I knew that any wrong action, however slight, could reveal my true identity...
Russel is still going on dates with girls. Kevin would do anything to prevent his teammates on the baseball team from finding out. Min and Terese tell everyone they're really just good friends. But after a while, the truth's too hard to hide - at least from each other - so they form the "Geography Club." Nobody else will come. Why would they want to? Their secret should be safe.
If you’re looking for something fun, a bit cheesy, and light-hearted with a bit of angsty realism, Geography Club is for you.
The book is set in a pretty average high school setting, starring a pretty average high school guy named Russel. He’s not very popular but neither is he an outcast. He has two close friends but even with them he doesn’t share his biggest secret: he’s gay. Instead, he turns to gay chatrooms where he meets a guy he likes enough to meet in real life, only to find out that guy is the popular baseball star from his school, Kevin.
This of course means drama.
While the novel displays some of the usual angst of a closeted gay teen, it also shows how support can come from unexpected places. Russel’s friend Min turns out to be bisexual and dating a girl on the soccer team. The school outcast, bullied relentlessly by the jocks, turns out to be just as gay as Russel. In the beginning, he thought he was the only non-straight teen at his high school but as Russel begins to explore and accept his sexuality throughout the story, he realizes that there’s just no way that’s possible.
By creating the “Geography Club”, this group of queer teens manages to find a creative and safe way to share their own experiences with each other and support each other when they feel like they’re all alone. It’s such a nice portrayal of queer people helping other queer people in a time of discover and introspection.
Yes, the novel is a bit cheesy, and yes, the writing is nowhere near fancy but it’s an easy, relatable read with fun characters and a happy ending about individualism and being proud of who you are.
I believe that Geography Club is a great novel for younger audiences, especially those who are just discovering their preferences for themselves. It’s a great reminder that we’re never alone and you can find support somewhere, even when you think it doesn’t exist.
