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richardleis's review
5.0
Some stories help heal the hurt child in adult me, and this is one of them. Framed by "Your Elder Self" writing Letters to Young Carlos, the novella by Carlos Valenzuela highlights key experiences of a gay boy growing up in a border town, including coming to terms with his sexual identity, making a lifelong friend, discovering first love, dealing with his parents' fraught relationship and his father's homophobia, and more.
The novella moves quickly through young Carlos's childhood and teenage years, but every experience is lovingly described and scenic. I appreciated the blunt, matter-of-fact tone that cuts to the heart of the character's story, and the occasional bursts of lyricism that beautifully elevated what was already emotional. I was in grateful tears by the end.
I wouldn't say this is necessarily a young adult novel, because it becomes powerfully adult in tone in several sections, but I would still recommend this for younger readers, including LGBTQ+ readers. And recommended for everyone else, too. It's a quick, short, powerful, and healing read.
The novella moves quickly through young Carlos's childhood and teenage years, but every experience is lovingly described and scenic. I appreciated the blunt, matter-of-fact tone that cuts to the heart of the character's story, and the occasional bursts of lyricism that beautifully elevated what was already emotional. I was in grateful tears by the end.
I wouldn't say this is necessarily a young adult novel, because it becomes powerfully adult in tone in several sections, but I would still recommend this for younger readers, including LGBTQ+ readers. And recommended for everyone else, too. It's a quick, short, powerful, and healing read.
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