Language: R (217 swears 44 'f's); Mature Content: PG-13 (Passionate kissing. Mentions of sex, masturbation, and pornography. Sexually graphic homophobic slurs. Inappropriate images are drawn on a boy's locker.) Violence: PG-13 (Verbal and physical bullying, fist fights. A boy is intentionally hit by a car while riding his bike. A man aims a shot gun at two teenagers.)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Barclay is a high school basketball star and the high school and the town love him. But on his 16th birthday, he decides a pep rally is the best place to announce that he is gay. All of the people he thought loved him have now turned on him. With his team against him, he turns to his best friend Amy. She gets him involved in her voting rights group. Barclay starts to find purpose and new friends off the court. Through the group, he meets the talented and handsome Christopher. It is a slow process but with time Barclay learns that some of his actions have been selfish and how to combat that. He learns to show up for his family who are all still grieving the recent death of their grandfather. He learns how to show up for his friends. And he learns how to be his complete self.
At its heart, this is a good coming out story. I appreciate that Barclay does not have it all figured out at the beginning but he speaks his truth anyway. Over the course of the book he learns and grows and it is enjoyable to watch. He also learns that he is not the only one struggling with things and figures out that he can help others as well as himself. The book has excessive swear words that distract from the message and the homophobic slurs are sexually graphic in nature. Barclay his family and Christopher are white. No other ethnicity is specifically mentioned.
A. Snow
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