Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
This is an interesting and fun book, Featuring alternating chapters written by Green and Levithan in the voices of two boys who share the same name, (Yes it’s THAT John Green who also wrote ‘The Fault in our Stars’), two boys, one name, two lives, one event which changes and effects both boys in ways they can scarcely comprehend but which alters the very nature of the way they live and perceive their lives.
One Grayson is gay, one is straight, both seek affirmation and love from different sources and the plot works tightly to keep the narrative tension tight for the duration of the books.
Green and Levithan have delivered a very entertaining book which feels whole unto itself and also with a breadth of character and voice that allows this to feel like two books slamming into each other, with some very funny characters and some catch-you-off-guard profound depths this book is as interesting to an adult reader as it is to the younger reader it is written for.
It’s a perfect book for the younger LGBT reader (13+), which allows a feeling of being ‘other’ to be embraced into the infinite variety of humanity and reassures at the same time. There’s no complexity to the plot, quite the contrary it’s a simple and clear story, just done with such sensitivity and clear almost audible empathic motivation of each boys accepting of his life choices. It’s also full of some salty swearing too, and I mean stuffed full of it, but this just sits nicely in with the boy’s backgrounds and their angle on the world.
Even while grasping to understand what they are all about they accept their need for acceptance and unconditional love for which they are, and the men they hope to become. I really enjoyed the book, it felt so real and I wasn’t expecting to believe in the characters quite as much as I did.
This is a surprise and a well written one too, there’s so few decent books featuring young gay characters that the book should be welcomed just on that basis, the fact that’s it’s a beautifully written, enjoyable and moving story too, just makes it a grand read. The best thing about it, was how utterly normal it treats everything and for this the book is elevated into my best younger persons book of the year.
Recommended; honestly the book is excellent, go buy a copy now for you and for any younger LGBT people you may know.
Out now £7:99
from all good bookshops or from the publishers website here:
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