Wide Awake in Queereaders

May 13, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it liked it

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, read-by-other-reviewers

Reviewed by Christian C. for TeensReadToo.com

Decades from today, the results of the election are out, and for the first time in the history of the United States, a gay, Jewish president, Abraham Stein, has been elected. After the Greater Depression, the War to End All Wars, the Reign of Fear, and the Jesus Revolution, the moment has arrived. Seventeen-year-old Duncan, who has spent the last few months working with his boyfriend, Jimmy, as a volunteer at the campaign headquarters, can finally sta Reviewed by Christian C. for TeensReadToo.com

Decades from today, the results of the election are out, and for the first time in the history of the United States, a gay, Jewish president, Abraham Stein, has been elected. After the Greater Depression, the War to End All Wars, the Reign of Fear, and the Jesus Revolution, the moment has arrived. Seventeen-year-old Duncan, who has spent the last few months working with his boyfriend, Jimmy, as a volunteer at the campaign headquarters, can finally stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance because at last the words "with liberty and justice for all" make sense.

But soon everything will take a 180-degree turn. The governor of Kansas, a member of the opposition party, demands a recount. Stein is determined to fight back, and asks all the people who have elected him to go to Kansas and show their support. Everyone at the election headquarters decides to board their bus that night and join this pilgrimage to Kansas.

Duncan, always insecure, always wondering about what Jimmy will think and what will happen to their relationship, knows that going to Kansas is the right thing to do. It's the once in a lifetime opportunity to help write history, and he decides to board the bus despite his parents' disapproval.

However, the trip proves to be more challenging than he thought. Duncan and Jimmy's relationship seems strained. Their friend Keisha finds out that her girlfriend, Mira, was having an affair with another girl in the group. And when the group arrives in Topeka, Kansas, they have to endure the insults and vicious attacks of the Decents (the supporters of the opposition party). They camp out in the center of town, along with more than half a million other people, with not much food, only a few accommodations, and no quick resolution in sight. Will it be worth it? Will justice prevail?

When I pick up a book by David Levithan, certain things are a given. First, I know it's going to be well written. From a little poem, to a presidential speech, to a sex scene, Levithan proves once again with WIDE AWAKE that he's a talented writer and has a great deal of imagination. This entertaining novel, full of interesting characters, is a combination of a fun parody of good versus evil, and a love story. ...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Michael rated it really liked it

Arrgh, the first 95% of it is just about perfect and then there's a B.S. abrupt, deus ex machina ending to one of the major storylines that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The book should have been about 50 pages longer with a proper conclusion. That said, it's a REALLY compelling book. And it's actually got some speculative fiction world-building aspects that I didn't see coming from an LGBT young adult novel. ...more

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Jan 31, 2011 J. rated it liked it

I can't tell you how much I wanted this novel to be good. The premise is spectacular, and Levithan is a major talent. The characters just fall flat, though, and the major issue (outside the contested election) never gets resolved. Pacing issues abound, and in the end, there simply isn't enough connection to narrator or plot for the payoff to have the desired effect. An okay read, but not as powerful as the jacket copy made it sound. ...more

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Oct 14, 2011 Kit Goode rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, utopian

This is obviously a feel-good bood. Why are you reading Levithan if you don't want to get the warm fuzzies from his perfect sorts of worlds? This is a book about being brave, being 16 and in love, and jeans that sculpt themselves to your butt. ...more

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