A review by luisalopes
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I'd like to say that this was the first book by David Levithan I've ever read. It touched my very soul. As someone who's been struggling with feeling like an outsider since I was little, never feeling quite understood, validated, and depressed, it was the first time I ever felt like an author had looked right into my very core, touched it with all the care in the world and warmed it up by telling me "it's okay to be you; please give yourself the chance to see how far you'll go". He's been my all around-favourite author ever since. I haven't read many of his books, but if anyone ever asks me, I'll read every single thing he puts out there for this book alone. I might like it or not, no book seems to come close to what Two Boys Kissing did for me as an LGBTQ+ teen nearing adulthood, but I sure won't forget what the author did for me. I cannot express my gratitude, no matter how much I try.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Death

As a book about contemporary struggles LGBTQ+ youth faces, especially gay couples, there are some mentions of suicidal thoughts, self-destructive behaviour, descriptions of extreme discomfort

(one of the main couples is trying to break the world's longest kiss record and they have to keep kissing for hours and hours, so it gets pretty uncomfortable and emotionally draining)

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