Just in time for school I am back after a summer of a dry spell concerning books! I actually wanted to avoid reading Will Grayson Will Grayson after being disappointed with John Green’s other books and hadn’t read any works by David Levithan. However my interest was sparked when a friend of mine (well let’s be honest the internet) mentioned it is an LGBT story.
I must say I was very satisfied. The gimmick of this story is about two teenagers named Will Grayson and their sucky lives and the different perspective both of them One Will is gay with depression and the other is introverted, but has a best friend who is gay.
Spoilers from this point on, please do not read if you don’t want to be spoiled.
This story actually reminded me of myself in highschool, to the point where I was crying a few times (care to guess which Will I can relate to?) As stated above the two Wills are the same yet different; the first Will comes from a fairly well off family since both his mother and father are surgeons while the second Will lives with only his mother in a lower income household and suffers from clinical depression.
Both Wills eventually meet after a cruel prank by a character named Mona leads the second Will to Chicago in hopes of meeting his online crush. This results in the gay Will to meet Tiny and become his boyfriend. Gay Will’s life changes in ways that he slowly becomes more open to his friends and loved ones including coming out to his mother and coming out to his friends at school and meeting a new friend (who is also gay.)
Straight Will meanwhile struggles with his desire to be indifferent and not wanting to have any form of change in his life and Tiny’s life based musical and his feelings towards a girl named Jane.
One of the things I like alot about this book is that despite being significantly different people with different problems, both Wills can easily relate to each other and talk to each other about their problems and be open about their experiences (all in just three conversations).
I also like that John Green and David Lavithan chose to not make the parents an obstacle that they must overcome. As soon as Gay Will comes out to his mother and begins to be more honest with her she’s very supportive of him and willing to listen to Will about his depression and relationship troubles. Straight Will also has supportive parents despite not having too many opportunities to be present in his life due to their line of work. S!Will’s dad even compares Will to a yacht and as being very precious to them.
All in all I was very satisfied with Will Grayson Will Grayson and give it five cat’s in boxes out of five.
Books and Smizmars 