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A review by danielghurst
Golden Boys by Phil Stamper
5.0
GOLDEN BOYS by Phil Stamper is about four best friends, gay teenaged boys from Ohio, who each go off on an adventure the summer before their senior year. One goes to work for an environmental nonprofit in Boston, one to an internship with a US senator in Washington DC, one to design school in Paris, and one to work at his aunt's arcade in Daytona, FL. The boys have some entanglements with one another that go beyond friendship and complicated dynamics with their families, and they each have a lot to learn while they're on their own, gaining perspective from a new environment populated with new people.
I absolutely adore this book! The main characters are all so relatable and realistic in their messiness and insecurities. The author does a wonderful job bringing them to life in the way Gabriel navigates social situations, how Sal tries so hard to please everyone, the way Reese handles criticism, and how Heath yearns for connection. One thing Phil Stamper always does well is infuse his books with wistfulness, giving poignancy to simple moments as the characters reflect on their pasts and ponder their futures. GOLDEN BOYS captures that so well and brought me right back to my teen years. At the same time, the pacing is brisk, as we have four points of view that constantly switch in interesting ways, plus peeks at the text messages between the boys. The way the author manages to write four complete character arcs in such a short book is impressive, though I would've been happy to read a longer version of this story and spend more time with the golden boys. I'm already eagerly anticipating the second installment of this planned duology!
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for the eARC!
I absolutely adore this book! The main characters are all so relatable and realistic in their messiness and insecurities. The author does a wonderful job bringing them to life in the way Gabriel navigates social situations, how Sal tries so hard to please everyone, the way Reese handles criticism, and how Heath yearns for connection. One thing Phil Stamper always does well is infuse his books with wistfulness, giving poignancy to simple moments as the characters reflect on their pasts and ponder their futures. GOLDEN BOYS captures that so well and brought me right back to my teen years. At the same time, the pacing is brisk, as we have four points of view that constantly switch in interesting ways, plus peeks at the text messages between the boys. The way the author manages to write four complete character arcs in such a short book is impressive, though I would've been happy to read a longer version of this story and spend more time with the golden boys. I'm already eagerly anticipating the second installment of this planned duology!
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for the eARC!