Half Jewish and Bisexual, Tanner Scott lives in one of the
most accepting places in the US, Palo Alto, California. When his parents
announce they are moving to Provo, Utah, the epicenter of the Later Day Saints,
a conservative Mormon group that condemns homosexuality, Tanner's uber accepting
parents warn him not to come out to anybody, for fear of his safety. Tanner, at
the urging of his best friend Autumn, joins the Seminar at his high school, a
writing program where students must write a novel in 4 months. What Tanner does
not count on is Sebastian Brother, the epitome of a good Mormon boy, involved
in his church, a famous writer as a result of the Seminar, and gorgeous looking
too boot. As Tanner's connection with Sebastian grows, Sebastian struggles with
his feelings for Tanner, and the expectations of his church, community, and
family.
Autoboyography is a must read for any devout queer teen.
Christina Lauren does a beautiful job of portraying the struggles of coming to
terms with yourself when everyone else has such strong expectations of who you
should be. The conflict of this book was Superb! There is lots of angst, so
readers looking for a light, fluffy book, steer clear. This book made me
realize, as a queer teen, how lucky I am to live in a community that supports
me for who I am, and made me think about the struggles of teens who love their
religion that maybe doesn't love them back. The angst, and longing, and
heartbreak that Tanner experiences along with the inner turmoil of Sebastian tugged
at my heartstrings and will be sure to enthrall any reader lucky enough to meet
these two.
Reviewed by Claire., Grade 9
Montrose Library
No comments:
Post a Comment