About book I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth The Trip (2010)
It is very important to read the novel in its historical context. Modern readers may be confronted by what seems like casual dismissal of homosexuality in the book's final pages, with talk of phases and whatnot. I think we have to remember that these characters are only thirteen, and when I was thirteen I was still in a hell of a denial phase about what I knew deep down about myself. The book's main character, Davy, is also an unreliable narrator who is emotionally repressed. His dreams tell us more about what he is going through than he admits to us.Altschuler, his 'romantic interest', for want of a better term, is far more circumspect about it all. He seems to have accepted things about himself that Davy will not just yet. The ending is ambiguous, but I think the outcome is there for all to see in the rather brilliant title - these guys are on a journey. They just haven't got to their destination yet. They will. Apparently this book was the first queer YA novel, so that's why I picked it up. I guess I'm spoiled because I'm used to queer books being a bit more - how do I say it - blatant (?) about being queer? This on barely even described anything 'queer' happening, but I guess that it paved the way for writers nowadays being able to write about boys kissing boys and girls kissing girls. It did remind me a bit of 'The Well of Loneliness' in that the characters seemed to hate themselves a bit for their feelings, which was kind of depressing. But, I'm sure there are tons of people who went through that when they were first struggling with their feelings. Now I'm just projecting my own experiences on the book .... anyway, I'm glad this book exists. It's nice to see where we came from and where we are now.
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An interesting read of youthful self discovery, though I found the ending a bit of a let down.
—lila
Review to be published in School Library Journal.
—javadarabian
