Rating: 3 out of 5
Summary
Growing up in the Midwest, David is frightened when he suspects he might have feelings for Sean, a fellow runner on the cross country team. He devises many different ways to force himself to stop thinking about Sean: self-punishment, overexertion at meets, going out with his close female friend.
But nothing seems to work, and encounter after encounter with Sean seem to push David very nearly over the edge of losing control of his emotions. Can David be true to himself when he is afraid of what the world will think of his real feelings?
Review
DAVID INSIDE OUT is a quiet but powerful read about the complexities of coming out in a wary society. Details are sparse, and while the simplistic narration and underdeveloped characters may turn off some readers, others may appreciate those techniques as a subtle yet effective way of bringing a difficult issue to light. David’s uneven summarization of the events in his life is indicative of a confused individual attempt to sort out his emotions.
Many of the characters, unfortunately, are unlikable or feel incomplete, even though they are partially that way due to their hinted-at complexities. Their motivations are muddled or unbelievable: David’s relationship with his accepting mother seems uncomplicated to the point of childishness. I actually found that the character whose actions I understood the most was Sean, caught in between homosexual feelings and the paralyzing fear that he will lose status and acceptance if he does not continue to lead the “normal” life.
DAVID INSIDE OUT is not for the faint-hearted or innocent-minded: there are quite a number of descriptions of sexual acts. That being said, it is a fascinating look into the struggles to come out in high school, and can very well be a must-read for anyone interested in GLBTQ studies.
Similar Authors
David Levithan
Brent Hartinger
Nick Burd
Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5
Henry Holt & Co. / May 2009 / Hardcover / $16.99
Thank you, Lee, for letting me review your book!
This looks amazing. I've read about it on different blogs, and here'smy consensus: I HAVE TO HAVE IT! :)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds pretty interesting... How does it compare to Nick Burd?
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting, but I'll wait to learn more about it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting review. I'm not desperate to read this one, but I might pick it up at some point.
ReplyDeleteI got halfway through this book but got really distracted by work. I am reading this as soon as I've finished my current read. Superb review =)
ReplyDeleteI want to try more GLBTQ books so I may read this.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely sounds powerful! Sometimes the quiet books turn out to be the ones that stay with me the longest! I love when that happens :)
ReplyDelete