Friendship, masculinity, sex—Anthony Stevenson has a lot of questions. Is it different for boys who like boys? A poignant and frank story filled with meta-humor by renowned author Patrick Ness.
Anthony “Ant” Stevenson isn’t sure when he stopped being a virgin. Or even if he has. The rules aren’t always very clear when it comes to boys who like boys. In fact, relationships of all kinds feel complicated, even with Ant’s oldest friends. There’s Charlie, who’s both virulently homophobic and in a secret physical relationship with Ant. Then there’s drama kid Jack, who may be gay and has become the target of Charlie’s rage. And, of course, there’s big, beautiful Freddie, who wants Ant to ditch soccer, Charlie’s sport, and try out for the rugby team instead. Ant’s story of loneliness and intimacy, of unexpected support and heart-ripping betrayal, is told forthrightly with tongue-in-cheek black-bar redactions over the language that teenagers would actually use if, you know, they weren’t in a story. Award-winning author Patrick Ness explores teen sexuality, friendship, and romance with a deft hand in this structurally daring, illustrated short novel.
Patrick Ness has written some of the most inovative fiction for young people on the market today. This short story continues the trend, by having the characters be aware that they're in a short story and even that they're being censored by it. A scene where they try and work out which curses they can and can't say was really funny!
There's also some very serious moments here, which is impressive in such a short read. For us on the outside, it's easier to see the type of person Charlie is, while Ant is blinded by loyalty. Jack and Freddie are both great characters as well.
The star, though, is the fantastic artwork. Rough hewn sketches are perfect for the mood of the story, helping to convey what's going on without overwhelming the words. I wasn't familiar with the artist before but I'll be looking out in future.
This is a great package all in all and I'll be highly recommending it when the time comes.
Different for Boys publishes on the 2nd of March, 2023 in the UK (top image) and on the 14th of March, 2023 in the US (lower image). I received a free copy and am giving an honest opinion.
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