Boy Meets Boy

Jan 02, 2013 Ami rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-fiction, 5-stars_rating

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Review will be spoiler-ish of the storyline

You know a book is special, when the first thing you do AFTER you close the last page is ... sighing and whisper, "Beautiful".

That is exactly what I do after I finish reading Levithan's Boy Meets Boy. I think this is one of the most beautiful and smartest young adult book dealing with gay-themed that I have read. Sure, this book has sort of an unrealistic portrayal of LGBT acceptance. But that is the beauty of it. This is THE Gay Utopia World -- where...more Review will be spoiler-ish of the storyline

You know a book is special, when the first thing you do AFTER you close the last page is ... sighing and whisper, "Beautiful".

That is exactly what I do after I finish reading Levithan's Boy Meets Boy. I think this is one of the most beautiful and smartest young adult book dealing with gay-themed that I have read. Sure, this book has sort of an unrealistic portrayal of LGBT acceptance. But that is the beauty of it. This is THE Gay Utopia World -- where the gay kids and the lesbian kids and the drag queens can exist in a high school with the other kids, in a town where P-FLAG is "as big as draw as the PTA", where the town Boy Scouts changes their name to Joy Scouts simply because "Boy Scouts decided gays had no place in their ranks".

It's a hopeful world, and in the center of it, is the love story between Paul -- who knows he is gay since he is five years old -- and Noah, the new senior at the high school. It is also a story of friendship and fighting for the right to be who you are, with Paul's friends: Joni, Tony, Infinite Darlene, Ted, and Paul's ex, Kyle. This book makes me laugh in the beginning, when I read how Paul comes out to his parents ... "Guess, what, I'm gay" (Paul says to his mother). "Honey ... Paul leaned a new word!" (that's how his mother reacted).

But it also made me think, when Tony, Paul's friend who lives at another town, with a very strict religious parents, tells him that he always feels lost because he is pretending to be someone he is not and even if it hurts him, he knows that his parents actually love him.

""But maybe they will someday. I don't know. All I know is that I can't just run off. They think that being gay is going to mess up my whole life. I can't prove them right, Paul. I have to prove them wrong. And I know I can't prove them wrong by changing myself or by denying what I really am. The only way for me to prove them wrong is to try to be who I am and show them it's not hurting me to be that way. In two years I'll graduate. I'll be gone. But in the meantime, I have to find a way to make this work."

It's so heartbreaking the way Tony says it -- no kids should ever feel that way, it's just wrong!!! -- but that is one fact that is closer to the world we live in.

But this book is also romantic and witty -- and you need to read how Paul determines to prove to Noah that he loves him, by giving him, let's see: flowers and time (first day), words and definitions (second day), space (third day), song (fourth day), film (fifth day), letters (sixth day), and himself (seventh day). I DARE YOU to find one adult romance who can be as inventive and unique like this book, in declaring one's love to another. Those books simply pale in comparison. Plus the beautiful "paint some music" scene that is so beautiful, I can imagine it in my mind and start painting some music as well.

This book is one that I can cherish, because it touches not only my brain, but also my heart and my soul. Thank you, Mr. Levithan. (less)

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Oct 26, 2010 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: and-so-this-is-grad-school

hm. i don't really know what to make of this one.

see, here's the deal - i know this is a hugely popular gay teen fiction book - it has been around for a while and everyone loves it (LGM) , but in light of recent current events, it just makes me nervous.

this book takes place in a gay utopia, really. a world where there would be no need for the "it gets better project". and on the one hand, i'm sure gay teens would love reading it because it is like an escapist fantasy where everyone is tolerant...more

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Oct 19, 2010 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ala-ya-2004, 2010, ya

Any book that makes me cry deserves at least 4 stars. Boy Meets Boy managed to squeeze tears out of me on several occasions. It doesn't mean, however, that this is one of those downer novels where someone dies or suffers horrible decease or misfortunes. Quite the opposite, this book is actually upbeat and lighthearted, and my tears were tears of pride and relief mostly.

The setting of the novel is unusual. In fact, I am dying to borrow from Tony Kushner and call Boy Meets Boy a gay fantasia. A to...more

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Sep 09, 2010 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Lisa by: http://michelenjeff-reviews.blogspot.com/

Shelves: coming-of-age, gay-lit, m-m, ya, humor

Paul, the narrator of Boy Meets Boy has known he was gay since kindergarten. He didn’t, however, know there was a name for it until he saw his progress report on his teacher’s desk declaring, “PAUL IS DEFINITELY GAY AND HAS A VERY GOOD SENSE OF SELF,” at which point he joyfully outs himself to his parents that very evening. Up until then, Paul had thought the whole man/woman thing was just an oddity that grownups participated in…like flossing.

Paul was also the first openly gay candidate for cla...more Paul, the narrator of Boy Meets Boy has known he was gay since kindergarten. He didn’t, however, know there was a name for it until he saw his progress report on his teacher’s desk declaring, “PAUL IS DEFINITELY GAY AND HAS A VERY GOOD SENSE OF SELF,” at which point he joyfully outs himself to his parents that very evening. Up until then, Paul had thought the whole man/woman thing was just an oddity that grownups participated in…like flossing.

Paul was also the first openly gay candidate for class president in the entire history of the third grade. His best friend and campaign manager, Joni, came up with the brilliant slogan, “VOTE FOR ME…I’M GAY!” With which he won the election handily. And so the tone is set for one of the brightest, wittiest, and most charming Young Adult novels I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience.

Boy Meets Boy takes place in a town and a high school like no other. The quarterback/homecoming queen is a drag queen named Infinite Darlene, who may or may not be a lesbian. The cheerleaders all perform intricate stunts on their Harleys to impress the crowds. Kyle, Paul’s ex-boyfriend, is bisexual and hates being on the fence. In short, this story is set in a high school where the gay and lesbian students happily co-exist with the straight in a sort of Utopian atmosphere, where stereotypes are shattered, while all the angst of teenage relationships still reigns.

This story could be summed up rather briefly: boy meets boy, boy screws up, boy loses boy, boy strives to overcome the 12-to-1 odds against him winning boy back, boy pulls out all the romantic stops and overcomes the odds. Paul handles all this while trying to help his best friend, Tony, who’s also gay, overcome the pain of living with religiously intolerant parents, fighting to hang onto, Joni, who’s left all her friends behind for her new boyfriend, and fending off the advances of his ex-boyfriend, Kyle, who’d broken up with Paul in a most awful way.

There’s so much more to the story though, certainly more than can be summed up in a few sentences. Paul and Noah meet and each knows that there’s something very special about the other. The book follows the ups and downs of their relationship, and does so in an earnest and honest way. While some of the characters are quite unique in their own ways, the issues they face are conventional, which makes them relatable to the reader. David Levithan took great care to portray each character and the problems they faced in a respectful and sensitive way.

This story is told with great candor, humor, and affection. Just as Noah paints music, the reader comes to the end of the story and realizes that the author has done the same, but his medium is words and his palette is colorful. I wasn’t ready for this story to end, and that’s perhaps the greatest compliment I can pay to both the author and the book.
(less)

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Jan 23, 2008 Calilibrarian rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I first read this book, I fell in love...

in love with the main character and with the writer. David Levithan nailed what I'd been looking for for some time; a type of book that should be written many times over for alot of different kids.

Here is the review I wrote June, 2004

I just read an incredible book. Its called Boy meets Boy by David Levithan. I loved it on so many levels; the main one being its normalcy. Through my book travels, I read alot of teen angst, where the main character is...more When I first read this book, I fell in love...

in love with the main character and with the writer. David Levithan nailed what I'd been looking for for some time; a type of book that should be written many times over for alot of different kids.

Here is the review I wrote June, 2004

I just read an incredible book. Its called Boy meets Boy by David Levithan. I loved it on so many levels; the main one being its normalcy. Through my book travels, I read alot of teen angst, where the main character is dealing with tragedy in some form, or struggling to find his place...but in Boy meets Boy, the main character in this book, Paul, is someone that I would want to be my friend. Someone I like and want to see again, get to know and see him grow and develope. (And so, of course, I will read Levithans next work eagerly)
Paul comes from a secure, happy two parent family, he's fifteen and loves his parents. They worry about him, understand him, yet support him with little fanfare and alot of pride. The fact that Paul is gay is almost beside the point--which in my opinion is the point. This is a story about friends who deal with struggles of love, trust, relationships and simple suburban life that is for once (gasp) not denigrated, but celebrated. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Okay, I wrote that short review back in June and re-reading it I see that it fails to do justice to the book. I was literally crying when I finished it. From sadness? No not at all. Sometimes a scene is so poignant that you get choked up. The last scene was powerful and beautiful that I had to hold it to myself a little longer. This is the magic that David Levithan creates.

This book is about a gay teenager that is happy, is NORMAL, and is a precious adorable soul. I like his ethics, his take on life, his matter of fact acceptance that he is gay, like he's blond or blue eyed. I love his parents who accepted it from day one--possibly when his kindergarten teacher made a notation that Paul was probably gay. There is nothing unusual about his family (why would there be?) they are loving parents that have expectations for Paul and his brother like any other family. This book is not about the gay experience yet is wholly involved with the relationships between Paul, his new love interest and his old boyfriend, not to mention a host of other funny sometimes wacky characters.

Teen issues are teen issues...does it matter whether or not they are gay?

Kids need to see themselves within the context of normalcy. David has done this.

(less)

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Jan 28, 2011 Tenley Nadine rated it 5 of 5 stars

At the beginning I couldn't see the town in the book being real. I liked the town, it seemed awesome, just not realistic. I was very much like Tony in that sense; "The first time I met you, I honestly couldn't believe that someone like you could exist, or even a town like yours could entirely exist." But as I got to the middle, a little after I read that quote, I realized two things. First, Paul is the exception not the rule. He's grown up in this amazing home with a really supportive family and...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Yuri Aoi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 14, 2008 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teens

Shelves: ya-books, queer

It was cute. I'm not sure if I like the constant cheery-ness of it, though. It's fairly unrealistic, how nice everyone is. I mean, there are issues, but they are pretty mild, and the main kid is SO nice.. teenage boys are never that nice. So.. it wasn't exactly believable, but it was sweet and kind of funny, even though it took place in a fantasy-land. (Though, it should be noted, I certainly wish we did live in a time when non-straightness was so accepted and viewed as normal. Maybe this book t...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Vinaya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Vinaya by: Hannah

Shelves: happy-happy-gay, books-i-liked, fluff-fluffy-fluffest, hmm-that-was-interesting, favorites, mixed-vibes, romance, speshul-snowflake, wish-that-was-me, ya-fiction

Or Ten Reasons Why You Should Read Boy Meets Boy

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I want to live in the world David Levithan has created. It's fun, it's fabulous, it's the literary equivalent of unicorn fart! Sure, I know there probably doesn't exist a place where all the teenagers gather together to dance away Sunday nights in the local bookstore. Where the school's star quarterback is a crossdresser with the improbable name of Infinite Darlene. Where the Boy Scouts quit and reform as the Joy Scouts because the Boy Scouts would...more

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Aug 29, 2008 Walter rated it 4 of 5 stars

A near-perfect fantasy novel. No dragons or wizards, but a six-foot-four drag queen high school quarterback named Infinite Darlene; no quests or curses, but a remarkable town where they got over the tension between gays and straights a while back.

Yes, it couldn't happen here yet, but as long as writers like Levithan keep creating wonderful "what if" novels for gay teens, there's hope!

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Jan 12, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-humanities, finished-irp-books

Amanda McClure
Boy Meets Boy

This book is about, a few gay boys who are having trouble finding there place. The main characters are Paul and Noah. The story started in a library where Paul and his friends are hanging out and he meets Noah, the boy of his dreams. The only problem is Paul’s ex boyfriend Kyle keeps trying to involve himself with Paul again. Paul soon starts to date Noah, sadly Kyle wouldn’t stop trying to talk to Paul. When Paul finally talks to Kyle, Kyle kisses him. Paul accidenta...more

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Jan 28, 2012 AnnaLund rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: top-read-of-2012, m-m-romance

Apart from the fact that I truly enjoyed the scenario of a town of people who mostly seem cool about teenagers, life and sexuality—also when this sexuality is being gay—it was with great appreciation that I read this book. I read it with a smile on my face all the way through. This does NOT happen very often in stories where the main character is a gay teen, and it is most certainly something I would wish to see more often. The power of Positive.
Yes, gay teens do usually NOT have this kind of l...more Apart from the fact that I truly enjoyed the scenario of a town of people who mostly seem cool about teenagers, life and sexuality—also when this sexuality is being gay—it was with great appreciation that I read this book. I read it with a smile on my face all the way through. This does NOT happen very often in stories where the main character is a gay teen, and it is most certainly something I would wish to see more often. The power of Positive.
Yes, gay teens do usually NOT have this kind of life. But it is completely possible, and unless we never see what it could look like, we will never get there. Paul's friend Tony's parents, deeply religious, seem to do what many do: they read the Bible and it says man shall not sleep with man like with a woman. And they take that to heart. But in all honesty, Tony's mother should have been quiet, and with a scarf to hide her hair, because the Bible also says that a woman shall not speak nor show her hair in public. So please, either take in ALL that is written in the 2000-year old book ALL ITS PARTS, or at least, interpret it with a modern eye. You can't just *choose* the parts of it that fit you, and gloss over the rest. Your child is beautiful. Love him. Period.

Now, what I adored in this book was also the brilliant use of words. I do so like well-brushed prose.
Like in:
"She's old enough to wear make-up, but she hasn't figured out yet how to wear it well."
And also a turn of phrase like:
"Tony and I figure out the best thing a straight boy with religious, intolerant parents can do for his love life is tell his parents he's gay. Before Tony's parents discovered he was gay they wouldn't let him shake hands with a girl. Now if he mentions he's doing something with a girl—any girl—they practically pimp him out the door."
How can you not love that? Both the wording and the content is sheer brilliance.

It gets poetic at times, and it is with great relish I read things like ".. the streets decorated with mailbox shadows and just-fallen leaves." Just beautiful.

I shall end with what is a great quote to live by:
"I find my greatest strength in wanting to be strong."
Yes, there is power in this book. The power of wanting to be strong, of loving and the power of what, for me, will always be the most important, and what makes life worth living:
You stand up for your friends. You stand up for your friends.
Brilliant book, on all levels.(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Jessica-Robyn rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Will Grayson

Shelves: lgbtq, young-adult, pov-male, standalone-novels, romance, 2013-read, favourites

This review can also be read on my blog Reading Robyn

Boy Meets Boy starts off as a novel of what ifs. What if there was a place where acceptance was the norm? What if not-normal was the norm? What if what you're left with is just the extraordinary? That place exists in this novel.

The setting of Boy Meets Boy is a central part of the novel and reminds me a lot of the worlds that we see in cartoons. This place is colourful, eccentric, and fascinating. We all wish we could live there, not only bec...more This review can also be read on my blog Reading Robyn

Boy Meets Boy starts off as a novel of what ifs. What if there was a place where acceptance was the norm? What if not-normal was the norm? What if what you're left with is just the extraordinary? That place exists in this novel.

The setting of Boy Meets Boy is a central part of the novel and reminds me a lot of the worlds that we see in cartoons. This place is colourful, eccentric, and fascinating. We all wish we could live there, not only because it is a place where all things seem to belong, but because this is the place where everyday things are transformed into amazing things. It seems like an interesting concept in theory, but even I was surprised how well it all works. The setting is an ideal, but the circumstances in the story are not always so.

In Boy Meets Boy, a boy (Paul) meets another boy (Noah) and they start to fall for each other. What makes this worth reading is that normally in LGBTQ YA this meeting of hearts ends badly, not because of the relationship itself, but because of the society we live in. LGBTQ is normally about the realization of sexuality and the oppression of it, all of which are subjects handled in Boy Meets Boy, but here the book treats its characters like they really are just part of contemporary romance. There are love triangles, mistakes made, ex-boyfriends, a school dance, tested friendships, and dates!

I think this is the first time I've read a LGBTQ book where the main character actually goes out on dates and has a dating history. And that in itself is what makes this so special! It's one thing to handle what it means to discover your sexuality, but it's an entirely different thing to be past that point, to have reached an understanding of it, and then go on to live your life as it demands to be lived.

David Levithan is an amazing writer. That is just a fact. He knows how to take characters and make them people that you know are out there somewhere. What impressed me the most is that he could have easily taken the fantasy of this story too far, but he never does. He kept his writing planted in reality just enough to show the prejudice, to show the dark side, to show what gay teenager go through, without losing any of the humour and sunshine that makes this story fun.

My first experience with Levithan was in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I figured since I hadn't read anything else by him that Boy Meets Boy would be an appropriate place to start. Will Grayson, Will Grayson is one of my go to recommendations and if you like that book you will most definitely like this one. The style is different, the tone is not.

Boy Meets Boy ends up being a truly touching and upbeat novel about what it's really like when boy meets boy. It's just that simple.(less)

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Jan 21, 2009 Swankivy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favoritebooks

At first glance, it seems unrealistic that this book features a largely utopian school and town, where gay people and straight people get along and don't bat an eyelash over a 6'4" mtf transgender quarterback who's also the homecoming queen (and a lesbian). But the fact that there is plenty of prejudice outside the town--and sometimes in the heads of local students who should know better--lets me trust the author and just love what I'm seeing. The main character is a boy who's always known he's...more At first glance, it seems unrealistic that this book features a largely utopian school and town, where gay people and straight people get along and don't bat an eyelash over a 6'4" mtf transgender quarterback who's also the homecoming queen (and a lesbian). But the fact that there is plenty of prejudice outside the town--and sometimes in the heads of local students who should know better--lets me trust the author and just love what I'm seeing. The main character is a boy who's always known he's gay (ran for third grade class president with the slogan "Vote for me, I'm gay!"), and young Paul is a very authentic. His relationships with others are distinct, realistic, and unusually felt; Paul seems aware of their emotions on an unusual level, though that certainly doesn't exempt him from having his share of romantic woes. On the contrary! (Obviously.)

The main plot of the story involves high school sophomore Paul trying to get to know the new guy, Noah, and dealing with the fact that both of them have been hurt before in pretty serious ways that are still quite raw. Paul still has feelings of love--though not being IN love--for his previous boyfriend, and the previous boyfriend comes back into his life at an inconvenient time. And his desire to help his previous boyfriend find happiness does lead to some mistakes, which he has to undo to prove that he is worthy of Noah.

Plenty of other relationship woes are woven into this brilliant tapestry of high school life. Paul's best girl friend is involved with a guy who seems to be changing her (and she doesn't see how bad this is for her). (The jerky boyfriend is characterized so well; he instinctively blows up at being addressed as "gay boy" even though the address was aimed at Paul and another gay friend, and his beverage choice is made obvious by a collection of "crushed Pepsi cans" in his backseat; yes, he's exactly the kind of guy who would crush cans after drinking the soda, isn't he!) Paul has a sad friend in another town whose religiously oppressive parents won't acknowledge that he is gay, and they think Paul is a bad influence on his sexuality when he's just trying to be a friend. And let's not forget Infinite Darlene (never figured out why she's "Infinite"), the aforementioned trans quarterback/homecoming queen who is always about to rip into a girl who challenges her authority on a committee.

The way the high school runs is very unusual on some levels, but it is familiar to any one of us who's gone to public school--the drama, the note-passing between classes, the OMG HE'S GONNA THINK I DON'T LIKE HIM BECAUSE I DIDN'T MEET HIM AT HIS LOCKER, MY LIFE IS OVER! mentality. I was amazed at how well this came across and still held a riveting story of teen love and angst, and how great Paul as a character was. He knew who he was and never fretted over the whole gay phenomenon; he just was who he was, was almost always honest without seeming unrealistic, and again the portrayal of his sensitivity was really gorgeous.

I do have to wonder what happened to that note Paul dropped in the wrong locker. . . .(less)

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Nov 26, 2007 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, glbtq

Paul is a high school sophomore in what seems to be a perfect town for gay youth. Gay, straight, transgender and bisexual teens live together in harmony. Well, maybe not. There’s definitely drama going on, but it doesn’t have to do with worrying about who is gay and who is straight (at Paul’s school the homecoming queen also happens to be the star quarterback as well). When a new boy moves into town, Paul is suddenly smitten. Romance begins to blossom and then hits a wall. Along with his new fou...more

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Sep 30, 2007 Evan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who likes YA fiction

Shelves: youngadultfiction

I loved this book. At some time while reading this book I turned to the front to see if it was something I checked out of the library or something that was mine and then I remembered a very good friend had given me the book the Christmas before last. I was really grateful for that because it's a book that I must own. It is the story of Paul and his friends. Paul meets a boy named Noah and falls in love. He's also dealing with his ex-boyfriend, his other gay friend Tony who has super religious pa...more

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Sep 12, 2007 Briynne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Another enforced read, courtesy of YA Lit. I think this book was maybe a 2.5 on the scale, but I chose to round down since there were a few things that really bugged me about it. On the positive, there are parts of the book that manage to really resonate. When the book stops trying to be cool, it's not bad at all. I liked the character of Noah, who seemed nicely human in spite of the role he had as the perfect guy. At times I also enjoyed Paul, the main character; he was honest, he screwed up an...more Another enforced read, courtesy of YA Lit. I think this book was maybe a 2.5 on the scale, but I chose to round down since there were a few things that really bugged me about it. On the positive, there are parts of the book that manage to really resonate. When the book stops trying to be cool, it's not bad at all. I liked the character of Noah, who seemed nicely human in spite of the role he had as the perfect guy. At times I also enjoyed Paul, the main character; he was honest, he screwed up and admitted to the fact, and was flawed in the ways that all teenagers are.

However, there are some pretty big "howevers" to those positive things. First and foremost was the author. He had a decent story, decent characters, and the advantage of writing about something (gay teenagers in suburban America) that hasn't already been done a million times. But he still manages to completely mess up the book by being to noticable. I don't blame him for writing some of the things he did - we all write stupid extra paragraphs with no relation to the plot that happen to amuse us. I do blame him and his editor for letting them stay in the published version. For instance, and I quote:

"The janitor's closet has the usual brooms, mops, and buckets. At its center, though, is a state-of-the-art computer. Our janitorial staff is one of the richest in the country becuase of their day-trading skills. They could have retired long ago, but they all have a compulsion to clean schools." (p. 102)

Seriously? The book is FULL of these obnoxious, indulgent little bits that instantly made you remember you're reading a story, rather than let you drift into it and forget that it's all pretend. I was pretty aggrevated by the time I reached the end.

Secondly, there is the issue of Infinite Darlene and what she represents in the story. Infinite Darlene is one of the school's apparently many transvestites who happens to be both the star quarterback and the homecoming queen. And, no one seems to think twice about it. The book is full of situations that seem pretty un-realistic, whatever your opinon about whether in a perfect world they would be realistic or not. The way the characters' school and community are depicted comes off feeling incredibly contrived; maybe the author meant to write the book as a utopia or a "look how things could be". I don't know. It didn't have enough of a feel of a fable for that style to me, so it just ended up feeling fake. It almost seems like if the author set the book in (my understanding of) the real world, it would have both made more sense and carried more weight. (less)

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Jul 06, 2007 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-little-romance, coming-of-age, gltbtq, social-commentary, ya-fic, library-school

Levithan's utopian vision for a world in which no teenager is forced to "come out of the closet" - because he or she never has to hide in the first place - is inspiring. The normalization of same-sex first love, drag-queen quarterbacks, and all-around positive weirdness makes comment on today's less than inclusive reality by portraying a more accepting environment.

However, many of the gay adults I've talked with and read reviews from have a very different reaction to Boy Meets Boy - usually alon...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Meg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Quirky, unique and unbearably sweet, Boy Meets Boy tells the story of a gay high school boy living in a not-so-ordinary town. I loved the whimsy of this story, and the sweet treatment Levithan uses to examine relationships and friendships (each being as important as the other in different but congruent ways). I love his writing ... it becomes so big and beautiful that I could just sail away on it for hours. Even though I loved the quickness of the read and the simplicity of the plot, I almost wi...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Audrey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-kiddies-or-young-adults, man-love

Sweet and charming first person POV story about gay high schoolers. A quick, sweet, and clean read, and I very much enjoyed it.

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Oct 01, 2008 Jackie "the Librarian" rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ages 13 and up

Shelves: glbt, youngadult, humor

Set in a world where all sexualities are accepted, and the captain of the football team is a transsexual named Infinite Darlene, this is the sweet story of a boy named Paul finding love with another boy, with all the giddiness and excitement that comes with a new relationship when you're a teenager.
It's kind of like chic-lit, bubbly and fun, with no worries about coming out, no angst other than whether the object of affection returns it. It made me wistful that the world isn't more like this fo...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Christina (Reading Thru The Night) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, lgbt, ya-love

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 diggi...more 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)(less)

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Dec 27, 2008 Ozimandias rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book of Levithan's I have read. The first "The Realm of Possibility" was a unique novel told by twenty different high school kids. As you can imagine, their voices are disparate and relatable because of it. This book is the story of Paul, an out-and-proud gay boy whose only problems are those that any teenager has - romance, friendships, family. All seems normal until you back up and realize that those are rarely the only problems gay teens have. This story is a fairytale, wit...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Kristina Lareau rated it 5 of 5 stars

Levithan, David (2003). Boy Meets Boy. New York: Random House. 192 pages.

As I opened this book I knew three things: 1. I had to read it for class, 2. It was HIGHLY recommended to me from about 40 different people and 3. It must involve a homosexual romance. The storyline is very typical for a YA romance: high school student meets new person, falls in love, makes mistake comforting ex, friend starts seeing someone bad for her, gossip mill relays incomplete information to the student’s new love, t...more Levithan, David (2003). Boy Meets Boy. New York: Random House. 192 pages.

As I opened this book I knew three things: 1. I had to read it for class, 2. It was HIGHLY recommended to me from about 40 different people and 3. It must involve a homosexual romance. The storyline is very typical for a YA romance: high school student meets new person, falls in love, makes mistake comforting ex, friend starts seeing someone bad for her, gossip mill relays incomplete information to the student’s new love, they break up, mistake is rectified, they get back together and everyone is friends again. It could be hundreds of novels, yet Boy Meets Boy is one of the most atypical YA novels I have ever read.

Levithan’s book is so idyllic, almost utopian in the acceptance of all sexualities. No, it is not perfect–there is some tension with Infinite Darlene’s role as the star quarterback and prom queen; however, the tension is merely that between various cliques as would be at any high school. Paul, the protagonist is well-adjusted, accepted, popular and gay. His friends are a mix of bisexual, transvestite, gay and straight, in a harmonious rainbow of sexualities. The novel’s struggle remains the typical teenage problems of parents and friends and love, without the added issues of acceptance because of sexuality. While this novel could be easily criticized as unrealistic or fantastic, I find it to be a delightful reprieve from those struggles; it is a hopeful high school where various sexualities just are. The struggles of the protagonist, being that of a normal teenager who just happens to be gay differs from Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger, another YA novel that follows the transformation of a transgendered girl-boy. Wittlinger’s protagonist, Grady, questions her sexuality while dealing with the normal teenage problems of parents, school, friends and relationships. Unlike Paul’s world; however, Grady’s world is far from Utopian. Grady is questioned by not only his friends and teachers, but also his parents. Leviathan’s Paul is confident in his homosexuality and is accepted by his parents, his friends and his society. Where Parrotfish often feels forced and contrived–Grady’s first kiss as a boy with a girl seems unrealistic in the climate of the novel–Boy Meets Boy feels perfectly natural. It is ironic that Grady’s world aligns itself more closely with our own, while Paul’s is the more fantastic yet more natural.

Hooking a young adult reader into Boy Meets Boy should not be difficult. A book talk describing the normalcy of the plot line (as I did in the first paragraph of this post) with and added “but everybody’s gay” or something similar might make for an intriguing introduction to the novel. Introducing Infinite Darlene as Paul sees her on pages 15 and 16 of the novel would also be a means of luring those unsuspecting readers into this idyllic world.(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

Parts of this book were brilliant (and what I hoped for more of) and other parts were exactly what I hate about young adult literature. Here are two sample passages that will demonstrate exactly what I mean.

Cringe-worthy:
"The gymnasium doors open and the cheerleaders come riding in on their Harleys. The crowd goes wild...A few years ago, it was decided that having a posse of motorcycles gun around the fields and courts was a much bigger cheer-inducer than any pom-pom routine could ever hope to b...more Parts of this book were brilliant (and what I hoped for more of) and other parts were exactly what I hate about young adult literature. Here are two sample passages that will demonstrate exactly what I mean.

Cringe-worthy:
"The gymnasium doors open and the cheerleaders come riding in on their Harleys. The crowd goes wild...A few years ago, it was decided that having a posse of motorcycles gun around the fields and courts was a much bigger cheer-inducer than any pom-pom routine could ever hope to be. Now, in an intricately choreographed display, the Harleys swerve around the gym, starting off in a pyramid the shape of a bird migration, then splitting up into spins and corners. For a finale, the cheerleaders rev all at once and shoot themselves off a ramp emblazoned with our high school's name..."

Artistically stunning:
(On contemplating sexual identity) "I thought I understood things. I thought I would get up every morning with a secret and go to sleep every night with the same secret. I thought my life would start only when I was out of here. I felt that I had learned something about myself too soon, and that there was nothing I could do to undo the truth. And I wanted to undo it, Paul. I wanted to so bad. Then I met you in the city on the train, and suddenly it was like this door had been opened. I saw I couldn't live like I'd been living, because now there was another way to do it. And part of me loved that. And part of me still hates it. Part of me - this dark, scared part of me - wishes I never knew how it could be. I don't have the courage that you do."

I expected more of the second paragraph but the book was a balance of both and that's really unfortunate. I thought the book would accurately portray what I assume most many LGBTQ but it wasn't really about that. And since I'm not one for love stories, this book missed the mark.

What I also loved about this book was that the person who checked it out before me had underlined select passages. The one sentence that was underlined and stood out the most was this one: "This was before he knew me, before he knew anyone who would take him in and tell him he was all right."

I want to tell the person who underlined that part of the book that s/he WILL be alright.

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Mar 18, 2013 Rachel Lahaie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Boy Meets Boy is a story about the life of a gay teenage boy in high school. In his town, being gay is not a big deal; in fact most people are advocates besides the religious followers. The main character is Paul who is also the narrator. He has a best friend, Tony who is gay but does not have the courage to stand up to his religious parents about his sexuality. Rather, Tony deals with the condemnation he experiences from his family. Paul has another best friend, Joni, who is obsessed with guys....more Boy Meets Boy is a story about the life of a gay teenage boy in high school. In his town, being gay is not a big deal; in fact most people are advocates besides the religious followers. The main character is Paul who is also the narrator. He has a best friend, Tony who is gay but does not have the courage to stand up to his religious parents about his sexuality. Rather, Tony deals with the condemnation he experiences from his family. Paul has another best friend, Joni, who is obsessed with guys. Paul inevitably gets sick of her throughout the story because of her selfishness. Paul falls in love but must deal with his ex trying to get in the picture. Paul also has another friend named Infinite Darlene, who is transgendered and also the quarterback of the football team. The story really depicts the life of high school students and the vast differences amongst students. Boy Meets Boy is really inclusive about LGBTQ in high schools and it really shows the courage that teenagers must face when they are LGBTQ.

This is a book that was out of my comfort zone, and the first LGBTQ book that I have ever read. I must say it was an easy and fun read. I think many people who are struggling with their sexuality could find peace in this book. There were some things that I did not necessarily agree with because they are not relevant to today’s times. The book was very ideal in the way the world should work when dealing with the LGBTQ community in terms of equality. To me it almost seemed fake. For example, it was okay for people to call the main character Paul, “gay boy,” and he would never be offended. I think the book was a little unrealistic but I think the author was trying to convey that this is how life should be for teenagers who are figuring out their sexuality.

I would recommend this to middle school students to sophomore year high school students. I would recommend it to students who are openly gay or who might be struggling with their sexuality because it is a really understanding book. It does act as an encouraging piece for those students who are gay. Also, this book touches on stereotypes in the high school setting so it would be fun just to mention it to my future classroom. It really intertwines all of the stereotypes nicely.
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Feb 13, 2013 Nashmia rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 11, 2013 Courtney Johnston rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed, fiction

Boy Meets Boy feels almost like a prototype for Glee, Pitch Perfect, and all the other embrace-your-difference tv series and movies that have flooded the 2000s (and earlier, I guess, right?). Maybe that makes sense. First published in 2003, this short, sweet book is set in a utopia: a place where a kindergartener can figure out he's gay, the star QB is transgender, the cheerleaders ride Harleys, the Boy Scouts were thrown out for not being gay-friendly and the Joy Scouts introduced, McDonalds is...more Boy Meets Boy feels almost like a prototype for Glee, Pitch Perfect, and all the other embrace-your-difference tv series and movies that have flooded the 2000s (and earlier, I guess, right?). Maybe that makes sense. First published in 2003, this short, sweet book is set in a utopia: a place where a kindergartener can figure out he's gay, the star QB is transgender, the cheerleaders ride Harleys, the Boy Scouts were thrown out for not being gay-friendly and the Joy Scouts introduced, McDonalds is replaced by a vegetarian fast-food joint and a gay-straight alliance is formed at middle school to help the heteronormatives dance better.

Our lead character, Paul, lives in this rainbow idyll. His parents fully support his early coming out, his friends love him, he was the first gay class president, he's dated throughout school, and he's 'architecting' the school dance. He's also just fallen for Noah, the new boy in town; as the title suggests, boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy ...?

Boy Meets Boy was apparently quite transgressive when it came out, depicting a gay relationship between popular and successful high school students like a cross between Clueless and Sweet Valley High. Now, it reads like a perfectly normal and rather sweet love story - albeit it with Levithan's trademark hyper-articulateness:

The only problem being that (a) he thinks I'm getting back with my ex-boyfriend, (b) he thinks I'll only hurt him, because (c) I've already hurt him and (d) someone else has already hurt him, which means that I'm hurting him even more. So (e) he doesn't trust me, and in all fairness, (g) every time I see him, I (h) want everything to be right again and I (i) want to kiss him madly. This means that (j) my feelings aren't going away anytime soon, but (k) his feelings don't look likely to budge, either. So either (l) I'm out of luck, (m) I'm out of hope, or (n) there's a way to make it up to him that I'm not thinking of. I could (o) beg, (p) plead, (q) grovel, or (r) give up. But, in order to do that, I would have to sacrifice my (s) pride, (t) reputation, and (u) self-respect, even though (v) I have very little of them left and (w) it probably wouldn't work anyway. As a result, I am (x) lost, (y) clue-free, and (z) wondering if you have any idea whatsoever what I should do.”

Levithan does introduce a note of reality with Tony, Paul's friend and mirror-image: also gay, but hiding it from his parents in the next town over. Conversations between the two traverse feelings of lostness, of sadness, of parents who love their son but don't want him to be what he is. These moments introduce some bite to what is otherwise a smart, cute but candy-sweet book. (less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Shing rated it 4 of 5 stars

first of all, the title says it all, so i wouldn't have picked this up if i felt anything near uncomfortable with same sex relationships (on the other hand, i'm open to it :D). second -- my feels D: i'm still hung up on it sorry~

i've been meaning to read this book since highschool but i couldn't borrow a copy from anyone because everyone wanted to read it (apparently) and i couldn't buy one back then unless i wanted to show my parents the book itself, so i'm pretty glad that i've finally found a...more first of all, the title says it all, so i wouldn't have picked this up if i felt anything near uncomfortable with same sex relationships (on the other hand, i'm open to it :D). second -- my feels D: i'm still hung up on it sorry~

i've been meaning to read this book since highschool but i couldn't borrow a copy from anyone because everyone wanted to read it (apparently) and i couldn't buy one back then unless i wanted to show my parents the book itself, so i'm pretty glad that i've finally found a copy to read. good thing the book was far from disappointing.

i like paul because he sounds really down-to-earth and friendly to everyone and he values friendship and connections a lot, but he isn't a goody-two-shoes either. he lives the way he wants to and he doesn't like hurting anybody. but he's impulsive sometimes and that gets him into a lot of trouble.

but the story turned out great (got me thinking about the times when i was falling in love with someone too) and somehow i actually liked how some of the other characters' issue weren't resolved. it made me feel like the story wouldn't really ever end, but in a good way that i'm satisfied. i mean, you can't resolve every single issue proposed in a story, right? that would be too perfect. like after everything, the whole thing would be a closed book and you wouldn't wonder anymore about it.

the ending sounded like your usual teen-drama ending but i'm not complaining about it -- it just seemed perfect that tony took the lead because it was his story too as much as it was paul's. now that i think about it, we see like a contrast between those who could live their lives and those who can't just openly admit to everyone who they are. but yep, things turned out right in the end.

i still can't help but feel like tony and kyle will end up together :">

the town sounds like a sort of peace haven or something -- where everyone and anything is just accepted for the way they are. it paints a picture of the weird that everyone seems to accept as a fact and a way of life. there's no hate and i quite like it :D

i also like how art and music were used extensively here. it's not everyday that you read a book where there are characters who engage in the arts or in meditating or any of the chill stuff. everything now just seems so wild, fast-paced and this book feels like the total opposite. and yes, i like how paul sometimes digresses and gets back on the story :) a little background info on something else sounds okay once in a while and think about it -- it's a first POV so what if it's in his character to digress? :D he makes it sound funny :)

lastly, the feels. alright, the emotions the characters had weren't out of place (you know they had a right to feel that way anyway) and somehow i felt swayed by them all~ oh man, at 3 am i was squealing on my pillow.

it's a good, quick read ;) you wont regret it :D (less)

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Dec 19, 2012 Dean Tsang rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: recommendedbyfriends

Even though the ending was a bit too positive, Boy Meets Boy is a wonderful book, written excellently with realistic and likeable characters.

What was particularly wonderful about this book was how little emphasis there was behind Paul's sexuality- he meets a guy, and falls for him. That's it- Levithan doesn't make Paul's world any different to any other's simply because he's gay, and that's the way it should be: love unaffected by a person's sexual orientation.

Of course, there are tensions refle...more Even though the ending was a bit too positive, Boy Meets Boy is a wonderful book, written excellently with realistic and likeable characters.

What was particularly wonderful about this book was how little emphasis there was behind Paul's sexuality- he meets a guy, and falls for him. That's it- Levithan doesn't make Paul's world any different to any other's simply because he's gay, and that's the way it should be: love unaffected by a person's sexual orientation.

Of course, there are tensions reflecting social issues behind sexuality. We have Tony's (view spoiler). But apart from that, there's nothing that stops the LGBT community fully blending into the straight community, and while it is a bit idealistic in its nature, it works since it's only a contextual factor, and not the main component of the story itself.

The book isn't long, but for what it is, it delivers excellently. Paul's narrative is quirky, individual and fluid, and even inspired me to get back into writing prose.

However, Boy Meets Boy isn't perfect. As I said, the ending is far too perfect for it to be marked as a solid point in my books, and some parts are rather melodramatic in a bad way. While romantic melodrama related to angst can work, Boy Meets Boy does it a bit awkwardly by making love the only, absolute, complete, total focus of Paul's life. It's like if Paul's love life doesn't work out, he's going to have nothing left, even though he seems to be a healthy guy with his entire life ahead of him with a family and a decent network of friends. (view spoiler). The teenage angst works, but only intermittently, and you've really got to be in the mood for it to work.

Apart from that, this was a good read, but I won't recommend it to everyone. Its angst does come off a bit strong, but it doesn't do too much to stop Boy Meets Boy from being a decent book.

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