Boy Meets Boy

Title: Boy Meets Boy
Author: David Levithan
Pub Date: 2003
Pages: 185
Genre: Young Adult; Fiction; GLBT

OMG. And really, this book definitely deserves an OMG. I absolutely ADORED this book.

My experience with David Levithan is only as a co-writer with Rachel Cohen. (Some of you might remember that I really enjoyed Nick & Norah, but not so much Naomi & Ely). After reading Boy Meets Boy I have to announce that I am a Levithan fan.

The story is quite simple. Boy (Paul) meets boy (Noah) and they dig each other. Boy's ex boyfriend (Kyle) comes into the picture and causes tension between the diggin' boys. Boy and boy separate. Boy and boy finally come back together.

But the writing! The writing is incredible. Levithan truly captures what it is like to be an adolescent and meeting *that* person. Y'know, that person that makes you believe that love at first sight can happen, life is going to change, love is incredible and it will conquer all. He gets that. The simplicity and beauty of these two boys falling for each other, thinking about each other, hesitant and yet very much vulnerable.

Oh and let me not overlook the high school that these kids go to. I mean, the quarterback of the football team is a fashionista. That's right, when s(h)e's not on the field, Infinite Darlene is the queen of the school.

Then you have the side story of Tony (Paul's best friend) who struggles with coming out to very religious parents who pray out loud to God that a nice girl will come his way and change him back. This is the story of Tony finding strength to stand up for who he is and what he knows is right for him.

Finally, it's the story of Joni (Paul's other best friend) who begins dating someone that the group doesn't approve of. Mainly because it's Infinite Darlene's ex.

Do you see the beauty of all of this? The simplicity of normal adolescence with the complexity of awesome writing.

I've lived in the same town my whole life, Im used to dating people I already know well. There are always smaller mysteries to unravel, but I often have the general picture right in my mind when the dating begins. Noah, however, is entirely new to me. And I am entirely new to him. It would be so easy to lie - to make my favorites the same as his, or to pick more impressive choices. And yet I tell the truth. I want this all to be the truth. (67)