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A review by susannaobrien
All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
"Are you teaching people to swim or are you letting them drown?"
The vulnerability with which All Boys Aren't Blue is written is moving and essential. It took me a couple of chapters to embrace the book as the writing style is more simplistic than I've been used to recently but from the Family chapters onwards I was captivated.
George M. Johnson's raw telling of his queer affirming yet imperfect Black family helps breakdown stereotypes of the Black community, and he takes care to describe powerful relationships with family members (like Nanny, his parents and Hope) and friends (like Kenny) that create a loving environment so often missing for queer young people.
He lays bare his sexual traumas and explorations, friendship gains and losses, and identity questions and certainties - many moments of which had me closing the book to better process his experiences. The simple yet raw writing should provide access to affirmation, acknowledgement and hope to future Black queer young people.
The vulnerability with which All Boys Aren't Blue is written is moving and essential. It took me a couple of chapters to embrace the book as the writing style is more simplistic than I've been used to recently but from the Family chapters onwards I was captivated.
George M. Johnson's raw telling of his queer affirming yet imperfect Black family helps breakdown stereotypes of the Black community, and he takes care to describe powerful relationships with family members (like Nanny, his parents and Hope) and friends (like Kenny) that create a loving environment so often missing for queer young people.
He lays bare his sexual traumas and explorations, friendship gains and losses, and identity questions and certainties - many moments of which had me closing the book to better process his experiences. The simple yet raw writing should provide access to affirmation, acknowledgement and hope to future Black queer young people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Incest, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Deadnaming, Death, Racism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Drug use, Grief, Medical content, and Slavery