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adamh4yes's review
5.0
At first glance the writing style seemed very jarring with the black censorship boxes, but the more I read, the more I fell in love with it. It is a very interesting (and not wholly untrue) depiction of life in a British school as a gay teen.
katykelly's review
4.0
Effective but brief look at adolescent male sexuality and friendship.
It's a hard point in life, the teenage years, whoever you are. Even a book of less than 100 pages can convey that. And does.
This is succinct but pointed. Sparse but deep. It didn't feel like Ness's other works to me, but I think this deserves a place in secondary school libraries and will find an audience.
With a very unusual style, swear words blacked out like old telegrams, that the characters themselves are aware of and mock, the narrator shows his own life at one period of his young life. Knowing his sexuality will be challenged and derided in school, he keeps it to himself. Despite one friend 'using' him for much-needed physical release, another confiding his own homosexual feelings to him, and the fourth in their 'group' wanting him to move from football to rugby.
It's a microcosm of teenage hormones, confusion, angst, fear and lust. The pencil drawings added to the school vibe, and the fast-moving story brought about the conflict you could see coming almost before you know you've arrived there.
One for PSHE lessons, one for teenagers to consider and mull over and take on board in any way they need. Good to see boys' emotions and needs covered exclusively in a male-dominated narrative.
Due to blacking out, there's hardly a rude word or action in sight, but context-wise this is best in the hands of ages 13 and above.
With thanks to netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
It's a hard point in life, the teenage years, whoever you are. Even a book of less than 100 pages can convey that. And does.
This is succinct but pointed. Sparse but deep. It didn't feel like Ness's other works to me, but I think this deserves a place in secondary school libraries and will find an audience.
With a very unusual style, swear words blacked out like old telegrams, that the characters themselves are aware of and mock, the narrator shows his own life at one period of his young life. Knowing his sexuality will be challenged and derided in school, he keeps it to himself. Despite one friend 'using' him for much-needed physical release, another confiding his own homosexual feelings to him, and the fourth in their 'group' wanting him to move from football to rugby.
It's a microcosm of teenage hormones, confusion, angst, fear and lust. The pencil drawings added to the school vibe, and the fast-moving story brought about the conflict you could see coming almost before you know you've arrived there.
One for PSHE lessons, one for teenagers to consider and mull over and take on board in any way they need. Good to see boys' emotions and needs covered exclusively in a male-dominated narrative.
Due to blacking out, there's hardly a rude word or action in sight, but context-wise this is best in the hands of ages 13 and above.
With thanks to netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
amethyst1551's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
andy1118's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
huxleystorm's review
4.0
patrick ness what the ⬛️⬛️!! not super depressing and nihilistic but also not super cheesy and shallow!! no one else does that!! more people should do that!! it’s so much more interesting than just a woman rotting away in her bed for a year!!
patrick ness i love you i will read anything you write
patrick ness i love you i will read anything you write
fictionalsarah's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
pied_piper's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jsncnrd's review
3.0
This was a quick read that you can finish in an hour. I think that was part of the problem for me.
Different for Boys isn't bad by any means. It's a decent enough story that makes decent enough statements exploring what life and relationships are like for boys who like other boys.
I wanted more out of the story. It had some components that were impactful, but when all was said and done, there was so little plot -- which meant that there was minimal character development. Therefore, the statements the book was trying to make were only made on the surface without much nuance or complexity.
I enjoyed the book overall, and I like Patrick Ness as an author (this is not my first read by him) -- but it's not one I would come back to.
(Also ... I wasn't the biggest fan of the art style -- it reminded me too much of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and I don't think that was the right choice for this story.)
Different for Boys isn't bad by any means. It's a decent enough story that makes decent enough statements exploring what life and relationships are like for boys who like other boys.
I wanted more out of the story. It had some components that were impactful, but when all was said and done, there was so little plot -- which meant that there was minimal character development. Therefore, the statements the book was trying to make were only made on the surface without much nuance or complexity.
I enjoyed the book overall, and I like Patrick Ness as an author (this is not my first read by him) -- but it's not one I would come back to.
(Also ... I wasn't the biggest fan of the art style -- it reminded me too much of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and I don't think that was the right choice for this story.)
rebeccals_3825's review against another edition
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0