Review: Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.

Title: Boy Meets Boy

Author: David Levithan

Genre:YA / LGBT / Romance

Published by: Alfred Knopf 

Originally Published: 2003

Page Count: 185

"I was the first openly gay president of my third-grade class. I have seen men holding hands walking down the street in a big city and I have read about women getting married in a state that's not so far away. I have found a boy I might just love, and I have not run away. I believe that I can be anyone I might want to be. All these things give me strength." 

Boy Meets Boy follows the protagonist, Paul, an openly gay sophomore in high school. At the beginning of the book the captivating Noah tumbles into his life, and the pair are soon romantically linked as they both develop feelings for each other.  The town they live in is a paradise, an idyllic refuge for gay, bisexual, transgender, and frankly, every type of person. The book epitomises "YA romance" but has a whole cast of characters who are growing in character in each and every page.

The setting of this town is completely science-fiction, yet somehow believable. Every one in Paul's town seems wonderfully accepting and beautiful, they all embrace difference, and there's no one who epitomises difference than the homecoming queen and star quarter back Infinite Marlene (formally known as Daryl).

What I adore about this book is its collection of characters. You obviously have Paul at the centre of the story, he is the root that stems to each connecting character. Paul is likeable and relatable, he's your typical teenager. Noah is interesting and loveable. But besides these characters you have Tony (who I personally adored), he lives in the town next to Paul and lives in a religious household, where his parents try to ignore his homosexuality. His friendship with Paul is completely platonic and utterly perfect, the pair do not judge each other and are always there for each other.
You also have Joni, Paul's former best friend, isolating herself from her friends due to her boyfriend, Chuck. (We've all known a Joni, haven't we?)
You have Kyle, Paul's former ex who is now straight and claims Paul 'tricked' him. And you have Paul's parents, Tony's parents, Paul's brother Jay and Noah's sister Claudia.
Throughout the 185 pages you get a glimpse of people you have known in real life, fictionalised in Levithan's work but so beautifully. It's so sad that we don't see more of some characters. I personally would love to know more about Tony and Claudia.

There's not much I can say about this book, it follows and confines to certain tropes such as boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy tries to win girl back. But no, we have two males at the centre and its refreshing and original. It's a juxtaposition of the norm, yet it is completely the same. With Paul's town being so accepting, the novel portrays a gay relationship as similar and as typical as any other, and that's what I like about this book. I believe it is a few years before its time. It perfectly depicts what teenagers go through and it has nice references to popular culture and certain issues, such as the US's boy scouts issue, in which gay boys had been excluded from the scouts (something which has now changed). It refers to Paul's town having 'Joy Scouts', which I think is just wonderful.

The novel is a very character-driven book, like I said, and it has become one of my favourites, which I feel is a necessity for all gay teenagers. If I had read this at fifteen, I would have treasured it so much. Sadly, 15-year-old me was not much one for books, nor one to be suggested this kind of book by the people I surrounded myself with.

A quirky little book with a lovely ending. 4 out of 5 stars.