (first published January 8th 2008)

Published by: Electric Monkey

Page numbers: 307

REVIEW: 

Authors normally pick up a pen to write, but I always imagine David Levithan picking up a wand. We might still be waiting for our Hogwarts letter, but I'm a 100% sure that David Levithan topped his OWLs and NEWTs, because he is a wizard and magic runs in his blood. He makes magic. I always, always imagine him waving his wand and words just coming out and forming that whole Avada Kedavra and Expelliarmus magic or something like Tom Marvolo Riddle- I am Lord Voldemort.

Now that I've proved that my most favourite contemporary writer of our time is a magician, let me tell you that he was as magical during his high school as he is now, because How They Met, and Other Stories is a collection of short stories written by the author in his school years. "If he's THAT incredible when he's so young, imagine what he'll do later", I'm sure someone must've said this to young David, and it goes to say, without doubt, that he kept getting better and better, to the point where he has established himself as a bright, brilliant, sparkling and shining star of an author.

How They Met, and Other Stories is incredible and every story is so different and unique that it feels like it's written by different people. Of course, I loved this collection as a whole, but some of my absolutely favourite stories were: Starbucks Boy, The Alumni Interview, The Number of People Who Meet on Airplane, What a Song Can Do and Without Saying. But I have to say that my most favourite story was Lost Sometimes, which is a sexy story of two boys in a more physical relationship. I have read almost all books by David Levithan, but I've never read something so sexy, gorgeous and exhilarating.

A book I always wanted to read, How They Met, and Other Stories had stories that I both loved and liked, but none that I didn't like. I didn't have any expectations, but I was way too happy with what I got, because the lovely magician never fails to deliver. I loved the book, but this book has proved that I love David Levithan even more.

Buy the book: AMAZON (IN)/ FLIPKART

Review- Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Goodreads Summary:

New York Times  bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS. 

While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other.

REVIEW:

Before I start the actual review of the book, I want to make two points very clear. First of all, David Levithan. Wow, that man is incredibly creative and talented. I have read two of the author's books before- The Lover's Dictionary and Boy Meets Boy. Trust me, it doesn't seem like the three books I've read have been written by the same author. It's insane how different each of David Levithan's book has been. Be it the narrative technique, the point of view, the flow of words, you name it and it's all so fresh each time. The only similarity between each is that there is no difference and the only difference is the lack of similarity. And for that, I admire the author immensely. His books are unbelievable, his characters incredible, his stories inspiring and his writing, promising.

Secondly, the comparison between Boy Meets Boy and Two Boys Kissing. Yes, I know it's very subjective of me but I really can't help it. I had high expectations from Boy Meets Boy and while it wasn't as epic as I would have liked it to be, it was still an absolutely funny, tender and promising read. Two Boys Kissing released in the year Boy Meets Boy completed ten years and I read both the books almost one after the other. What I felt lacked in Boy Meets Boy was actually taken up in Two Boys Kissing. The latter wasn't an utopian set-up. It was real. It was raw. It was emotional. It was highly, supremely and completely inspiring. And if I were to read just a single kind of book, I would go for such types. It's hard for me to express this but Two Boys Kissing gave me that feeling you get in situations where you feel something but can't do anything about it. Like, that lump in your throat, that sinking feeling in your stomach, and that feeling when you want to cry but tears won't come.

If The Lover's Dictionary could be termed as the epitome of creativity in writing, Two Boys Kissing is a whole new level of imagination. The book is not written by an author, nor by a character but it's written by all of us. All of us who believe that love isn't defined by barriers and humanity is what matters the most. It's the message of the LGBT community to the LGBT community to stay strong. And as a ardent and strong believer and supporter of the same, I feel that it's a message from all of us to all of us. 

I know I haven't said anything about the story but that's the beauty of it. It's not a story at all, but stories. Besides, the title is pretty obvious. But it's definitely not all that there is to it. There is plenty of stuff to say besides the stories which are something that's for everyone to find out and appreciate at least, if not love. They're the most heart breaking and at the same time, heart healing stories which are interconnected in the most dazzling way. Two Boys Kissing is the kind of book where the characters- each and every one of them, more than the individual stories or the story as a whole- are going to stay with me. And it’s perfect. I'm so happy that I finally found my first five stars read of 2014 and it couldn't have been a better pick.

RATING:

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: