A Paperback Reader

This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right. (goodreads)

The only way I can describe the experience of reading Boy Meets Boy is that it’s like floating in a sky filled with brightly coloured sour candyfloss clouds whilst laughing with your favourite people. It’s sweet, funny and beautifully written, a short, light novel about falling in love. There’s a slightly fantastical feel to it, which is probably mostly due to the setting; a town where many of the prejudices that litter the world don’t exist. This is not a realistic novel, though it’s the kind of novel that makes you wish it was real. The world of Boy Meets Boy is just that bit brighter. It’s the perfect escapist novel, and I have a feeling it’s going to be one of those that I come back to when I’m looking for something to cheer me up.

Levithan has a way of writing that makes me want to bookmark every page so I can go back to it. It’s beautiful and truthful. Even though I normally find myself wanting to throw a book across the room when it has characters like Paul, I completely sympathised with him. His choices made sense and his reasons were clear and understandable.

The characters are all great. I loved Infinite Darlene and Tony especially. It was difficult not to fall for Noah as hard as Paul did. He seemed to be the embodiment of the novel - unrealistically sweet, whimsical and artistic, and if I had a problem with the novel it was that it was sometimes too perfect. You have to be prepared to suspend disbelief. Having said that, there was acknowledgement of the real world through Tony, whose religious parents aren’t accepting of his sexuality, and it’s Tony (as well as Joni, Paul’s best friend) who stops the book from being too dreamy.

I definitely recommend this novel to anyone looking for a gayer John Green, in both senses of the word. It’s fun, pretty and a joy to read. 9/10.

What happens when your two best friends fall in love…with each other?

“Their friendship went so far back, it bordered on the Biblical — in the beginning, there was Nina and Avery and Mel.” So says high school senior Nina Bermudez about herself and her two best friends, nicknamed “The Bermudez Triangle” by a jealous wannabe back on Nina’s eleventh birthday. But the threesome faces their first separation when Nina goes away the summer before their senior year. And in ten short weeks, everything changes.

Nina returns home bursting with stories about Steve, the quirky yet adorable eco-warrior she fell for hard while away. But when she asks her best friends about their summer romances, an awkward silence follows.

Nina soon learns the shocking truth when she sees Mel and Avery…kissing. Their friendship is rocked by what feels like the ultimate challenge. But it’s only the beginning of a sometimes painful, sometimes funny, always gripping journey as three girls discover who they are and what they really want.

The Bermudez Triangle is one of those books that you want to snuggle with and read again and again until the spine’s cracked and the cover’s battered despite how much care you took of it. It’s a book that begs to be loved. Each one of the girls is a distinct, strong character who you can’t help but sympathise with despite the bad decisions that they make.

Nina’s reaction to the kiss is wonderful: beleivable and not unrealistically unfazed, but still sweet and amusing. Mel and Avery’s experiences with their sexuality are extremely different, but both felt real. Avery’s journey particularly was done very well; I won’t reveal too much, but there aren’t many who could write that kind of complex situation without falling into the trap of reducing her to a one dimensional stereotype. On top of all this the novel is funny, light and contains some very sweet romantic scenes.

One thing I really like about the novel is how no one is the perfect love interest; each character has their own flaws and their own struggle and growth through the story. I also loved how the friendship was the centre point of the story. Too often relationships between women aren’t shown or are displayed as bitchfests or shallow. The issue of sexuality could have easily been very dark, but it felt exactly right as it was; a meaningful glimpse into the problems teenagers often faced which didn’t skirt away or forcibly lighten the issue, yet never felt heavy.

Fun, sweet and warm, this book is a must read for anyone looking for a good story about teenage girls growing up and dealing with sexuality and relationships. The friendship between the three girls is the driving force of the novel and is a really lovely, honest depiction of the love that binds friends together. The Bermudez Triangle is an uplifting read - which reminds me, it’s about time for me to reread it. 10/10.