When I saw the cover of this on Net Galley, I was all ooh two boys in flannel, this looks to be interesting. Then I saw it was set in the 90’s, in Ireland (yummy accents), and a coming of age story. I was sold, so I signed up for it. You see, I miss 90’s fashion terribly, I think it’s the only time I really was in style. I mean how hard is it to toss on a flannel shirt, ripped jean, and doc martins or combat boots? Yeah, I was suddenly in style in a High School filled with J Crew and Gap girls. So I want to give a big thank you to Mudhoney for bringing forth the grunge era. This story centers on Neil, a sensitive young man who realized he was gay at the age of ten. Since then he has played the class clown with his friends, and been slowly pulling away from his family. I loved the way his thought process was written, how he narrated what he was going to say before he said it. On how he told himself stories on how things would go if he said this, or did that. It was interesting, and it really showed how scared he was to EVER show his true self. I also found it amazing on how strong yet fragile Neil was, how adult in some ways, and so very lost in others. How he acknowledges how different he feels for certain people, but when it’s easy he fools himself thinking lust is love. With Ian it’s the innocent, pure, sweet, heart wrenching love of hidden poems, and midnight walks by his house. With Uncle Sugar it’s the pity love, the honor, and flattering feelings of being sought after, the shared sadness of knowing that you share a bond of hopeless love. With Shane it’s the lust ridden, blinder wearing, fool yourself, character flaw ignoring relationship you know is not going to last long, but always hope it does. Along with Neil’s story we see glimpses of other peoples’ lives, and what they struggle with. He meets a Drag Queen, whose wife took the kids and left, a young man dying of AIDS, his best friend having an affair with a married man, his sexually active sister smoking pot with her boyfriend, as well as a list of problems that his friends are dealing with. This is a slice of life story, one that touches your heart, makes you feel the emotions the main character is feeling. I really wish I found this to read back when it was published, it’s a beautiful story that shows you just how not different everyone is. How love, no matter who you are is messy, stupid, pure, innocent, blind, and always worth it.Thank you Net Galley and Albert Whitman & Company
