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Content snapshot
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Violence
Barely any
The AIDS epidemic is central to the narration; deaths from the AIDS crisis are present throughout
Language
Barely any
Mild language appropriate for YA
Sexual Content
Barely any
Queer teen romance; physical affection handled at YA level
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The weight of the AIDS generation watching their successors — the grief and hope combined — creates profound psychological resonance
What this book is about
David Levithan's innovative YA novel interweaves multiple storylines about gay teenagers with a Greek chorus narration by the generation of gay men who died of AIDS, watching the current generation live the lives they couldn't. The formal device is moving and the novel is unabashedly romantic about queer young love. The AIDS crisis is central to the narration and the deaths of the previous generation are felt throughout. An important and beautiful novel.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
AIDS epidemic and generation of deaths as central narrative device
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