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A review by ponch22
Camp by L.C. Rosen
5.0
Doubt [b:Camp|52880287|Camp|Lev A.C. Rosen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569855589l/52880287._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73288642] would have been on my radar had it not been discussed and praised on a Reading Glasses podcast episode a few months ago... but I'm so glad I was able to read it. It was so great!
The story takes place at Camp Outland—a summer camp for queer teens. It follows Randy, a nail-polish wearing, showtune-belting, theatre kid, who over several summers has fallen in love with Hudson, a straight-acting gay guy who lists his online interests as masc4masc. So, one summer Randy comes up with a plan—over the next school year, he will cut his hair, lose 15 pounds, learn some sports, ditch his unicorn sheets, and make Hudson fall in love with "Del" his new, butch persona. After Hudson falls for "Del," he'll slowly transform back into Randy, but as in any good rom-com, Hudson will continue to love him.
I was a little worried the story would hit all the normal She's All That-like plot points, but [a:Lev A.C. Rosen|4731557|Lev A.C. Rosen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1590361079p2/4731557.jpg] treads some new territory and has written characters much more woke than I expected. The camp is full of just about every LGBTQIA+ letter (and then some—I re-learned about demisexuals) & is a safe haven for these teens to be who they are for one month out of the year. Many characters can be who they are the other 11 months, but here for 1 month they don't have to worry about being mocked or looked at weirdly (and I don't know if such camps actually exist in the real world, but they should).
The book is funny and sweet (and a little bit sexy) but it also tackles a bunch of difficult concepts. In the end, characters have to learn how to love every part of themselves (even if that means sometimes hiding some parts to stay safe). Others learn not to roll the dice to try to be with someone they might have a chance with (when they're happily dating someone already). And with this being a queer camp, there are even several sections where the counselors are teaching the campers (i.e., Rosen is teaching the readers) about gay history icons.
In the end, the book feels a little sappy (because how often do 16-year-old summer camp couples actually last), but you are still rooting for Randy (not Del) and Hudson the whole time.
The story takes place at Camp Outland—a summer camp for queer teens. It follows Randy, a nail-polish wearing, showtune-belting, theatre kid, who over several summers has fallen in love with Hudson, a straight-acting gay guy who lists his online interests as masc4masc. So, one summer Randy comes up with a plan—over the next school year, he will cut his hair, lose 15 pounds, learn some sports, ditch his unicorn sheets, and make Hudson fall in love with "Del" his new, butch persona. After Hudson falls for "Del," he'll slowly transform back into Randy, but as in any good rom-com, Hudson will continue to love him.
I was a little worried the story would hit all the normal She's All That-like plot points, but [a:Lev A.C. Rosen|4731557|Lev A.C. Rosen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1590361079p2/4731557.jpg] treads some new territory and has written characters much more woke than I expected. The camp is full of just about every LGBTQIA+ letter (and then some—I re-learned about demisexuals) & is a safe haven for these teens to be who they are for one month out of the year. Many characters can be who they are the other 11 months, but here for 1 month they don't have to worry about being mocked or looked at weirdly (and I don't know if such camps actually exist in the real world, but they should).
The book is funny and sweet (and a little bit sexy) but it also tackles a bunch of difficult concepts. In the end, characters have to learn how to love every part of themselves (even if that means sometimes hiding some parts to stay safe). Others learn not to roll the dice to try to be with someone they might have a chance with (when they're happily dating someone already). And with this being a queer camp, there are even several sections where the counselors are teaching the campers (i.e., Rosen is teaching the readers) about gay history icons.
In the end, the book feels a little sappy (because how often do 16-year-old summer camp couples actually last), but you are still rooting for Randy (not Del) and Hudson the whole time.