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Coming Out
Tom
After spending a summer at a Teen Mental Health Clinic, sixteen-year-old Tom accepts that he is gay. He attends a new school where he has made friends, is on the swim team, and most importantly, has found love. Tom's secret relationship with Sean, the most popular guy in school, saves him from the cruelty of his mother, and the indifference of his father. But when everything falls apart, Tom must face his inner demons alone.
- GenresYoung Adult
208 pages, Library Binding
First published September 1, 2015
About the author
Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny
24 books393 followersWrites fiction, non fiction, book reviews, and shopping lists.
MFAer. Mexican. Virgo. Director of Casa Octavia (ask me about it).
MFAer. Mexican. Virgo. Director of Casa Octavia (ask me about it).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 6, 2017
This book was interesting. When I first saw it I thought the title was "Coming Out Torn" so I misinterpreted what the book was going to be like a little. It wasn my favorite book, but I liked seeing the characters develop.
April 23, 2024
An easy and accessible title that combines the topics of coming out and parental mental health. The font is very user-friendly.
November 5, 2015
Tom is gay and up until a couple days ago, he was actually feeling good about his life. However, he opened his big mouth and messed everything up. Sean was Tom’s boyfriend… well… sort of. Sean was actually Hanna’s boyfriend, but he was in love with Tom. Tom and Sean are on the swim team together and they started hanging out more and more until their hangouts turned into makeout sessions and so much more. The only problem was that Sean didn’t want to tell anyone. So when Tom opened his big mouth, Sean decided to punch Tom in the face.
Tom doesn’t have the best home life. His mother is an English teacher at an all girls school and barely gives Thomas the light of day unless she’s yelling at him or complaining about something he did. Tom’s father worked with insects and that’s all he cares to talk about and gets pushed around by Tom’s mother because he doesn’t stick up for himself. Tom’s brother moved to Canada to escape their mess of a life and now that Sean hates him, Tom feels more alone than ever. Tom confides in his friend from the mental clinic where he stayed for some time after trying to kill himself, and she is worried enough about Tom to tell her mother who, of course, calls Tom’s mom. Tom’s mother is furious with Tom and threatens to send him to a better mental clinic so that she doesn’t have to put up with him anymore. There is also a “twist” that really makes no sense and comes out of nowhere, and not in a good way.
I know that this book is supposed to be a high-low reader book, but it was very difficult to read. I felt like Tom was just an overall angry person and not really a good person. I understand that he has a bad life, but if Sean asked him not to tell anyone about them, he should have respected that. Sean’s father is a minister and Sean’s entire family is very religious, so coming out for him would be a difficult thing. I also felt like the author wanted to include sex, but not really because rather than saying it outright, Tom would say, “Things that I can’t even describe…” or “I’m not going to share any details…” I understand that it’s a teen book and shouldn’t be graphic, but I feel like there are smoother ways to put it in there and explain the situation without being too descriptive. Teen writers do it all the time! My overall thoughts are that even though this book is supposed to be on a lower reading level, but for older teens, the quality of writing shouldn’t have to be compromised. I also don’t think I would consider this a book about coming out, even though the series is titled “Coming Out.” Tom is already out, for the most part, and it mostly focuses on his mental health issues.
Literary Merit: Poor
Characterization: Mediocre
Recommendation: Recommend as Optional Purchase
Level: High School (grades 10-12)
Tom doesn’t have the best home life. His mother is an English teacher at an all girls school and barely gives Thomas the light of day unless she’s yelling at him or complaining about something he did. Tom’s father worked with insects and that’s all he cares to talk about and gets pushed around by Tom’s mother because he doesn’t stick up for himself. Tom’s brother moved to Canada to escape their mess of a life and now that Sean hates him, Tom feels more alone than ever. Tom confides in his friend from the mental clinic where he stayed for some time after trying to kill himself, and she is worried enough about Tom to tell her mother who, of course, calls Tom’s mom. Tom’s mother is furious with Tom and threatens to send him to a better mental clinic so that she doesn’t have to put up with him anymore. There is also a “twist” that really makes no sense and comes out of nowhere, and not in a good way.
I know that this book is supposed to be a high-low reader book, but it was very difficult to read. I felt like Tom was just an overall angry person and not really a good person. I understand that he has a bad life, but if Sean asked him not to tell anyone about them, he should have respected that. Sean’s father is a minister and Sean’s entire family is very religious, so coming out for him would be a difficult thing. I also felt like the author wanted to include sex, but not really because rather than saying it outright, Tom would say, “Things that I can’t even describe…” or “I’m not going to share any details…” I understand that it’s a teen book and shouldn’t be graphic, but I feel like there are smoother ways to put it in there and explain the situation without being too descriptive. Teen writers do it all the time! My overall thoughts are that even though this book is supposed to be on a lower reading level, but for older teens, the quality of writing shouldn’t have to be compromised. I also don’t think I would consider this a book about coming out, even though the series is titled “Coming Out.” Tom is already out, for the most part, and it mostly focuses on his mental health issues.
Literary Merit: Poor
Characterization: Mediocre
Recommendation: Recommend as Optional Purchase
Level: High School (grades 10-12)
November 29, 2021
Oh my god. I really enjoyed this. More than I thought I would. I can’t really describe it. I mean I relate to the bad publicity that comes with being in the LGBTQ community, for i identity as bisexual. Plus I can be one sarcastic you-know-what, anyways. Tom hates his life after he screws up his relationship with his boyfriend. The flow of the story reminds me of Persona 5. Like in that game, you start in the present, Tom’s latest suicide attempt, then a good deal of the story is spent catching up to itself, to avoid major spoilers (basically everything after chapter 1 in my eyes)…I’ll just say read the book yourself, you can buy the hardcover on Amazon for 8 dollars, which is more than worth it if you’re into teen romance novels & stories on self improvement
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews