It was the cover that drew me to this one. And yes, that is snow in the background, on April 6, 2025. Not uncommon in these parts!
What is it?
A YA novel by American writer Phil Stamper, first published in 2022.
Did you say YA? As in Young Adult? That’s a first!
Yes. To be frank, I didn’t realize it was YA when I bought it. But I’m glad I made that mistake!
Oooh! Okay. So, tell me, what is this YA novel about?
It’s about four queer young guys, about sixteen years old, who’ve just finished their penultimate year of high school in a small town in Ohio, and they’re all going off to various adventures for the summer: an art school in Paris, a volunteer environmental gig in Boston, a political internship in Washington, and a summer job working at an aunt’s beachside arcade in Florida.
Nice! Lots of variety there. But getting back to the four guys ... So, they’re gay? Queer? Bi?
Well, they’re young, and they’re not much into boxing themselves into a queer identity. In terms of sexual orientation, they seem largely gay. Interestingly, they’re the only “out” queer kids in their school.
Clearly, the environment must be so different for these guys than for the characters of so many of the books we read, raised in the 1950s or ’60s.
Yeah, it’s fascinating! And encouraging. They seem to be embracing their identities much more easily, slipping into being who they are without too much trauma. I don’t really know how realistic the novel is. I found the queer characters to be uniformly sensitive and caring and smart, to the point where I did, initially, have difficulty keeping them separate in my mind. I’m not sure whether Stamper is portraying a supportive queer community that actually exists among young people today, or if there is an element of fantasy.
That said, there are anti-LGBT kids at the school, and one parent (the vice-principal at the school!) who’s struggling with accepting her son’s queerness, but these dark clouds are mostly in the background. What’s so lovely is the positivity of this novel. These four queer young guys are moving ahead in their lives with care, thoughtfulness and intelligence.
Really, this is a novel for young adults who are at a point where they could be reading adult novels. It’s wise, multilayered, insightful. But there is an optimism about the novel that marks it as YA. In a fully adult novel, those bullies and homophobes would probably be occupying a much bigger space.
So you’d recommend this for adults?
Definitely. If you want a break from queer trauma, it’s a tonic. And I don’t mean that in a condescending way. The book is firmly set in the real world. It’s just choosing to concentrate on the sunlight. In that respect, it is the exact opposite of another book we read recently.
Stars?
Yes, one star! I was really charmed by this novel. And I’ve just learned that there’s a sequel! Looking forward to reading that one too.
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