Will Grayson, Will Grayson in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Feb 21, 2011 Rincey rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011

Aww I kind of liked it you guys. I mean, I spent like the first half of the book kind of hating the emo Will Grayson, but I kept reading because I loved Tiny, and then Tiny was in every chapter so I loved all of it and I ended the book being all "awww... that wasn't so bad." ...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Allie rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, queer-stuff, audience-ya

Four stars because I've never read a book that so accurately represents high school. I'm still not 100% sold on Naperville-Will Grayson, but I think that has to do with how terse he was as a narrator. I do understand and recognize that particular high school voice, and that voice definitely became more tolerable/human/less of a hormonal nightmare in the last 60-ish pages, I just don't really care for it. ...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Chelsea rated it liked it

Shelves: ya

Will Grayson, Will Grayson alternates between the perspective of a couple of teenagers from different towns and schools, but with the same name. They meet when the two boys are going through semi crises in their own lives. However, their meeting is actually pretty comical. Each of the Will Graysons have their own distinct voice and personality. One is gay, the other straight. Although I was under the impression they both were through most of the book. I kept waiting for the other Will Grayson to ...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Molly rated it really liked it

Shelves: recommended, ya-lit, 4-stars, realistic-fiction, read-in-2012

Ended up liking this more than I initially expected. I have to say, I liked Green's Will Grayson better than Levithan's, but by the end it was only a small margin!

I actually avoided this book for a long time, even after I realized I loved John Green, because the idea of two authors made me nervous. We used to have to write "group" papers in this Classics class I took in college and they were always terrible! If I go back and reread them, I can tell exactly which paragraphs were mine and which we

Ended up liking this more than I initially expected. I have to say, I liked Green's Will Grayson better than Levithan's, but by the end it was only a small margin!

I actually avoided this book for a long time, even after I realized I loved John Green, because the idea of two authors made me nervous. We used to have to write "group" papers in this Classics class I took in college and they were always terrible! If I go back and reread them, I can tell exactly which paragraphs were mine and which were my friend Katie's. Both of us were good writers, and neither of us was a moron, but we had different styles and the end product always just felt patched together, not seamless. I was worried this book would have the same feel.

The novel is split up with the two Wills taking alternating chapters. We open with Green's Will Grayson, who is pretty much a typical John Green protagonist surrounded by typical John Green supporting characters -- the outspoken sidekick Tiny Cooper (who I absolutely adored) and the mysterious artsy love interest Jane. There are a few other tertiary characters, but they end up mattering fairly little to the plot. Green's Will has always been something of a loner, although he inadvertently made a name for himself by writing an editorial for the school paper in support of Tiny Cooper's right to play football, even though he's gay. Now people most certainly know him, but he'd just as soon be invisible. Which is hard when your best friend is, as Will describes it, a fairy-tale giant. Tiny also happens to be writing a musical about his life story -- first entitled Tiny Dancer, but eventually christened Hold Me Closer.

Levithan's Will (or will, I should say), takes chapter two. I haven't read any of Levithan's other books, so I know nothing about his writing style, but I was not a fan of it when I first started reading! Writing in all-lowercase just bugs the piss out of me, for reasons I can't fully articulate. It has just always smacked of pretentiousness -- like "the rest of you bourgeoisie apes use capital letters...i'm an individual because i don't!" Meh -- hit a damn shift key and shut up about it. However, reading the conversation between both authors in the back, I understand Levithan's purpose as a storytelling technique, and I did get used to it eventually. Still not sure I totally buy why it's necessary, but I didn't hate it. Anyway. Levithan's Will is dealing with depression, and he's even more of a loner than Green's. Levithan's Will has only one friend -- another loner named Maura, who he doesn't seem terribly fond of. He's also begun an online relationship with a guy named Isaac. Eventually, he and Isaac decide to meet up in Chicago, which is where he and Green's Will Grayson ultimately cross paths.

It takes around 100 pages for the two Wills' stories to intertwine, and when they finally did, that's where I felt the novel picked up. Up until the two Wills met, I felt like I was reading two separate (though fairly enjoyable) novels. Once they cross paths and become more involved in each other's lives, it was interesting to see each author write the other's characters. Tiny Cooper is involved in both stories in a big way, and his inclusion was virtually seamless. Though he originates in Green's chapters, Levithan's Tiny never seems out of character. Likewise, when the two Wills speak to one another, they both have distinct voices which both authors are able to capture. It's clear that this writing was a hugely collaborative process, and though to me it feels like Green might be steering just a little more than Levithan, it was not the disjointed mess I was afraid of.

Overall, I'm glad Maureen convinced me to give this a chance, because I really did enjoy it. Levithan's chapters and characters helped balance out some of the traditional John Green formula, which I do enjoy, but was starting to get tired of after reading Paper Towns. I also wish this would be made into a movie, if only so I could get a glimpse of Hold Me Closer. It's one thing to read about the production of a ridiculous high school show, but I would kill to see it on screen and hear those songs actually scored.

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Oct 21, 2012 Chris Burd rated it really liked it

Shelves: young_adult_fiction

I feel like I owe this book a better review - but this is the short version. I want this book to be made into a movie. I've had mixed feelings about David Levithan (I loved parts of Naomi & Ely, hated Boy Meets Boy), but this one felt spot on. And John Green's genius feels as though it goes without saying. This one will stick with me for awhile, and there is no greater praise for a book.

(It loses one star only because it took me about several chapters for my head to stop swimming over the change ...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Sarah rated it liked it

Shelves: coming-of-age, ya-fiction, ya-lgbtq

Two teenage Will Graysons live in and around Chicago and end up randomly meeting in a porn shop downtown after a series of comedic misunderstandings. There are romances (both gay and straight), difficulties with friendships, struggles with school and fitting in, some pretty cool parents and one gigantic fabulous musical. This book was funny and I liked the multiple narrators (both Wills), but lacked any connection at the end. Strong language.

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Jan 31, 2012 Allison rated it really liked it

Warning - I really like John Green, so I may be biased. I loved this book, I loved the characters and their interactions seemed so honest and adolescent. Showing my place in life, but I also appreciated how well the parents were written.

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