hardlyworking 's review for:

Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard

4.5

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

---

This is a very challenging story. Readers looking for rainbow romances, supportive parents, and happily ever afters should look elsewhere. While I am glad that there are now so many stories depicting queer joy and community, I think it is important for us to be reminded that in so many places in the world religious bigotry, limited ideas about masculinity and femininity, intolerance of difference, and adults who do none of the right things for the queer young people (and many of the non-queer ones, too) in their midst are still quite common. As challenging as this novel can be (social rejection and isolation, bullying, homophobia, forced outing, parental and institutional neglect and abuse, and suicide), the strength and growth presented in two of the main characters in the face of all the trauma is hopeful and life-affirming in the end. There's lots of adult language, sexual content, underage drinking, violence, and general assholery. The muggles will be outraged, but they should read it anyway. For American readers potentially put off by the Australian (and Sicilian) language: Google is your friend.