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A review by thepetitepunk
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
3.0
Funny and genuine, Openly Straight explores Rafe's experience with sexuality as he enrolls in a new school. Here, Rafe is no longer "the gay kid." He's just known as Rafe. But can Rafe truly be himself while hiding part of his identity?
Openly Straight is an easy read with a bunch of teenage boys as characters that act, well, like teenage boys. It's funny with a good message, and the characters (especially Rafe's parents and Claire Olivia) are unique but realistic. Rafe, even though his plan to be "straight" at his new school is flawed, is still relatable as a character; I was empathetic towards him the whole time. The only real issue I had with this book is that the plot didn't really interest me. There was a lot of stereotypical dumb boy behavior—which could be expected from an all-boys school—but it took up a lot more of the book than necessary. Rafe and Ben's brief romance was cute, but it definitely was not the most original take on two boys exploring sexuality.
Overall, Openly Straight is a lighthearted novel about identity and the power of labels.
Openly Straight is an easy read with a bunch of teenage boys as characters that act, well, like teenage boys. It's funny with a good message, and the characters (especially Rafe's parents and Claire Olivia) are unique but realistic. Rafe, even though his plan to be "straight" at his new school is flawed, is still relatable as a character; I was empathetic towards him the whole time. The only real issue I had with this book is that the plot didn't really interest me. There was a lot of stereotypical dumb boy behavior—which could be expected from an all-boys school—but it took up a lot more of the book than necessary. Rafe and Ben's brief romance was cute, but it definitely was not the most original take on two boys exploring sexuality.
Overall, Openly Straight is a lighthearted novel about identity and the power of labels.