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FindingJane
Apr 09, 2017FindingJane rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Paul knew he was gay when he was five years old. Others don’t have it so easy. In the 21st century, being gay has met with a lot of acceptance. But there are still pockets of resistance or denial. Thus Paul doesn’t realize how lucky he is to know his own mind so well and so early and to have loving, caring, tolerant parents. (The scene where he tells his mother that he’s gay is absolutely hilarious in its candor and nonchalance.) The book deals with Paul’s attempt to negotiate romance, schooling and the changing dynamic among his friends. An ex-boyfriend is feeling remorseful about the way he handled a breakup and wants—well, he doesn’t know what he wants and he’s upsetting Paul with his confusion. There’s a potential new boyfriend on the horizon that’s thrown Paul into an absolute tizzy. One of his friends is dating a jerk and it’s ruining the circle of amity Paul has had since grade school. Paul has been roped into a committee to help with the school dance. All of this is written in a matter-of-fact tone that nevertheless reveals the frustration, puzzlement, anguish and agony of middle-school negotiations. Mr. Levithan perfectly re-enacts all the tribulations of growing up, compounded by the knowledge that your sexuality provokes reactions in others that you can’t control. It’s a swift read but a riveting one—and a reminder that, no matter what an adult may think now, adolescent was not a simpler, happier time.