About the Book
-
Author:
- Alex Sanchez
Cover Story: The Three Amigos
Drinking Buddy: Yes and No
MPAA Rating: R (sexuality, tobacco and alcohol, violence)
Talky Talk: 2001
Bonus Factor: Friendship
Bromance Status: Another 25 Years
Cover Story: The Three Amigos
Okay portrayal of out-and-proud Nelson, Jason the jock, and everyman Kyle. Sure beats the original 2001 cover, with teen models standing in for the boys.
The Deal:
It’s 2001. A California high school. Nelson Glassman is gay, proud of it, and then some. He’s best friends with Kyle Meeks, a kind of brain/jock hybrid, who’s also gay, but sure as hell isn’t telling anyone. Meanwhile, popular basketball player Jason Carillo can’t stand that fag Nelson, but is becoming friends with Kyle, who’s tutoring him in math. Also, Jason thinks he may not be 100% straight, but really can’t go to anyone with that, especially not his alcoholic father.
All three boys run into each other at a LGBTQ support group. And thus, a friendship is formed. Eventually. By the end of the book.
Drinking Buddy: Yes and No
I liked Kyle. A swimmer, but also good at math. Secretly in love with Jason, but unsure what to do with that. He can’t come out to his parents, they’d never understand.
Jason took longer to warm up to. Very macho and athletic, he has a hot girlfriend and is very popular. But he feels like he’s going through the motions with girls, and can’t stop thinking about his new math tutor, Kyle. But there’s no way anything could happen there. Not wtih his violent, alcoholic father and the way the kids at school treat people like Nelson. Best to keep it in the closet.
And then there’s Nelson. Nelson, who dyes his hair and paints his nails. Nelson, who is unashamed of who he is. Nelson, whose mother is absolutely proud of him. Nelson, whose father ran off years ago.
Except…I didn’t like him. When Jason, obviously terrified, shows up and the support meeting, Nelson keeps joking about outing him to the school. He’s crushing on Kyle, but in an obsessive, not cool way. In fact, he tries to force a kiss on him, behavior that would be condemned if he were doing that to a girl. Plus, he’s a chain smoker. Sorry, I just didn’t care for him.
MPAA Rating: R (sexuality, tobacco and alcohol, violence)
It’s not easy being rainbow, not even in California. Coming out can put one in real physical danger. Also, Nelson engages in some high-risk behavior with men. The book doesn’t pull any punches about the risk of STIs, which some more recent books try to gloss over. All in all, it was fairly innocent, with me rooting for team Jason/Kyle.
Talky Talk: 2001
This is a rerelease of the original 2001 book, one of the earliest LGBTQ-friendly YA books out there. While reading, I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn’t a modern story. It was a huge deal to come out back then. People often reacted violently and were not punished. Authorities would look away, many times placing the blame on the gay kids for rocking the boat. LGBTQ people were considered deviant, and the idea of them having their own gay-straight alliance (part of the plot of this book) was absurd.
Of course recently, it seems we’re heading backwards in regards to acceptance. Blasts from the past like this are important to remind us of how things used to be, and that we must never go back.
Bonus Factor: Friendship
Jason’s father would disown him if he found out he was dating a guy. Kyle’s parents would probably be more understanding, but only in that they wouldn’t kick him out of the house. Nelson’s mother is totally on board with PFLAG and standing up for her son’s rights. Unfortunately, his father is nowhere to be seen. Not because his son’s gay. He just abandoned his family.
And that’s when friendship matters. Have just a couple of people there that you know, without them even saying it, that they like you for you you are and will always be there for you.
Bromance Status: Another 25 Years
While this book reflects back to a different time, when being gay was actually a crime in some venues, it also harkens back to a more innocent era, one of discovering who you were and that you could be proud of that.
Also, I’d already been a teacher for several years when this book came out. God, I’m old.
Literary Matchmaking
Inclination, by Mia Kerick, also deals with the fear of coming out.
As does Michael Barakiva’s One Man Guy.
You Brought Me the Ocean is another fine book by the same author.
FTC Full Disclosure: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher, but no introduction by author Maia Kobabe (like this author did).
