I was deeply impressed by the courage and skill that went into this new novel for teenagers. First of all, it undertakes the technically difficult task of writing a novel in the style of a blog, with current teenage blog-language used convincingly. Second, it gets in the head of two teenagers, one straight and one gay, who have maintained a friendship from childhood, and are confronting their first sexual choices. Sloan, who is a film director, succeeds admirably in both these tasks. I have been told by too many people that the current atmosphere in publishing precludes an intelligent treatment of teenage sexuality. This book proves that those people are wrong. Yes, it’s true that the marching morons have commandeered and corrupted much of the media in North America. Yes, it’s true that an aging population in the United States and Canada has been getting steadily stupider and more conservative. But it is essential that writers resist these trends, and stand up for true moral values against the ignorance and immorality of Conservatism, especially when it comes to writing for the young. Sloan does so, and earns my respect for it.
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