
Reach for this book when your teenager expresses a desire to be seen as more than just a label, or when they feel the exhaustion of being a pioneer for their identity. While Rafe is comfortably out as gay, he moves to a new school to try being just Rafe, the athlete and writer, rather than the gay kid. This nuanced story explores the difference between hiding who you are and choosing which parts of yourself to share. It is a sophisticated look at honesty, friendship, and the labels we apply to ourselves and others, making it a perfect choice for mature teens navigating the complexities of social perception and self-discovery in high school.
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Sign in to write a reviewProtagonist chooses to lie to friends to test a social theory.
The book handles LGBTQ+ identity and the coming-out process through a secular, realistic lens. It addresses the burden of being an advocate for one's identity. The resolution is realistic and bittersweet rather than a perfect fairytale ending, emphasizing personal growth and accountability over easy fixes.
A high schooler who feels pigeonholed by a specific trait, whether it is their sexuality, a talent, or a reputation, and is questioning how to reclaim their individual identity.
Parents should be aware of some frank discussions about teenage romance and sexuality. The book is best read by teens who can handle the nuances of Rafe's potentially deceptive choices. A parent might see their teen pulling away from their usual social circles or expressing frustration that everyone treats them differently because of one specific thing they know about them.
Younger teens (14) will focus on the romance and the boarding school adventure. Older teens (17-18) will likely connect more deeply with the philosophical questions about labels and the ethics of Rafe's experiment.
Unlike many YA novels that focus on the trauma of coming out, this book explores the unique fatigue of being out and the social performance that often comes with it.
Rafe Goldberg is a high school junior from Colorado who has been out since eighth grade. Fed up with being defined solely by his sexuality, he enrolls in an all-boys boarding school in Massachusetts where no one knows him. He decides to stay in the closet, not out of shame, but to see if he can exist as a person first. He finds success as an athlete and a friend, but things get complicated when he falls for his best friend, Ben. Rafe must eventually reconcile his desire for a blank slate with the reality that hiding your history is its own kind of cage.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.