Saturday, April 15, 2017

Freaks and Revelations

Freaks and Revelations
 
By Davida Willis Hurwin

Paperback: 240 pages

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009

Subject Headings:

·         Gay & Lesbian
·         Homelessness & Poverty
·         Bullying

Appeal: True story, dark tones, fast-paced

Plot Summary:

            Based on the true story of Matthew Boger and Timothy Zaal, set in a fairly modern time period. Doug is a violent seventeen-year-old misfit who starts down a dark path in life. Jason is a gay thirteen-year-old boy who is cast out by his family and forced to hustle on the streets to survive. As Doug’s youthful anger becomes hate, and Jason struggles to make a living on the streets, their paths collide in a violent way. They meet again later in life and reflect on what they have been through and their struggles. This is a story of survival and forgiveness between these very polarized persons.

Similar Authors and Works:

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

When We Were Outlaws by Jeanne Cordova
A memoir of an activist torn between trying to end discrimination against gays and her own personal longings.
I am not Myself These Days by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
A memoir of a young New-Yorker leading a double life of an art director by day, and a drag-queen beauty pageant hopeful by night.
S/He by Minnie Bruce Pratt
A memoir of Pratt’s fight with traditional southern womanhood, coming out as a lesbian, and life with transgender activist Leslie Fienberg.


3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

Marriage of a Thousand Lies by S.J. Sindu
Lakshmi and her husband Krishna are a Sri Lankan-American couple who are both putting on a heterosexual front for their families, while seeing their homosexual partners on the side.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Simon Spier is a sixteen-year-old boy who is not openly gay. When an e-mail finds its way into the wrong hands, he finds himself being blackmailed into playing wingman or risk his sexuality becoming everyone’s’ business.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
When disgraced prince Patroclus is exiled to the court of King Peleus and his son Achilles, he finds himself befriending Achilles and the grow up together into skilled young men. Their bond begins to develop into something deeper, much to the displeasure of Achilles’ mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess.

3 comments:

  1. This book sounds so interesting and I appreciate your read a likes!

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  2. I liked your review, you gave just enough to tweak my interest. BTW, did you know that Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is a teen book? I didn't know if you meant to include a teen book or not since your others are very adult and fairly dark. Anyway, it's an award-winning book, and is pretty popular. Thanks for the review.

    ReplyDelete