Boy Like Me by Simon James Green

Oh My God, that's the first phrase that comes to mind when thinking of Boy Like Me. I've never read such a novel and have nothing but positives to say about it. I laughed, cried, loved, and was overcome with anger all in the same sitting; yes, I read it in twenty-four hours. It's a rollercoaster of a read, and I wish to be strapped in forever.

Jamie is a sixteen-year-old boy who, like most of us, just wants to fit in. He's a rule-follower and craves the approval of those in positions of authority. It’s the right thing to do, and he needs to follow the mould. He's different though, and he knows it. He has certain feelings that he can't work out, feelings of adoration towards other boys; he's just looking for brotherhood, right?

One day, while in the library, he's offered a book by the school librarian: top 3 character. This isn't just any book, it's a book that shouldn't exist in the school database, due to Section 28; the law which bans the ‘promotion’ of anything homosexual. It’s a book which reflects his latent feelings towards men.

And he’s not the only one. Deep within the book, he finds a handwritten message. There’s another boy in school who feels the same way he does, and so he reaches out within the pages of the book, writing is his thing, and allows himself to take a journey so scary yet rewarding.

This novel is one of the best examples of LGBTQIA fiction that I’ve come across. It’s honest, raw, and gives a true outlook on life as a homosexual in the 90s (some people also feel the same way today). Jamie and, I’ll call him, Loverboy, as not to ruin the mystery, embark on a romance that excites them, scares them, rips them apart, and lifts them back up again.

Can the establishment win? How can you love in a world so dependent on hate?

I give this book a 5 out of 5. It’s honestly perfect. If there was one criticism from me, and it’s a struggle to find even one, it would be that maybe the L word was brought up too quickly. But in a world where your love is forbidden, where you are the only two people in the world who understand each other, I can forgive quick infatuation.