Will Walton

I received an advanced reader copy from Goodreads giveaways. I was intrigued by the blurb and it sounded interesting and not my usual thing. It did not disappoint in that regard. This book is definitely interesting and unusual. The timeline skips around in a frenetic stream-of-consciousness style, often in the same paragraph, but it’s written in a way that wasn’t confusing or difficult to follow. It also flips between poetry and prose intermittently but It was interesting and emotional and the characters were flawed and believable. The main character is a high school student with an alcoholic mom, no dad, a bourgeoning love with his long-time best friend and the loss of his grandfather, with whom he was very close. It’s a busy summer.
I’ve never been a big fan of poetry in general so those parts were harder for me to follow, but in all it was a good, quick read that I enjoyed.
4/5 stars ⭐️… (mehr)

Literary merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Level: High School (For Mature Readers due to alcohol abuse and sexual references)
Recommend: Yes

This is a strange little book that is a mix between prose and verse. It deals with very heavy topics such as grief and addiction. We follow the point of view of Avery as we deals with the loss of his grandfather, his mother's alcohol addiction, his lust for his best friend/next door neighbor as both boys come to terms with their sexuality. We see Avery struggle with self-discovery and self acceptance as his poetry evolves, as he studies his favorite poets more, and as he learns more about the struggles of the friends and family members around him.

This isn't a book you "get", it's much more a book you feel. I know this style of book will really resonate with my high school students that are seeking out poetry collections such as Milk & Honey.

Note: There are several references to two boys planning to have sex and in one scene the two discuss some details of having sex but there isn't detailed description of them actually having sex.… (mehr)