David Levithan

(This was one of those free "Summer Reading" books I get from Audiobook Sync. I had so many books to listen to that I didn't listen to this one straight through, but set it aside for long periods of time.)
Despite the fact that this audio book was performed by a large cast of performers; because some of the young male characters had similar sounding voices, more than once I could not tell which character was speaking.
Hyperbolic characters gave this a theatrical musical feeling, like Grease, or more aptly, Glee. Conversations between high school friends about their approach to dealing, either with romance, or with religiously bound uncompromising parents, while probably realistic, felt didactic.
All that said, it's a fine depiction of how, no matter how you cut it, a teen's quest for true love is complicated, scary, and usually emotionally painful. Add the burden of feeling compelled to reject social mores to be oneself, and having to navigate that undercurrent . . .well, the author accomplishes telling that story, all the while, remaining upbeat.
And on a final note; it's really not a musical, as there was only one song, presumably entitled, "I'll Give You That, Boy" which was surprisingly well performed by Tremaine Ford as Zeak. Not "surprising" because I know anything about Tremaine Ford's abilities, but because most audio books with songs make me cringe as I reach to turn the volume down to barely audible when the narrator attempts to sing them.… (más)

4 Stars!

Heartbreaking while uplifting, this was an unique tale showcasing the challenges the LGBT community faced and still faces.

This chronicles a couple days in the life of several teens and their journey towards finding love and themselves, all told by the affecting omniscient and collective voices of those who’ve come before and are now long gone, tragically taken by AIDS.

While wistfully sad and bittersweet, this was full of hope and optimism and a recommended read!

… (más)