“Wes was a boy
And Tris was a boy
Can I make it any more obvious?
Wes was a punk
And Tris did ballet
What more can I say?”
This was a moving coming-of-age story. It illustrates how different it is growing up with social media, but accepting yourself can be just as hard as it was in the Dark Ages when I grew up.
Wes, aka “Big Mac,” would rather be on his skateboard than in school. His grades are tanking, he skips class a lot, and his teachers don’t expect anything from him—and they tell him that. He’s also a bit of a bully, and he and his best friends often cause trouble.
But Wes’ attitude and actions are a mask to cover up his fears and anxieties. He knows that he is gay but he also worries what being open about his sexuality could mean to his relationships with his mother, her fiancé, and his friends. It’s hard to be told he needs to find a girl or listen to homophobic jokes, but he’s trapped.
At a performance of “The Nutcracker” he gets dragged to by his mother, he sees Tristan, the dancer playing the title character. Wes is immediately drawn to him, but can’t admit that to anyone. As they start to hang out together, Wes is living a double life of sorts. His need to hide his true self will hurt the chance of a relationship with Tristan, but how will being honest affect his friendships and relationship with his mother.
This was a sweet book and it definitely resonated with me. I hope it gets into the hands of those who need to hear its messages.
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