Title: David Inside Out Author: Lee Bantle
Publication date: May 12th, 2009
Summary:
David Dahlgren, a high-school senior, finds solace in running with the track team; he’s a fast runner, and he enjoys the camaraderie. But team events become a source of tension when he develops a crush on one of his teammates, Sean. Scared to admit his feelings, David does everything he can to suppress them: he dates a girl, keeps his distance from his best friend who has become openly gay, and snaps a rubber band on his wrist every time he has “inappropriate” urges. Before long, Sean expresses the thoughts David has been trying to hide, and everything changes for the better. Or so it seems.
Review:
I have mixed feelings about this book. To some extent I enjoyed reading about the characters in this book, but for the most part I felt it was nothing I hadn't read before. It also seemed to make things too casual for my taste (like excessive teenage drinking/sex), so I didn't have a ton of respect for the characters because of the things they were doing so freely. I could sympathize with some of their feelings at times, but at others, not so much. It's an interesting addition to my GLBT book collection, but I can think of a ton of other books on the subject that I enjoyed a lot more thoroughly. I enjoyed this book for what it was, though it didn't meet my expectations.
Characters: 6/10
Plot: 6/10
Originality: 5/10
Writing: 6/10
Overall grade: D
Review:
I have mixed feelings about this book. To some extent I enjoyed reading about the characters in this book, but for the most part I felt it was nothing I hadn't read before. It also seemed to make things too casual for my taste (like excessive teenage drinking/sex), so I didn't have a ton of respect for the characters because of the things they were doing so freely. I could sympathize with some of their feelings at times, but at others, not so much. It's an interesting addition to my GLBT book collection, but I can think of a ton of other books on the subject that I enjoyed a lot more thoroughly. I enjoyed this book for what it was, though it didn't meet my expectations.
Characters: 6/10
Plot: 6/10
Originality: 5/10
Writing: 6/10
Overall grade: D
3 comments:
Mmm, sounds okay, but maybe not for me. I kind of get ennoyed with characters who drink allot and think it's cool! Give the wrong message!
I agree with your point about books that have an excess of casual underage drinking and/or sex. I do know that it goes on in real life, but I find it very very hard to relate with characters like that. I don't mind when it's pertinent to the story either, but in this case it doesn't seem to be. That's too bad it didn't meet your expectations. Great and honest review. :)
I have seen these exact same thoughts all over about this book and at one point I wanted to read it myself, but then the author wrote this big long attacking rant on a fellow blogger, accusing her of being homophobic because she didn't like the book. The blogger writes m/m romances and reads pretty much only GLBT stuff. She's real active in the GLBT world. It was a very offensive comment and I removed the author from my list of to-read.
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