Reviews

Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai

Only show reviews with written explanations

toolittletime's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A wonderful exploration of growing up queer and also one of feeling like the home you love doesn't love you back. In this case, that feeling comes from both Arjie's sexuality and his ethnicity as a Tamil in 1970-80's Sri Lanka. Each section of the book covers a different age/time period in Arjie's life, and Selvadurai did a good job of creating a different feel for those sections. Though there is also tension in Arjie's life, starting when he is 7 and his "funny" ways are starting to be noticed and stopped by his family, his knowledge and understanding of those tensions are giving more understanding as he ages. Since I was unfamiliar with Sri Lankan history, I felt like I was learning and understanding more of the rising ethnic tensions as Arjie was.

Selvadurai's prose was wonderful and I loved watching Arjie grow into his queerness.

meryletfou's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

asuman's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

rat_girl_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

benniii's review against another edition

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4.0

Innocent, sad and brutal.

The pure view of a child.
The realization that the world is changing, and so are you.
The loss of what you love and so much of what is familiar.