Whatcha read, Rider? - Boy Meets Boy
Who wrote it, Rider? - The lovely David Levithan
What do you rate it, Rider? - 4.5 out of 5, my word
Boy Meets Boy follows the sort-of regular life of Paul as he encounters love, drama, and all those other nice things. The story starts with Paul and his friends attending the gig of one of their other friends at the local bookstore (something I wish happened more often on my side of the world). There, he...meets another boy who has something about him that just entrances Paul. Later on, we learn more about this mystery boy, Noah, who the main character spends some time searching for.
The book takes on the journey of their relationship, from the awkward beginning to the sweet ending, with a fair share of cute moments and conflict in between. Alongside this connection, we also get to look into the lives of those around Paul, especially his closest friends.
Not all of the conflicts are resolved the way people would like, but it does end more realistically than other romance-type books, with a hint of optimism.
What I really liked about the book, though, was how balanced all of the characters were. None were too overbearing on each other nor the reader, and they were not solely defined by one thing. Yes, many of the characters are either part of the LGBT community, a school clique, or are facing problems. But, these characters do not center around these specific things. One of the conflicts in the book actually dabbles in what would happen if one thing, or person, were to define someone.
There are a few shortcomings, but overall, I’m rather happy with the way the book was written and its features were portrayed.
Four and a half out of five.
Taa taa, for now, dearies.
pixelskylines
stormborns
