MM Book Review: Without A Compass by Helen Juliet
Available here on Amazon
Or more information at the author’s tumblr: @helenjwrites !
Oh boy, how much did I love this book.
All of Helen Juliet’s books have been the perfect way to relax after a long week, and so I have to admit I was genuinely looking forward to this one. I couldn’t wait to unwind with a story that I knew was going to have lovable characters and a truly heartwarming ending. And Without A Compass did not disappoint.
You have Riley Anderson, who is unashamedly not an outdoors guy (more on that later!), and Kai Brandt, his older brother’s best friend. Out at a family camping trip together, as the days go on, Kai begins to question his sexuality and his undeniable new feelings toward Riley, and the two of them learn to face each other honestly, admitting what they really want and need.
There were so many tiny details about this book that I loved, but the biggest one was just how strong Riley was as a person. He was completely out of his element--he doesn’t even pretend to enjoy camping--and yet he didn’t stumble along trying to suppress his personality or quietly imitate everyone else. Instead, (without giving anything away!) he was completely unashamed about his love for creature comforts, and he did things his own way.
Another detail I loved was the way Kai made mistakes (accidentally stereotyping or making assumptions based on ignorance), and these were corrected rather than let go or--often worse--used as drama fodder. Kai didn’t mean any harm by the things he said, but they’re the same stereotypes and assumptions that we’ve all heard before, and just reading them makes your stomach sink. To be able to read them and then have the author gently correct those assumptions was uplifting and cathartic.
Overall, Without A Compass was a sweet, emotional read with minimal angst and a lovely slow-build to their relationship. The characters were lovable and real, and there are lots of rich details to enjoy along the way as well as their mutual pining.
