Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Two Boys Kissing

by David Levithan

From the New York Times best-selling author of Every Day, another thoughtful and original perspective on relationships.

2014 Lambda literary award winner and 2014 Stonewall Honor Book, Two Boys Kissing explores how people fall in and out of love, and what is means to discover yourself.

The two boys kissing are Craig and Harry. They're hoping to set the world record for the longest kiss. They're not a couple, but they used to be.

Peter and Neil are a couple. Their kisses are different. Avery and Ryan have only just met and are trying to figure out what happens next. Cooper is alone. He's not sure how he feels.

As the marathon progresses, these boys, their friends and families evaluate the changing nature of feelings, behaviour and this crazy thing called love under the watchful eyes of a Greek chorus of a generation of men lost to AIDS. David Levithan connects recent history with the present moment in a novel that is both a celebration of equality and a memorial to a lost generation.

David is the New York Times best-selling author of Boy Meets Boy and Marly's Ghost. While among his many collaborations are Will Grayson, Will Grayson with Fault in Our Stars author John Green, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with Rachel Cohn, which became a major film. Tiny Cooper from Will Grayson, Will Grayson, now has his own novel: Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story. David is also a highly respected children's book editor, whose list includes many luminaries of children's literature, including Garth Nix, Libba Bray and Suzanne Collins. He lives and works in New York.

Praise for Every Day:

'Every Day is a wonder.' Patrick Ness, author of Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls

Reviewed by Angie on

4 of 5 stars

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Two Boys Kissing is something special. I didn't love it as much as I hoped, but it's still an amazing and touching read. Based on real events, Harry and Craig are set to break the world record for the longest kiss while also making a statement. They've practiced and worked out all of the logistics with help from friends, and now the day has arrived. The two boys stand in front of their high school and begin kissing. At first no one is watching except for close friends and family, but then more people gather, their livestream goes viral, and soon it's a global event. I was right there with the rest of their spectators, cheering them on!

I took me a little while to settle into the narrative of Two Boys Kissing. I knew it was going to be from the perspective of the previous generation of gay men who dies and paved the way for Harry and Craig to do what they're doing, but I was still a little thrown. This was only the second book I've read from the view point of a collective "we" but I do think I like it. However, I don't think it worked as well for me in this one. I thought there was a disconnect, since we have no idea who the narrator is, and we only get their thoughts and feelings on the current situations rather than any of the active characters. I would have liked it more if there had been identifiable individuals telling their own stories around the other stories.

Two Boys Kissing is so much more than just Harry and Craig breaking a world record. Like I just mentioned we're also told about the struggles of the men who came before them, but they also tell us about several other boys around town who are struggling or finding acceptance. Tariq is their friend and supporter who they're partially doing this for after he was beaten and left in an alley. Neil and Peter are out and together, but Neil's parents don't really see him. Cooper lives a double life...or several...and his coming out does not go how anyone hoped. Finally, there's Avery and Ryan who have just met but are enjoying every moment together. All of these boys' stories end up being connected in some way, and I enjoyed getting to know all of them, even just a little.

This is probably going to sound strange, but beyond all of the big stuff like the messages about acceptance and LGBT rights, my favorite part of Two Boys Kissing was the little details about Harry and Craig actually working toward their record breaking kiss. Can you imagine standing (that's a rule) for over 32 hours with no breaks? They can't leave to use the bathroom, and no diapers were allow! They had to hold it, wet themselves, or whip it out in front of all the cameras. They also had to drink very carefully through straws as to not dehydrate or break the kiss. We even learned that they wore orthopedic socks to keep their circulation flowing! I just really appreciate little things like that which make the story feel more real.

Two Boys Kissing is quite amazing. I don't think I have anything left to say about it other than that. It's just a great read, and I think it'll be an important one to show people that they're not alone.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 24 June, 2014: Finished reading
  • 24 June, 2014: Reviewed