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A review by imme_van_gorp
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
3.0
Okay, so, there are things I really liked about this book, but also things I really did not like. Thus leaving me with mostly mixed feelings about the book in general.
I enjoyed reading this book, I really did, but I was never enthralled by it or anything. I guess the emotional factor was always a bit on the down low, making it hard to really connect with the characters, rather than merely being interested in the plot.
And that's exactly what it was for me: I was interested in what was happening and certain points that were being made, but I wasn't feeling it. The feelings were missing, and those are really important to me.
The main character, Rafe, is a bit of a difficult person to pin down. On the one hand he is very authentic: flawed although never having any bad intentions, but on the other hand he did grate on me, especially when he was ignorant or oblivious. How he doesn't understand what he did to Ben was seriously not cool is quite baffling. It is so obvious why Ben would feel betrayed, yet Rafe never really gets it...
Besides my complicated feelings towards Rafe, though, there are plenty other characters who I did unapologetically like, such as Toby and Albie, but first and foremost: Ben. Ben was a breath of fresh air in this novel, as he was quite literally a golden retriever in human form. He gave me a bit of a break from all the weird looks I had to give my book while reading some of the extravagant or odd antics of some of the other characters. Not saying these couldn't be funny, but it wasn't exactly normal and in the case of Rafe’s parents it was honestly just flat-out annoying. Those two would honestly drive me absolutely bat-shit crazy in real life. Anyway, as I was saying, Ben was a break from all that. He was smart, funny, loyal and sweet: I could totally see why Rafe fell for him, and although I do think their relationship was adorable and could have potentially even been really good, I don't necessarily think they should 'get back together' (if they were ever even really together to begin with, which is surely debatable). Their basis is just too fucked up to ever really get over, I think.
The writing style in this novel was also something I was on the fence about. Although I liked the writing overall, I wasn't a big fan of the interludes with Rafe writing to his teacher. They were boring to me and did not add much to the overall story, in my opinion.
Anyhow, I definitely had fun with this book and I don't mind having read it at all. But.. that's about it. No big feelings here. Just an interesting discussion about labels and a moderately high level of enjoyment.
I enjoyed reading this book, I really did, but I was never enthralled by it or anything. I guess the emotional factor was always a bit on the down low, making it hard to really connect with the characters, rather than merely being interested in the plot.
And that's exactly what it was for me: I was interested in what was happening and certain points that were being made, but I wasn't feeling it. The feelings were missing, and those are really important to me.
The main character, Rafe, is a bit of a difficult person to pin down. On the one hand he is very authentic: flawed although never having any bad intentions, but on the other hand he did grate on me, especially when he was ignorant or oblivious. How he doesn't understand what he did to Ben was seriously not cool is quite baffling. It is so obvious why Ben would feel betrayed, yet Rafe never really gets it...
Besides my complicated feelings towards Rafe, though, there are plenty other characters who I did unapologetically like, such as Toby and Albie, but first and foremost: Ben. Ben was a breath of fresh air in this novel, as he was quite literally a golden retriever in human form. He gave me a bit of a break from all the weird looks I had to give my book while reading some of the extravagant or odd antics of some of the other characters. Not saying these couldn't be funny, but it wasn't exactly normal and in the case of Rafe’s parents it was honestly just flat-out annoying. Those two would honestly drive me absolutely bat-shit crazy in real life. Anyway, as I was saying, Ben was a break from all that. He was smart, funny, loyal and sweet: I could totally see why Rafe fell for him, and although I do think their relationship was adorable and could have potentially even been really good, I don't necessarily think they should 'get back together' (if they were ever even really together to begin with, which is surely debatable). Their basis is just too fucked up to ever really get over, I think.
The writing style in this novel was also something I was on the fence about. Although I liked the writing overall, I wasn't a big fan of the interludes with Rafe writing to his teacher. They were boring to me and did not add much to the overall story, in my opinion.
Anyhow, I definitely had fun with this book and I don't mind having read it at all. But.. that's about it. No big feelings here. Just an interesting discussion about labels and a moderately high level of enjoyment.