This book was a delight to read. It is a mere 147 page and goes like a brief summer. I have not been sixteen in a very long time so how much it speaks to ones past my depend on ones experiences and memories. The book is set in the period after the murder of Martin Luther King and Jack Kennedy. The various movements for self identity were just taking off and the book struck me as very reflective of that time as I experienced it as a political activist. It ends in a believable way with no nod to romanticism. I liked the book and thought it was worth the few hours it took to read. The died before he could fulfill the promise of his talent.
A sensitive look at what it means to grow up gay. The hero is no artist, not agenius nor an elegant fashion-plate. He is a regular, popular guy with a secret.
A fast read, the main character is engaging yet very frustrating
A good coming of age story, Im happy I read it, but Im not sure I can really say much without spoilers.
Written in more of a stream of consciousness, the book is told from the point of view of the main character. Its intensely teenagerish teenage boys are not reliable narrators, yet they can be really intriguing.
Set in time frame of spring 1968 thru the summer, our narrator, Billy grows up. Its really a fast read, so brace yourself. Its a well written story, you feel like you are looking over Billys shoulder and you really get to know his friends and love interests. As I mentioned earlier, Im happy that I read it, but have a really hard time describing it without spoilers.
Here are some tags/trigger warnings.
I think it's well suited to high school and up.
Violence warning:. Some, but not much and it happens off screen.
Adult situations: Yes!. Teenage boy, so lots of sex, masturbation, straight sex and gay sex. Adult language
I recommend this book, Its engaging, and worth the read.
It should be five stars, but I was frustrated with the ending so I took a star away. Not a bad ending, but not the ending I thought it should have had.
A good coming of age story, Im happy I read it, but Im not sure I can really say much without spoilers.
Written in more of a stream of consciousness, the book is told from the point of view of the main character. Its intensely teenagerish teenage boys are not reliable narrators, yet they can be really intriguing.
Set in time frame of spring 1968 thru the summer, our narrator, Billy grows up. Its really a fast read, so brace yourself. Its a well written story, you feel like you are looking over Billys shoulder and you really get to know his friends and love interests. As I mentioned earlier, Im happy that I read it, but have a really hard time describing it without spoilers.
Here are some tags/trigger warnings.
I think it's well suited to high school and up.
Violence warning:. Some, but not much and it happens off screen.
Adult situations: Yes!. Teenage boy, so lots of sex, masturbation, straight sex and gay sex. Adult language
I recommend this book, Its engaging, and worth the read.
It should be five stars, but I was frustrated with the ending so I took a star away. Not a bad ending, but not the ending I thought it should have had.
