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Money Boy
Ray Liu knows he should be happy. He lives in a big suburban house with all the latest electronic gadgets, and even finds plenty of time to indulge in his love of gaming. He needs the escape. It’s tough getting grades that will please his army veteran father, when speaking English is still a struggle. And he can’t quite connect with his gang at high school — immigrants like himself but who seem to have adjusted to North American life more easily. Then comes his father accesses Ray’s internet account, and discovers Ray has been cruising gay websites. Before Ray knows what has hit him, his belongings have been thrown on the front lawn, and he has been kicked out. Angry, defiant, Ray heads to downtown Toronto. In short order he is robbed, beaten up and seduced, and he learns the hard realities of life on the street. Could he really sell himself for sex? Lots of people use their bodies to make money — athletes, actors, models, pop singers. If no one gets hurt, why should anyone care?
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
7 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Paul Yee
39 books37 followersPaul Yee never planned to be an author but got published in 1983 and followed up with over twenty books in his area of obsession: Chinese immigrants to North America. He wrote mostly for young readers, from picture books to Young Adult fiction, as well as histories for everyone. His university degrees in history, plus working as an archivist, plunged him into researching the past. His work has been translated into French and Chinese, and used in animated films as well as stage plays. Born in small-town prairie Canada, he grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, but Toronto tempted him away from that west coast paradise in 1988.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
June 26, 2012
I saw another reviewer say they had trouble with this book because the way the main character thought and spoke didn't seem very realistic.
I have to disagree. I think it's actually very realistic considering what the mind of an 18 year old immigrant is like in a new country. I found this book very moving. It painfully and accurately depicts the incredible tension between old world, highly traditional parents who are used to having a dictatorial role in their children's lives and the kids who are being raised surrounded by a completely different culture and are struggling to break free.
18 year olds are daydreamers who want to perceive the world as their oyster where the good guys win and the bad guys get taught a lesson. I remember being that painfully naive.
Great book.
I have to disagree. I think it's actually very realistic considering what the mind of an 18 year old immigrant is like in a new country. I found this book very moving. It painfully and accurately depicts the incredible tension between old world, highly traditional parents who are used to having a dictatorial role in their children's lives and the kids who are being raised surrounded by a completely different culture and are struggling to break free.
18 year olds are daydreamers who want to perceive the world as their oyster where the good guys win and the bad guys get taught a lesson. I remember being that painfully naive.
Great book.
January 10, 2012
I liked this book, but didn't love it. I feel that if it had been given a little bit more length and polish time, that it could have been a great book. The book felt rushed, which isn't surprising considering that the book is less than 200 pages (with small dimensions, at that) but tries to encompass not only a teenage coming-of-age story, but the coming-of-age story of a gay young man who is also struggling with biculturalism, immigration and acclimatization and complicated family relationships (overbearing strict father-son, sibling-stepsibling, stepson-stepmother, son-negligent/absent mother). Money Boy also includes the topics of homelessness, the myriad of topics that fall under "gay culture" and racial stereotypes. Any one of these topics could easily have taken up a 350+ page novel, so Money Boy is merely a glimpse into all of these things, and left me wanting more depth. The resolution of the novel zoomed past and made me cry deus ex machina since it seems like, out of nowhere, the main character gathers the fortitude not only to completely come out of the closet to his family and friends, but also venture outside of his comfort zone more frequently to interact with others (both in Boystown and in English). I know that I've seen too many Jillian Michaels workout DVDs, because my brain's response to this was, "Transformation is not a[n]]...event; it's a present activity!" The ending left me feeling like it was too-good-to-be-true, but I did appreciate that the novel had a "happy ending" so that it was hopeful at the end, something that I think should be present in most literature geared toward children and young adults.
In addition to the novel feeling rushed, I could forsee Money Boy's brief snapshop as rubbing people the wrong way because its length and extent of idea development may leave people feeling like some of the ideas are too stereotypical (e.g. overbearing Chinese father who constantly nags about his sons' grades, young gay men turning tricks to make ends meet, religious Chinese girls, online gamers). There is also a bluntness to Paul Yee's writing style that might give people this impression, but, personally, I feel that he chose to write the book in that style to make the narration sound authentically like a conflicted, if sometimes annoyingly self-absorbed, teenage boy. Because these things, and because novel touches upon so many different issues, I think that Money Boy should be taken with a grain of salt; for the same reasons, I think that it would be a very interesting springboard for conversation in a (teenage) book group.
P.S. I don't think that the title "Money Boy" is necessarily fitting, since I wouldn't say that the novel is mainly about Ray being a money boy or money boys in general, which could give the wrong impression (assuming that it is common knowledge what a "money boy" is).
In addition to the novel feeling rushed, I could forsee Money Boy's brief snapshop as rubbing people the wrong way because its length and extent of idea development may leave people feeling like some of the ideas are too stereotypical (e.g. overbearing Chinese father who constantly nags about his sons' grades, young gay men turning tricks to make ends meet, religious Chinese girls, online gamers). There is also a bluntness to Paul Yee's writing style that might give people this impression, but, personally, I feel that he chose to write the book in that style to make the narration sound authentically like a conflicted, if sometimes annoyingly self-absorbed, teenage boy. Because these things, and because novel touches upon so many different issues, I think that Money Boy should be taken with a grain of salt; for the same reasons, I think that it would be a very interesting springboard for conversation in a (teenage) book group.
P.S. I don't think that the title "Money Boy" is necessarily fitting, since I wouldn't say that the novel is mainly about Ray being a money boy or money boys in general, which could give the wrong impression (assuming that it is common knowledge what a "money boy" is).
December 10, 2014
To me, the mark of a good book is if, when you're not reading it, you're thinking about it, and wanting to get back into it. And when you finish it, you start looking for other books by the same author. That's what this book was for me.
Yes, there were a few issues - the book, because of its short length, glosses over some of the issues a newly homeless teen would have to deal with (to say nothing of the issues of racial stereotypes and prostitution, for example ). I also had a problem with the fact that Ray is more worried about how he's going to play his online game than where he's going to spend the night or where his next meal is coming from. His priorities are all screwed up - including choosing prostitution over the two different jobs he's offered in the space of 2-3 days.
But the story itself kept me interested. Some reviews have said that the writing style was too choppy and brusque, but I think it fit the character - a teenage boy whose native language is Chinese. And the last two pages of the book had me crying in Taco Bell.
Yes, there were a few issues - the book, because of its short length, glosses over some of the issues a newly homeless teen would have to deal with (to say nothing of the issues of racial stereotypes and prostitution, for example ). I also had a problem with the fact that Ray is more worried about how he's going to play his online game than where he's going to spend the night or where his next meal is coming from. His priorities are all screwed up - including choosing prostitution over the two different jobs he's offered in the space of 2-3 days.
But the story itself kept me interested. Some reviews have said that the writing style was too choppy and brusque, but I think it fit the character - a teenage boy whose native language is Chinese. And the last two pages of the book had me crying in Taco Bell.
February 23, 2023
This is a YA book which feels like a YA book. Sometimes one forgets that a YA book is a YA book. With Money Boy, one never forgets. It feels almost formulaic.
I keep thinking how one, as a writer, could handle the language issues. In Money Boy, our young hero has problems with English and another character has a problem with Mandarin. However, we are told about these things but we do not see it. It is a challenge, to convey these difficulties to readers in english, and it is a challenge that Yee largely avoids. Readers of this book can easily forget there are any language barriers because everyone is happily and freely speaking english, and then we are sometimes reminded that the conversation is actually in Mandarin.
The path of this character, from closeted spoiled teenager to rent boy seems particularly rushed and forced. Perhaps that is a reflection of his incredible naivete.
Overall, a quick read, but not very rewarding.
I keep thinking how one, as a writer, could handle the language issues. In Money Boy, our young hero has problems with English and another character has a problem with Mandarin. However, we are told about these things but we do not see it. It is a challenge, to convey these difficulties to readers in english, and it is a challenge that Yee largely avoids. Readers of this book can easily forget there are any language barriers because everyone is happily and freely speaking english, and then we are sometimes reminded that the conversation is actually in Mandarin.
The path of this character, from closeted spoiled teenager to rent boy seems particularly rushed and forced. Perhaps that is a reflection of his incredible naivete.
Overall, a quick read, but not very rewarding.
September 3, 2014
Thank God for useless long-ass family trips.
February 4, 2018
3.75 stars
Read this book a few years ago, but remember it well due to the extreme bias the MC faced. I really comisserated with his situation.
Read this book a few years ago, but remember it well due to the extreme bias the MC faced. I really comisserated with his situation.
December 4, 2017
Money Boy by Paul Yee is a very interesting book on a very interesting topic. This book is about a Chinese boy name Ray getting kicked out of his house after his dad found out he is homosexual. Later, his friends and families accepted him for who he is. Overall, this is a great book but it felt rushed at the end because in the beginning, it was well detailed on Ray's life but it was rushed on his adventure living on the street. I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles with being accepted by friends and families.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2023
This was pretty gritty.
A frank look at being a new immigrant and being a queer youth, and how the intersection of those two identities can look.
I don't know if I enjoyed this but I'm glad I read it.
A frank look at being a new immigrant and being a queer youth, and how the intersection of those two identities can look.
I don't know if I enjoyed this but I'm glad I read it.
November 2, 2025
When I picked this novel up I didn't know it was YA book but if I had known it was I might not have read it but it doesn't alter my opinion that it is very mediocre novel if not 'bad' in the sense of soft peddling reality to YA readers. I have great reservations about the YA genre as a whole particularly when it means avoiding the use of certain words, mentioning certain acts or body parts, because almost invariably those restrictions are in place to satisfy or appease adults (please see my footnote *1 below). It is almost quaint the idea that in the 21st century any teenager is going to learn about swearing or sex from books and I doubt even more that at 12 they have anything to learn. I was a very naive 12 year-old back in 1970 when I arrived at my Catholic boarding school in Ireland yet within days I had learnt to swear like a trooper and acquired a knowledge of regular and arcane sexual activities that I was years away from having an ability to perform - most of the boys came from isolated farms in a country were TV started at 6 pm with the Angelus (a prayer). I doubt if any teenager today is as innocent or ignorant as I and many of the boys I knew were at 12 (not many 12 year olds in Ireland at the time were as innocent and ignorant as I was) so what they are being protected from is a mystery.
What I dislike about this book is that it is full of evasions that tell lies rather then deal honestly about what the reality of being a sheltered teenager chucked out onto city streets with no money and no place to go would really be like. Particularly if they are on the streets because they are gay. It is really too gruesome to contemplate. The only good thing I can say is that in the UK if the boy came into contact with the police his father would be arrested for child endangerment and maybe go to gaol. But even in the UK, if that boy didn't find the support of social services it is almost inevitable that they would drift into crime, stealing and probably prostitution and eventually drugs. Exploitation of one sort of another is almost inevitable and much more likely the less street smart the child is. Without social service and child support systems legislated to intervene it is almost impossible for any young person to avoid the worst. That isn't because they are bad but because life for a homeless kid in a big city is not the film 'Oliver' it is not even like Dickens's 'Oliver Twist' it is a nightmare and the father in this story would most likely, if he was lucky, have been reunited with a son in prison or a hospital. It is more likely he would have had to go down and identify his boy in the morgue.
So this book just pissed me off because it was utterly unrealistic and although nobody said fuck or shit nor mentioned penises or sexual acts it was far more likely to corrupt by giving the impression that being broke and homeless on the streets was something any clever kid could survive. But worst of all it is written in a pedestrian style and its happy resolution made me want to vomit. Teenagers don't need to read twaddle like this - any adult stupid enough to think that the way to help a problem teenager is to abandon them needs not a novel but an introduction to some real street kids. Even worse any parent who imagines that being 'gay' is deserving of the withdrawal of support and affection doesn't deserve children and doesn't deserve to be forgiven. I hate this book so much I can't write any more.
*1 A typical example is when adults complain that a novel's characters swear and that this undermines their attempts to stop/prevent their children/students using these words.
What I dislike about this book is that it is full of evasions that tell lies rather then deal honestly about what the reality of being a sheltered teenager chucked out onto city streets with no money and no place to go would really be like. Particularly if they are on the streets because they are gay. It is really too gruesome to contemplate. The only good thing I can say is that in the UK if the boy came into contact with the police his father would be arrested for child endangerment and maybe go to gaol. But even in the UK, if that boy didn't find the support of social services it is almost inevitable that they would drift into crime, stealing and probably prostitution and eventually drugs. Exploitation of one sort of another is almost inevitable and much more likely the less street smart the child is. Without social service and child support systems legislated to intervene it is almost impossible for any young person to avoid the worst. That isn't because they are bad but because life for a homeless kid in a big city is not the film 'Oliver' it is not even like Dickens's 'Oliver Twist' it is a nightmare and the father in this story would most likely, if he was lucky, have been reunited with a son in prison or a hospital. It is more likely he would have had to go down and identify his boy in the morgue.
So this book just pissed me off because it was utterly unrealistic and although nobody said fuck or shit nor mentioned penises or sexual acts it was far more likely to corrupt by giving the impression that being broke and homeless on the streets was something any clever kid could survive. But worst of all it is written in a pedestrian style and its happy resolution made me want to vomit. Teenagers don't need to read twaddle like this - any adult stupid enough to think that the way to help a problem teenager is to abandon them needs not a novel but an introduction to some real street kids. Even worse any parent who imagines that being 'gay' is deserving of the withdrawal of support and affection doesn't deserve children and doesn't deserve to be forgiven. I hate this book so much I can't write any more.
*1 A typical example is when adults complain that a novel's characters swear and that this undermines their attempts to stop/prevent their children/students using these words.
May 14, 2020
Money Boy is a brutal, depressing look into the lives of Chinese immigrants in North America. Make no mistake, as painful as this book is to read, it's equally realistic.
Yee captures the mindset of modern China in all its complexity. I was constantly impressed by how saturated this book was by authenticity- I almost felt like I was back in China, myself. By the 33% mark, I had already highlighted over a dozen passages that perfectly encapsulated the generational struggles of Chinese people.
While it wasn't easy for me to relate to Ray, I could sympathize with his struggles. Having lived in China and having met many people similar to him, I could understand a lot of his behavior that confused readers unfamiliar with Chinese culture. Watching his descent into poverty and eventually prostitution was hard to stomach because really it could happen to any of my friends if they were in his position.
Some reviewers disliked Ray. I think a lot of their criticism comes from cultural differences between China and the West. I'll put my explanations here under a spoiler tag to avoid a wall of text for a review, but there are no spoilers here:
Looking at the negative reviews, I find myself unsurprised but slightly disappointed. It seems like the message in this book was lost on a lot of people due to the cultural gap.
Yee captures the mindset of modern China in all its complexity. I was constantly impressed by how saturated this book was by authenticity- I almost felt like I was back in China, myself. By the 33% mark, I had already highlighted over a dozen passages that perfectly encapsulated the generational struggles of Chinese people.
While it wasn't easy for me to relate to Ray, I could sympathize with his struggles. Having lived in China and having met many people similar to him, I could understand a lot of his behavior that confused readers unfamiliar with Chinese culture. Watching his descent into poverty and eventually prostitution was hard to stomach because really it could happen to any of my friends if they were in his position.
Some reviewers disliked Ray. I think a lot of their criticism comes from cultural differences between China and the West. I'll put my explanations here under a spoiler tag to avoid a wall of text for a review, but there are no spoilers here:
Looking at the negative reviews, I find myself unsurprised but slightly disappointed. It seems like the message in this book was lost on a lot of people due to the cultural gap.
April 28, 2014
Money Boy was VERY disappointing.....the concept was fabulous....(well, sad, but still a strong concept) of a young boy, a Chinese immigrant, who is kicked out of his home because his father finds evidence of him looking at gay websites. His father tells everyone he is a stubborn boy, and no one questions that it was HIS decision to leave rather than his father's......which is part one of why this disappointed me....so, the boy is homeless and gets robbed and ends up in a homeless shelter....and then decides to prostitute himself......but not because he is hungry/homeless/alone....but because he just HAS to have a laptop and access to his computer game that he is active in...really?..... THAT right there is the number one reason that I am extremely upset with this book.......I don't know why ANYONE recommended it (and someone gave it high recommendations because it's on my GSTBA reading list)......the main character is sooooo self centered and literally whines about his gaming as if he would rather be dead then miss out on it........and the fact that none of his friends or family question why he left? That seems flimsy...but if we take that as a given...then WHY does the father do a quick turn-around when the grandfather comes to town, and brings the boy back home (of course making him promise to act straight)....and when the boy outs himself to the grandfather, the story ends (grandfather is more accepting than father, possible, but really, don't you think the father is just going to kick him out again? And since the father KNOWS about his son being a "money boy" wouldn't he talk to him, or.....dunno, something? Get him counseling, a dr appt, anything?)
Ugh, that's all I can say....just......ugh
Ugh, that's all I can say....just......ugh
April 10, 2014
I think that the concept of the novel was GREAT. I feel that the author could have done a lot of more things then he did. The whole description of the book was what wanted me to read the book in the first place. It's an OK read, it's not the best. I would put it on the sort of lackluster side of novels. I just feel as if with the whole concept and core of the book could have been manipulated in a multitude of ways and the way portrayed in this book is not the best. Also, there is a lack of details in the book. Well, for me personally it was. I'm the type of person when I read books I need a lot of details to suffice. This novel didn't give me what I needed. I also felt as if the book was a bit rushed as well.
July 8, 2017
*This review may contain spoilers.
Money Boy follows the main character, Ray Liu, through a turbulent week of his life. Before the real story begins, readers find that Ray is an immigrant and a closeted gay young man. His father, or Ba, remarried and moved him from Beijing, China to Toronto, Canada, where he lives with his stepfamily. Ray has a tough time as a student, he struggles with his sexual identity, and his tenuous grasp on the English language makes schoolwork difficult. His father has very high expectations for his future. He expects Ray to become a doctor one day, but Ray can barely pass the classes he is assigned. To make matters worse, his stepbrother, Jian, is an excellent student and son.
After the opening in the story, Ba confronts Ray with a computer printout with a list of websites Ray visits, including Rebel State, an online gaming forum. In addition to that, his Ba highlighted the gay Chinese sites that Ray visited. Ba puts together Ray’s things and throws him out of the house. Ray decides to travel to the city, where he deals with struggle after struggle and he meets Han, a pimp who turns Ray out. Ray briefly becomes a “money boy” or male prostitute.
Money Boy a diverse book. Diverse attributes of the book include differences in race, gender identity, nationality, citizenship, sexual orientation, ability, and even socio-economic status. The last part of that definition applies to the book, as Ray ends up homeless and without money.
During Ray’s struggle, he continuously attempts to find ways to escape his real-life struggles through gaming. Even while he is homeless and hungry, he tries to find ways to play his beloved computer game Rebel State. The game allows him to feel like a warrior and a leader.
Money Boy could be a more enjoyable read if Ray was not such whiny character. His obsession with fitting in and choosing the “right societal things” pushes him to make bad decision after bad decision. He hardly seems to learn any lessons, even making male prostitution appear to be an obvious and glamorous choice. Instead of realizing his mistakes and facing things head on, he continues to run further away until there is nowhere left to run. Thankfully, by the very end of the novel, he realizes some of the errors of his ways. He proudly comes out to his grandfather, friends, and family, and realizes that his gaming obsession has been holding him back.
Money Boy follows the main character, Ray Liu, through a turbulent week of his life. Before the real story begins, readers find that Ray is an immigrant and a closeted gay young man. His father, or Ba, remarried and moved him from Beijing, China to Toronto, Canada, where he lives with his stepfamily. Ray has a tough time as a student, he struggles with his sexual identity, and his tenuous grasp on the English language makes schoolwork difficult. His father has very high expectations for his future. He expects Ray to become a doctor one day, but Ray can barely pass the classes he is assigned. To make matters worse, his stepbrother, Jian, is an excellent student and son.
After the opening in the story, Ba confronts Ray with a computer printout with a list of websites Ray visits, including Rebel State, an online gaming forum. In addition to that, his Ba highlighted the gay Chinese sites that Ray visited. Ba puts together Ray’s things and throws him out of the house. Ray decides to travel to the city, where he deals with struggle after struggle and he meets Han, a pimp who turns Ray out. Ray briefly becomes a “money boy” or male prostitute.
Money Boy a diverse book. Diverse attributes of the book include differences in race, gender identity, nationality, citizenship, sexual orientation, ability, and even socio-economic status. The last part of that definition applies to the book, as Ray ends up homeless and without money.
During Ray’s struggle, he continuously attempts to find ways to escape his real-life struggles through gaming. Even while he is homeless and hungry, he tries to find ways to play his beloved computer game Rebel State. The game allows him to feel like a warrior and a leader.
Money Boy could be a more enjoyable read if Ray was not such whiny character. His obsession with fitting in and choosing the “right societal things” pushes him to make bad decision after bad decision. He hardly seems to learn any lessons, even making male prostitution appear to be an obvious and glamorous choice. Instead of realizing his mistakes and facing things head on, he continues to run further away until there is nowhere left to run. Thankfully, by the very end of the novel, he realizes some of the errors of his ways. He proudly comes out to his grandfather, friends, and family, and realizes that his gaming obsession has been holding him back.
January 27, 2023
This was suggested alongside books like Call Me By Your Name and Lie With Me. Money Boy is about a Chinese immigrant named Ray Liu who attempts to live on the streets of Toronto after his strict father throws him out of the house for being gay. This just comes in under 200 pages and was a very, very quick read. Ray's trials and tribulations surviving on the streets is what drives this short novel. As his hopelessness grows, he begins considering selling himself to the night along other castaways walking the streets of Toronto at night: they’re known as Money Boys. Hence the title.
The book I feel accurately portrays the mindset of an immigrant torn between tradition and just wanting to be free to be who they are. At times, the way the story is told may be simple and straightforward but it is done so wonderfully. This would be such an excellent indie film that would’ve most likely been distributed by a company like Altered Innocence. It delves into some dark territory with being a Money Boy but also mixes in some family drama. It doesn’t end so hopelessly as this review may suggest thankfully. Money Boy is a moving and candid portrait of a gay teen growing up in a conservative immigrant household. A nice, solid, short read. What’s more to say? 🙂
PS - I wish I could read more books like this to further inspire my own personal film projects like Nobody’s Boy. It would have helped a great deal.
The book I feel accurately portrays the mindset of an immigrant torn between tradition and just wanting to be free to be who they are. At times, the way the story is told may be simple and straightforward but it is done so wonderfully. This would be such an excellent indie film that would’ve most likely been distributed by a company like Altered Innocence. It delves into some dark territory with being a Money Boy but also mixes in some family drama. It doesn’t end so hopelessly as this review may suggest thankfully. Money Boy is a moving and candid portrait of a gay teen growing up in a conservative immigrant household. A nice, solid, short read. What’s more to say? 🙂
PS - I wish I could read more books like this to further inspire my own personal film projects like Nobody’s Boy. It would have helped a great deal.
August 20, 2017
This book was so colourful. By that, I mean, whenever I read a book my mind rates it on its colour. If it's normal and already-done, or bland, it won't have colour. However, if it is unique, creative, and moving, I give it colour.
And that's why Money Boy had colour. It was edgy, it was modern. It was so... interesting.
I disagree with the people who are saying that it was too short. Is that how you're going to rate it? By its number of pages? I get it if you want a lengthy read, but if you want one, get one. I don't mean to offend anyone, and I get what you mean by the jerky turns and all. It makes sense for a Chinese immigrant though, and I got used to it.
Money Boy also had pop culture in it, which is what I like. They included video games, vintage cafes, etc, y'know?
*SPOILER PART*
Now, the ending. First, I was like: "What the heck? That's all? I feel so empty..." but then I thought about it more. It was an ending that got you wondering what happened with the characters and their life. It was sad, yeah, that no one accepted Ray, but that's life for you. Endings don't have to be all dandy and all. This was realistic.
Money Boy was a fantastic read, and quite memorable. Thanks Paul Lee for the colourful words!
And that's why Money Boy had colour. It was edgy, it was modern. It was so... interesting.
I disagree with the people who are saying that it was too short. Is that how you're going to rate it? By its number of pages? I get it if you want a lengthy read, but if you want one, get one. I don't mean to offend anyone, and I get what you mean by the jerky turns and all. It makes sense for a Chinese immigrant though, and I got used to it.
Money Boy also had pop culture in it, which is what I like. They included video games, vintage cafes, etc, y'know?
*SPOILER PART*
Now, the ending. First, I was like: "What the heck? That's all? I feel so empty..." but then I thought about it more. It was an ending that got you wondering what happened with the characters and their life. It was sad, yeah, that no one accepted Ray, but that's life for you. Endings don't have to be all dandy and all. This was realistic.
Money Boy was a fantastic read, and quite memorable. Thanks Paul Lee for the colourful words!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2019
"Money Boy" by Paul Yee was a good book but I didn't love it. I'd wish it was a little longer because it felt rally rushed but I did like how it showed a teenage coming-of-age story of a gay young man who is also struggling with multiculturalism, immigration and complicated family relationships. It also shows the way that the main character has to live by being homeless and struggling with finding his identity. I'd recommend this book to anyone who doesn't like reading a lot, and wants to see the struggles of a teenage boy being kicked out of his house because of his beliefs.
August 4, 2017
A YA read about a Chinese immigrant teen whose father kicks him out for being gay. Ray is a bit self centered, but I found that realistic for a teen character. I like that he is presented as having flaws and making some bad decisions. The ending is a bit abrupt. I would have liked another chapter or two of wrapup. A good book for young adults overall.
January 28, 2018
I think this book could have greatly benefited from 50-100 more pages, to expand the story and the characters. However it was an interesting coming of age story about a Chinese-Canadian boy, being kicked out of his home for being gay. Lots of elements going on, and too quickly in such a short book. It was a great read for a single afternoon.
October 19, 2018
Very simple for even a teen in so many ways. I like that it deals with the issue of sex work but the main character is so unlikeable that I sighed at most of his ideas and his changing views on things. A book that could have been longer, not speeding up pivotal scenes and an ending that came way too fast.
December 7, 2018
So much potential to tell the story of a Chinese immigrant kicked out of his home when his father learns he’s gay. Potential for culture exploration and immigrant struggles—he’s in Canada. But he is outed, kicked out, living on the streets, makes gay friends, becomes male sex worker, and is brought back home and all smoothed over with family in seven days.
February 2, 2018
Very good book! It followed his ups and downs as he lived on the street with other money boys. A little bit more detail when it came to actually being on the street, but other than that, wonderful book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2018
I feel like this book is a story that was waiting to be told something the author had to share. Overall a simple coming to terms with yourself book Albeit a little confusing at times the ending leaves me satisfied.
January 21, 2020
This book had a great concept and covered several important issues, but I feel like there could have been more. It needed to go more ind-depth. I also had a real problem with the pacing because so much is happening within the course of seven days.
February 17, 2024
It was a good, quick read, but I felt like it took too long to get started and then once it did it felt rushed. There were so many side characters that I could never remember who was who. Some really felt unnecessary. I loved the writing style though, it felt authentic and it really fit the book.
December 13, 2019
Overall it was a pretty good book. I had wished to see more character development of Ray...would have loved to see how he felt in the moment of things toward the end of the book.
August 19, 2024
i should not have been reading this book at 13
April 18, 2025
Reading a story written in the POV of a queer immigrant… especially during the times we’re having has been incredibly eye-opening. Easily a 5 star read.
September 16, 2012
The first chapter in this book introduces like 8 different characters and is slightly boring and confusing. In my opinion, once you get past the first chapter in the book, it is really good and quite interesting and a good book. In the beginning chapters you get introduced to the main character who’s name is Ray. He is a Chinese immigrant who has recently moved to Canada. He has recently moved to Toronto and you come to find out that his mother did not travel with he and his father to Canada. He mother and father both ended up getting remarried. Ray refers to his father as Ba throughout the novel and you quickly realize that Ba is very opinionated and a very strict father to Ray. For instance, you find out that Ba is bribing his son to get better grades by telling him that he will buy him a laptop. Ray definitely struggled with the move because his favorite relative—grandfather—stayed in China.
In the beginning of the novel you get a hunch that Ray may be different than most other boys his age because he talks about hugging a girl and not getting “turned on” by her. Later in the novel, Ba ends up kicking his son out of the house because he simply can’t accept the fact that his son is gay. After Ray is kicked out of his own home he ponders going to his friends and tying to live with them, but then he realizes that he would have to explain to them why he got kicked out. While being homeless he struggles with his elf dignity and his personal pride and whether or not he wants to come out to his friends. He is very fearful of many things and he does not have the support of anyone. He runs out of money quick and ends up becoming a money boy—male prostitute—on the side of the road and he meets a man who treats wonderfully. The man was kind to him and even took him out to dinner and bowling. At this point, Ray realized that he was not as worried about coming out and he was confident that he was gay. Towards the end of the book Ray’s father tracks him down and tells him that he should come home because his grandfather is traveling to Toronto—from China—to visit. Ray ends up going because he has a very special relationship with his grandfather and his grandfather was getting older so he was unsure how many more opportunities he would have to see/spend time with him. He ends up telling his grandfather that he is homosexual and his grandfather is very understanding of it. After reflecting the novel, I would say that it did a good job of describing the troubles that Ray faces with his sexuality and coming out. I did not particularly love the end of the book. I enjoyed the conversation that he had with his grandfather, but I wanted to hear more. I felt like the book ended abruptly and I didn’t feel like it was done. Overall, I would say that I liked parts of the book, but some parts were quite sad. The relationship between Ba and Ray was very hard to read at times and the thought of a child being kicked out of his home for being gay is so sad.
In the beginning of the novel you get a hunch that Ray may be different than most other boys his age because he talks about hugging a girl and not getting “turned on” by her. Later in the novel, Ba ends up kicking his son out of the house because he simply can’t accept the fact that his son is gay. After Ray is kicked out of his own home he ponders going to his friends and tying to live with them, but then he realizes that he would have to explain to them why he got kicked out. While being homeless he struggles with his elf dignity and his personal pride and whether or not he wants to come out to his friends. He is very fearful of many things and he does not have the support of anyone. He runs out of money quick and ends up becoming a money boy—male prostitute—on the side of the road and he meets a man who treats wonderfully. The man was kind to him and even took him out to dinner and bowling. At this point, Ray realized that he was not as worried about coming out and he was confident that he was gay. Towards the end of the book Ray’s father tracks him down and tells him that he should come home because his grandfather is traveling to Toronto—from China—to visit. Ray ends up going because he has a very special relationship with his grandfather and his grandfather was getting older so he was unsure how many more opportunities he would have to see/spend time with him. He ends up telling his grandfather that he is homosexual and his grandfather is very understanding of it. After reflecting the novel, I would say that it did a good job of describing the troubles that Ray faces with his sexuality and coming out. I did not particularly love the end of the book. I enjoyed the conversation that he had with his grandfather, but I wanted to hear more. I felt like the book ended abruptly and I didn’t feel like it was done. Overall, I would say that I liked parts of the book, but some parts were quite sad. The relationship between Ba and Ray was very hard to read at times and the thought of a child being kicked out of his home for being gay is so sad.
September 12, 2012
First of all once you get past the 1st chapter of this book I believe that the storyline and context becomes easier to understand and feel interested in. This story begins with the introduction of Ray Liu who is a Chinese immigrant living in Toronto, Canada. He lives with his father, stepmother and stepbrother. His mother remained in China, as did his beloved grandfather both of whom he had previously lived with. Ray's father, Ba, is an interesting man with a strong opinion of people around him and life in general. Early on in the story Ba kicks Ray out of the house when, by going through Ray's computer and seeing that he had been searching and looking at gay websites, he discovers Ray is gay. Pride plays a large role on both Ray and Ba's parts, as Ray finds himself struggling to survive and make on the streets of Toronto while being homeless, low on money and without anyone to lean on for support he turns to a life of being a money boy (male prostitute). Throughout the novel Ray struggles with the language barrier of being a ELL student and talking to people he meets while living on the streets and ordering at restaurants. When Ray joins the money boy group he is afraid at first to solicit his body out of fear that he would get harmed and/or lose his self dignity. He struggles with his feelings and the idea of coming out of the closest in public. He just doesn't want to be judged for what he believes in and how he feels about being a homosexual. When Ray meets a man who takes him to dinner and bowling before going back to his house, Ray thinks he may have found someone who cared about him. Later he finds out this man is a pimp. Ray's dad finally tracks him down and Ray goes back home to see his visiting grandfather from China. Ray's grandfather is much more understanding when he learns that Ray is gay. This book successfully describes the struggles and triumphs Ray experiences. At first he fears what his family and friends will think when they find out his secret, but by the end of the novel Ray has grown more confident in who he is, he is no longer afraid to disclose his sexuality to those close to him. Although I didn't feel that this book was poorly written by any means, but I did feel as though the ending was a bit vague in detail and the conflict between Ray and his father feels as though it is never truly resolved. I would have enjoyed reading a conversation between the two and the possibility of his father fully realizing and accepting that his son was gay. I believe that reading this book was hard in the sense that I felt bad that Ray's father kicked him out and did not try to understand his own son's feelings. The culture of money boys kind of interested me in what exact hardships and ideas they go through. You hear in the media all about female prostitutes but seldom ever about male ones.
February 16, 2015
Money Boy is a book filled with many different turns, although it is a good book. The main character's name is Ray Liu, he goes through many difficult things while he lives with his dad in Canada. This book is about how Ray lives with his dad and tries to hide the fact that he's gay. So one day he's home and his father kicks in his room and confronts him about the gay websites he's been on recently. Ray lies to his father and says its a school project and his father kicks him out. So he is trying to survive on his own and he has a hard time because he has a hard time finding some where to sleep. Also, he gets robbed on the first night because he sleeps in a alley. The other characters are Ba, Ma, Grandfather, Jian, Jenny, and the strangers from shelter and room he rents.
Honestly, i am usually uninterested in books but Money Boy changed my mind. There is so many plot twists its crazy, i like how the author kept me interested. At first i was a little shocked that Ray was gay but as the story went along i liked it. I liked it because the story went eye catching. For example, in chapter 2 Ray's dad kicked him out because he was gay and it made his dad think about how he raised him. Also, in chapter 9 it unexpected how he goes to an bowling alley and ends up sleeping with a stranger. That was a perfect plot twist because it made me think he was going to become a male protistute until i read a little more.
Overall this is a good book all in all. A person who is homo-sexual might enjoy this because they might relate. Money Boy is full of different twists but is also a sad story. Honestly, who wants to be kicked out because of what they like? A person who enjoys interesting books might like this also because its shocking how he keeps going on and doesn't ask for help. People who like independent characters will like this, all Ray had to do was go get help but he had to much pride to do it because he was trying to prove to himself that he didn't need his father.
Honestly, i am usually uninterested in books but Money Boy changed my mind. There is so many plot twists its crazy, i like how the author kept me interested. At first i was a little shocked that Ray was gay but as the story went along i liked it. I liked it because the story went eye catching. For example, in chapter 2 Ray's dad kicked him out because he was gay and it made his dad think about how he raised him. Also, in chapter 9 it unexpected how he goes to an bowling alley and ends up sleeping with a stranger. That was a perfect plot twist because it made me think he was going to become a male protistute until i read a little more.
Overall this is a good book all in all. A person who is homo-sexual might enjoy this because they might relate. Money Boy is full of different twists but is also a sad story. Honestly, who wants to be kicked out because of what they like? A person who enjoys interesting books might like this also because its shocking how he keeps going on and doesn't ask for help. People who like independent characters will like this, all Ray had to do was go get help but he had to much pride to do it because he was trying to prove to himself that he didn't need his father.
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