by David Levithan
I'm just gonna dive right into this book. The title comes from two friends (and former boyfriends) who decide to break the world record for the longest kiss. There are other characters, other plots, but the two boys kissing forms the framework for the rest of the story. Oh, and there are no chapter breaks--if Harry and Craig don't get a break, neither do you!
I found the narrator to be the most striking aspect of this story. The narrator is the collective souls (?) of LGBTQ people who came before the characters in this book. The last generation watches on as the new generation tries to maneuver through life. They watch Harry and Craig's kiss and understand its greater significance. They watch Ryan and Avery, a relationship just forming. They watch the troubled Cooper reach the end of his rope. And though the narrator(s) see so much ugliness, pain, and hatred, their message is a positive one. They don't lose hope, they don't give up, even though they can't affect the living world any longer.
--Mikie
You. Guys. This book has been an emotional rollercoaster. Seriously rough, in the BEST way possible. Like Mikie said, the narration is done by those who have come before, and who have passed on - mostly the AIDS generation from the 80s/90s. They follow this new generation of boys living in the internet age, rooting for them and quietly providing their support, watching over them as best they can. They marvel at the openness that exists around these boys now, even with the prejudices that still exist, and reminisce about their own stories. They cheer the boys on, and the stories told are incredibly well juxtaposed, and they show that there isn't a collective "narrative", even as it's being told BY a collective.
This book brought me to tears several times, and it's well, WELL worth the read. I super super strongly recommend Two Boys Kissing. It's really hard to do it justice without giving away the whole story - just do yourself a favour and READ THIS BOOK.
-Cat
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