Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Openly Straight

I listened this as an audiobook on Spotify. First i was planning to listen only while I was cleaning my room or cooking something but halfway through the book i figured i cleaned the same space twice because i wanted to listen some more.
As someone used to try to be labeled and wanted to be part of a group i felt Rafe. I love all the characters in the book (except some jocks, you know who).
An easy reading, light-hearted young adult book. Narrator was also perfect if you ask me so i highly recommend listening this. You will fell in love with audiobooks. Trust me.

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lyxenistired's review

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emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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zabeishumanish's review against another edition

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I thought the concept of this book was super interesting and something I can relate to. At times my queerness has felt like my entire identity, and I've just wanted to escape that. But the way that has formed drama in this book is just bad. It is a bit odd that our hero decided to shove himself back in the closet, but overall pretty understandable. The first big red flag this book had for me was how horribly his mother reacted to him closeting himself. I just don't think there is a place for that many big parental emotions in what is strictly categorized as a coming of age book. The second red flag was how strongly he clung to the 'jock' label, it was like watching him completely lose his sense of self. Red flag three was how negatively he responded to other queer characters in the book while he was pretending to be straight. The final straw for me what that he chose to lie about being in a relationship and in doing so took advantage of his best friend whose friendship he had already damaged by choosing to move to the boarding school. I'm sure many of these issues would resolve themselves satisfactorily, but I can't imagine them being satisfying enough to be worth the pain of getting there.

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ktracey's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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bookrat_'s review against another edition

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funny hopeful informative lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.75

Rafe está harto de ser el chico gay de su instituto. Desde que salió del armario se ha sentido arropado por sus padres y amigos, pero tiene la sensación de que todos le tratan de una forma diferente por su sexualidad. Para librarse de esta etiqueta, decide pasar el próximo curso en un internado para chicos a kilómetros de su pueblo natal, donde poder empezar de cero como un adolescente hetero cualquiera.

Rafe es un personaje que se ajusta bastante a la realidad. Comete errores, es un poco creído, de vez en cuando hace un poco el ridículo, … cosas normales de la adolescencia. Al llegar al internado, se da cuenta de que, hetero o no, su pequeño mundo se sigue rigiendo por etiquetas: los deportistas, los empollones, los frikis, … Es un poco irritante ver como no para de juzgar a todos su compañeros, pero acaba creando una amistad muy tierna con los frikis y termina dándose cuenta de que puede ser amigo de quien quiera sin tener miedo a ser juzgado. Aunque al parecer los deportistas solo pueden ser amigos entre ellos, y a veces ni eso porque no se aguantan ni ellos mismos.

Una de las mejores cosas del libro, sin duda, es la trama romántica. El interés amoroso, para variar, es un chico tierno y amable. La relación de Ben y Rafe es adorable y para nada acelerada. He disfrutado mucho mientras estos dos se iban conociendo, pero a la vez tenía miedo de seguir avanzando porque sabía que no podía acabar bien.

Por otro lado, posiblemente lo que más me ha molestado de Abiertamente hetero sea la reacción de los padres y su mejor amiga al plan de pasar por hetero en el nuevo colegio. Me parece un poco excesiva y tengo dudas respecto a la intención del autor en este tema, ¿pretende que me ponga de lado de Rafe, de sus padres o un mix? Por un lado, entiendo que crean que es una idea terrible porque claramente no va a terminar bien, pero por otro, parece que exigen que Rafe esté fuera del armario, y eso tampoco es. La verdad es que desde su perspectiva todo parece muy lógico. Por lo menos hasta que la relación con Ben empieza a estrecharse y empezamos a intuir el inevitable final. La reacción de este último sí que la entiendo mejor. Al fin y al cabo, Rafe no ha parado de mentirle a pesar de su idea principal de solo “ocultar la verdad”.

En resumen, es una lectura ágil y bastante divertida sobre la importancia de las etiquetas y nuestra relación con ellas, con unos personajes adolescentes realistas y una trama romántica muy tierna.

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getbrekked's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

2.75

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annabec's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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