The Book High

I liked this both more and less than I thought I would--which is a new and unusual feeling for me.

What I liked more than I'd expected to: not once did the story ever come across and preachy or strident or soap-box-y. Another reviewer described it as being "a quiet story" and that's a beautifully apt description. Both Faron and Greg have to come to terms with their relationship with God and with religion, but it's handled in the most gentle and introspective way. Neither ever becomes angry or bitter about his situation, but instead they both strive to reconcile who they are and what they feel to be true with what they've been taught.

What I liked less than I'd expected to: neither character felt fully-fleshed-out to me for some reason. And the relationship, even the friendship phase of it, developed so much off-page that I couldn't connect to it.

So, I guess, I definitely felt their struggles to come to terms with being Christian and being gay, but I didn't feel how those struggles led to an emotional or romantic connection between them.

This was still a beautiful, peaceful, and beautifully-written story, and was very enjoyable to read.