I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip.

by John Donovan

The 40th anniversary edition of a groundbreaking teen classic.

When the grandmother who raised him dies, Davy Ross, a lonely thirteen-year-old boy, must move to Manhattan to live with his estranged mother. Between alcohol-infused lectures about her self-sacrifice and awkward visits with his distant father, Davy's only comfort is his beloved dachshund Fred. Things start to look up when he and a boy from school become friends. But when their relationship takes an unexpected turn, Davy struggles to understand what happened and what it might mean.

Genres: Young Adult, LGBT, Fiction, Queer, Classics, Romance, Contemporary

189 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

John Donovan was a novelist and a playwright, who also served as the president of the Children's Book Council. I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip. was originally published in 1969 and reprinted by Dell in 1973.

Reviews

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm left wondering how to classify this one: cute, sad, disturbing... Whatever it is, it's an interesting read.

So Davy Ross is a thirteen-year-old boy who has been raised by his grandmother instead of by one of his divorced parents. But when his grandmother passes, Davey and his dog Fred move to New York to live with his alcoholic mother.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Davy and as usual with most novels about young teens, he comes across as much older than thirteen. The insight shown by his narration is far beyond what would normally be capable of a boy his age. Thirteen-year-olds are way too focused on "me" to have the insight shown by Davey.

Other than that it's a touching and insightful story. It has many touching, cute, sad, and disturbing moments. It left me shaking my head at what some adults consider "parenting."

Davey's friendship with Altschuler is cute and very typical for many boys that age. I think it is a great example of the stress cultural prejudice causes most boys and girls of all ages.

I think all parents should read this book. If nothing else it might provide some insight into their kids. Would also be a good read for teens. Would let them know that the feelings they have are not unusual but completely normal.

[Ian]

I first read “I’ll Get There, It Better Be Worth The Trip” in 1969, shortly after it had been published. I discovered it while browsing in the Young Adults section of my local public library (it was a recent addition to the library’s collection). It looked interesting so I checked the booked out from the library, but I had no idea of the full content until I got home and started reading it. At the time, I was close in age to the protagonist, Davy (I turned 13 in December of 1969). As I read the book I found that I related to Davy in so many ways; I was an only child, a lonely child, the child of a very dysfunctional marriage (including an alcoholic parent) and was feeling the awakenings of my own homosexuality. In short, reading this book was one of the most profound experiences of my adolescence and it has stayed with me throughout my life (I just turned 55).

A few years ago I came across a copy of it (an original edition) at a bookstall in a flea market, purely by chance. I bought it without hesitation, reread it and it still had the same poignant significance for me that it did when I was 12.

I only wish that Mr. Donovan were still alive so that I could thank him for helping this lonely boy through some very difficult times in his early life.

This book is a masterpiece.

R.I.P., Mr. Donovan.

[John Egbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Contains Spoilers**

Dear Mr.Donovan,

I've heard people say that this book is the gay the Catcher in the Rye. Now, I love the Catcher in the Rye, so you can see that I had to read this book. These people weren't wrong. That is, they weren't wrong about the first 150 pages. Let me explain.

Onto my first complaint,
The Climax

Look, John, you have me wondering if my copy of the book has about fifty pages missing from it. That was the weakest climax I've probably ever read, no kidding. And it was the weakest resolution.

You see, I think your problem was that you didn't know what order to put things in. I think that you just wanted to end the book. It was starting to drag out, but I'd rather it continue on and on and on then what you gave me.

No kidding.

Onto my second complaint,
First book to discuss teenage homosexuality my ass

Let's face it : you didn't discuss anything. The kiss was off screen for the love of God, offscreen!. They don't bring it up besides that pathetic excuse for a conversation at the end, where Davy says "I guess the most important thing is to not do it again."

WTF?

W....T....F...?

WHY?

How is this discussing anything? Keep in mind the book ends with the same conversation. This is pathetic. Like, really pathetic. Super Super Pathetic.

Which leads me to number three,

Onto my third and final complaint,
Where's The Epiphany?

I thought that this book was going to discuss teenage homosexuality, not skirt around it. I thought Davy was going to have to find himself. I thought he was going to have his big "OMFG!" moment. Like Holden, in the Catcher in the Rye.

We didn't have that. We didn't have that moment. Davy didn't think anything really about the kiss (The offscreen kiss, mind you! Offscreen!), other than not to do it again. What kind of stuff is that?

It doesn't feel like the book ended. It feels like it was just sort of...well, cut off. Like a movie, cutting it off right at the middle.

And In Conclusion,

The blurb lied. Maybe I would have liked this book if it wasn't made out to be something that it was not. Then again, why am I kidding myself? No I wouldn't have.

I mean, I really wanted to like this book. I did like this book for the first 150 or so pages. And then everything went downhill. It was sort of like the Catcher in the Rye at first, but then it just sort of turned out like a mix between Looking For Win-Dixie, or some other sad dog movie, and The Vast Fields of Ordinary.

I don't like The Vast Fields of Ordinary.

And you know the worst part about all of this, Mr. Donovan?

I love your title more than anything in the world.

TO SUM IT ALL UP,

The ending was sort of like the title.

I got there, only it wasn't worth the trip.

[Shaun Hutchinson]

This book is less about Davy's journey of self-discovery and more a portrait of a screwed up family. This book is really well written and touching and heartfelt, but I felt as if it was less about Davy's confusion over his relationship with Altschuler and more about Davy and his family. The "incident" between Davy and the other boy doesn't happen until more than half-way through the novel, and it hardly impacts Davy's life in a meaningful way. That's not to say that this isn't a powerful, beautiful book--because it really is--it's just that it's not really about what people make it to be about. The core of the story is about Davy's relationship with his grandmother and father and mother and even the dog. Altschuler is merely one more confusing item on the list.

[Adictos A Libros RD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro ha sido algo muy bonito, pero demasiado simple para mi gusto. Una historia sobre ser un adolescente e ir perdiéndolo todo por la vida, así resumiría la historia de Davy en este libro.

Me emociona mucho poder leer el primer libro (no estoy tan seguro) que le abrió las puertas a una nueva generación de escritores queer, el primer libro queer para jovenes publicado originalmente en el 1969 años en los que debió ser un poco difícil digerir una historia tan maravillosa e inocente como esta solo por tener personajes jovenes de la comunidad LGBTQ+.

No quiero contar mucho sobre este libro porque siento que si lo hago estaría haciendo spoiler, es una historia muy sencilla y si trato de resumirla con mis palabras puedo sentir que estaría contándolo todo, sin embargo, la historia de Davy es un tanto desesperante por los adultos que lo rodean. Una madre alcohólica atrapada en la vida del trabajo y el divorcio, un padre medianamente presente pero que se siente ausente, una abuela que lo significaba todo, pero que ha muerto y le cambia la vida a Davy y un perro muy alegre que se llama Fred que le enseña mucho sobre el amor a Davy.

Sencilla, maravillosa y con un valor muy bonito sobre la humildad y la inocencia. Una historia que a pesar de estar muy adelantada su tiempo representa mucho sobre la época de su publicación.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only recently even heard about this book, and a strange one it is ... purportedly the first novel FOR teens about gay teenagers, it came out in 1969, and therefore is NOT quite the raging gay manifesto some who have given it low ratings wanted - but you have to remember BACK to what the world was like in 1969. In some respects, the book does help you do that, but one of the astonishing things about it is how much it HASN'T dated itself. Much of it does sound contemporary, which I guess only means the basics of adolescence and puberty don't change all that much. Although the book is a bit too self-consciously Salingeresque (perhaps unavoidably), and there is way too much about the protagonist's damn dachshund (the initial NYT review claimed the book was about 'bestiality'!!! and you just knew from the beginning Fred wouldn't last till the end of the book), it is a great reminder of how far YA lit has come in the intervening 48 years.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5/5 Stars

I read this for class and it was such an underwhelming reading experience. This book is supposed to be a "groundbreaking teen classic", as the blurb says, but I do not agree with that. I was expecting something else from this novel and even though it's partially my fault for having high expectation, the plot didn't help either since it sounded like the relationship between the two boys would be the focus of this story.
I don't recommend this one, there's definitely better stuff out there

[Robbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the Grandmother who raised him dies, 13-year-old Davy moves to New York City to live with his mother, who is not accustomed to children, let alone Davy's dachshund Fred. In a strange new city, Davy copes with his mother's drinking, learning how to act towards his father's new wife, and attending a private Episcopal school where he meets Altschuler, a distant boy who is at turns friendly and moody.

Upon its initial publication in 1969, John Donovan's I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth The Trip.: 40th Anniversary Edition was hailed as being the first novel for young adults to deal with homosexuality in any form. By today's standards it is very tame, but this anniversary edition provides a glimpse at a seminal classic that has been out-of-print for years. Much as Hinton's The Outsiders launched the gritty "issues" genre, so did I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth The Trip. pave the way for later novels such as Annie on My Mind and Keeping You a Secret.

Davy is the narrator for the story's simple plot. Donovan renders the voice of a thirteen-year-old perfectly, capturing that mix of intelligence and innocence that so often eludes authors. While the story is very much formulaic, readers should remember that this book very much invented the formula to begin with (or at the very least, was one of the first to use it).

Since the book is rather short, characters are kept simple. Davy is fully fleshed out, but is naturally at a formative stage in his life and is in a state of constant confusion about who he is and where he fits into the world around him. His mother and father are the stereotypical YA parents--that is, inept, emotionally unavailable, and, at least in the case of Davy's mother, no help at all. Again, while things may have changed since the original publication, the issue of "useless parents" in YA had not been addressed yet. Altshuler is fascinating, but this is not his book, so the lack of exposure he receives is justified.

Of note is the fact that only one sentence in the entire book dates it, that being the question of whether or not Davy has a color television set. Other than that, the book is timeless and fits just as easily today as 1969. This timelessness should lend itself to those wishing to use this text in a classroom setting or recommending it as casual reading.

Finally, this 40th Anniversary Edition contains a new forward by the author's niece as well as essays by authors Martin Wilson and Brent Hartinger and Kathleen Horning.

All told, it's great to be able to have I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth The Trip. back in publication, not only because it is such an important piece in the LGBTQ canon, but also because it's just a damn good book.

[PatrickLyra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first Young Adult text that addressed homosexuality. Absolutely foundational, but totally censored. The sex/physical scene occurs between chapters, is referenced obtusely by the two main characters (both male teens) afterward and never addressed directly. Still, the author gets points for trying to make this novel work in a time when publishers tamped down any clear engagement with sexual diversity in YA. Nancy Garden's Annie On My Mind was also foundational, and took steps beyond this text, but Garden's writing was still chopped up by the demands of publishers.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love about a teen book from 1969 - a 13 year-old boy struggles with questions of his sexuality. John Donovan began the YA LGBTQ genre with one simple book. Simple but historic and still holds up today even with the dated responses of some of the characters. Revolutionary for 1969. So happy I read this one! Fred the Dachshund rules! Thanks Nicole.

[atmatos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written almost timeless...when reading I never felt that it was over 40 years old.

[D]

DNF. And I feel kind of bad about it because it's supposed to be this amazing, moving story that was ahead of its time when it was originally published. But I just couldn't take another talk about Davy's dog.

I really liked the voice. It was simplistic in its telling yet carried with it a depth that could only be held by young words looking for ways around the darkness. There's a heaviness to the story that Davy skirts on the edge of, focusing his time on his dog. I didn't feel it dated at all, either. Having been written in 1969, Davy could have rightly been walking around today. Any elements that hint at a decade are subtle, letting the most important aspect of the book, the story, come through.

In that same vein, I felt like I was reading a day-by-day diary of a boy walking his dog. Halfway into the book and the love interest had just barely made an appearance and he's a bit of a jerk. There's something there that's making him that way but I just didn't have the patience to stick it out.

I wanted the story to get to the point. It's a short story; coming in at just over 200 pages. And halfway into it I was still working through the set-up. Maybe that's attributed to the style at the time. Maybe in order to broach such a sensitive topic it had to be eased into gently. My patience just didn't like that.

Still, I'd urge people to give it a try. It is supposed to be an amazing story and I can tell you, the writing is really good. You're just going to need a little more patience than what I had at the time to get through it.

[Brigitta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this book after the excellent Martin Wilson (What They Always Tell Us) recommended this on his website as the first YA novel that deals with the issue of homosexuality. Indeed, the 40th anniversary edition which I own even contains an essay by Wilson (among other authors) on his relationship to the novel, which was a huge extra for me.

First of all, I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth The Trip just has the best title ever and that fact alone would make me want to read the book. That, coupled with the fact that it was such a ground-breaking in novel in its field makes it really worth a try.

The 13 years old Davy Ross, the protagonist of the novel, feels all the isolation in the world a young teenager can possibly feel when his grandma dies, who had been taking care of him for the past eight years. When Davy is uprooted and moved to NYC to live with her tempestuous and slightly (?) alcoholic mother, all he can rely on is his dog, dachshund extraordinaire, Fred, and he has to forge new relationships with his separated parents, with new classmates, with a new city.

The whole novel is very subdued, very understated and gentle. (I think I can see Martin Wilson somewhere there, if that makes sense.) Surely there are novels that say more, even novels that shout from rooftops, but for a first, it's a rather lovely first.

[Hollowspine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1969 this is the first teen novel to deal with "this queer issue," as it's narrator, Davy, would have phrased it.

I found it interesting to listen to this edition, especially with the commentary at the end. The story itself had a lot of very poignant moments for me. I was really able to empathize with Davy in a way, because of his relationship with Fred his Dachshund. The way Donovan set everything in Davy's life up it created an entirely realistic yet profound teen experience. Something that could reach kids in any situation, whether or not they were dealing with the exact same issues.

I liked that, unlike so many teen novels currently, Davy didn't reach this happy go lucky ever after ending. He grew and gained a lot of perspective and self awareness throughout the book, but he didn't arrive 'there' yet. I think though he may have realized that where-ever there is, it will be worth the trip.

One thing about listening to the audio version was the actor's ability to create this specific woman's voice. I don't know how Davy could take listening to it for the rest of his childhood...I would go insane.

[James Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when it was first published in 1971 and rereading it forty years later reminds me why I remembered liking it. The voice of Davy and his love for his dog Fred are memorable and true to life. While I have never been a dog person I can still appreciate the importance of Fred to Davy as an anchor during the tremendous changes that are taking place in his life. In some respects it is amazing that he is able to survive the events in his life beginning with the death of his grandmother and continuing through a move from Boston to New York and the changing relationships that ensue. Well written and believable, this is a novel that is encouraging for its reader no matter what his age.

[Kevin Richey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for a book club, although I had seen it on Amazon a few times and was tempted to check it out (mostly because I liked the cover). It's a coming-of-age story that is mostly remembered today for being the first YA novel that dealt with homosexuality. That said, there's barely anything gay about it, and the love interest is pretty subtle, with only two brief kisses in the entire thing. I guess they didn't want to push too many boundaries in 1969? I can't say I recommend this, although it wasn't bad, so if the plot seems like you're thing, check it out. But there's so much better writing in this genre nowadays, when authors don't have to shy away from "going there."

[Alec Rigdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even as a teenager, I don't think I ever found a YA book to be so familiar and easy to read. I honestly had a difficult time putting this down when I had to because I just wanted to know what happened next. This is not just a great keystone of gay literature history, but of YA history and more. I can't believe I never heard of this book before now!

[Javier Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting book to read important for the time it was written in. Simple yet incredibly introspective.

[psusła · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25

OSTRZEŻENIE O ZAWARTOŚCI: alkoholizm, dysfunkcyjna rodzina, śmierć, śmierć psa, homofobia

Czytanie starych queerów młodzieżowych zawsze mnie ekscytuje (ostatni raz się tak czułem, gdy czytałem "Szpaki z Muranowa", a tam przecież w grę wchodziła wyłącznie queerowa interpretacja).

Nastawiałem się na niedopowiedzenia, że męsko-męskie zabarwienia będę sobie musiał wręcz wyłuskać z narracji, tymczasem Donovan opisał wszystko dość klarownie. Mamy kanoniczne pocałunki i coś na kształt kwestionowania własnej orientacji. Miłe zaskoczenie!

Niestety, "Dojdę tam - warto" czyta się trochę jak wstępny szkic powieści, a nie jej ostateczna forma. Zupełnie jak gdyby pozbyto się połowy treści i podano czytelnikowi ochłapy. Ta książka jest króciutka i ma potencjał, można było zrobić z nią dużo więcej. Z tego co wyczytałem z innych opinii, książka Donovana wpadła w sidła redaktorskich cięć, które miały uczynić ją bardziej "poprawną" dla amerykańskiej młodzieży. Czy tak istotnie było? Nie wiem, nie mam pojęcia.

Trzeba pamiętać, że "Dojdę tam - warto" to przede wszystkim portret dysfunkcyjnej rodziny oraz opis procesu radzenia sobie ze stratą ukochanej osoby, a odkrywanie własnego "ja" odłożone jest na dalszy plan. Mam wrażenie, że na tym właśnie polega problem wielu współczesnych zawiedzionych czytelników: dostali ostatecznie coś, co nie sprostało ich oczekiwaniom.

Anyways, na pewno w kwestii queerowości młodzieży radzi sobie lepiej niż całe polskie ya, lmao.

Nie żałuję przeczytania, bo uważam, że stare queerowe książki mają w sobie jakiś bliżej nieokreślony czar. Czy jednak polecam ją w oderwaniu od moich małych fascynacji? Nope, można sobie odpuścić.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I was kind of surprised by this one. It was more literary than I was expecting, and it felt like a long short story instead of a short novel. But about halfway through, I started to get it, and it almost made me cry.

For being published in 1969, this was surprisingly timeless (even though certainly sliced from its time). The writing was easy to read, even though it was also literary. I could easily see myself having read this in school and discussing it with classmates, or just reading it on my own as a teenager. I wish I'd read it back then.

What really sold me on it were the three brilliant essays at the end, describing the book's place in YA literature, and especially YA literature with LGBTQ+ characters and stories. I was fascinated by the little glimpses into how the publishing industry worked back then, and glad to hear how this one found its spot despite the time. I also loved how each essayist spoke to the novel's place in the world when it came out, but also to the book itself—had I read with a group with the intent to analyze, etc., these are the little tidbits I would have loved to write essays about and discuss with classmates.

With all the history behind this book, I was shocked that I hadn't even heard of it until now, because it played a huge role in the evolution of YA literature, and part of the reason why YA is the diverse landscape it is today. Highly recommend for anyone interested in those things!

[Siena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been meaning to read this for a couple of years now, ever since I wrote an research report on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation in YA. This book, which came out just 2 months before the Stonewall Riots, was the first YA book to feature queer elements. If it wasn’t for this aspect, it would likely be completely forgotten. I think that’s such a shame, because it’s a lovely little book with a great title to boot!

The protagonist Davy is a real winner. His voice is genuinely sweet and funny, and his loneliness throughout the novel is stark. This is a bit of a slow, wandering novel, more about Davy’s emotions and thoughts than any real plot points, but I think that’s why I liked it. It reminds me a bit of “The Catcher in the Rye”, “When You Reach Me”, “Annie on My Mind”, “Camilla”, and other gentle wandering NYC stories.

In a genre where even Contemporary books get pretty high concept, it’s nice to get a classic coming-of-age book every one and a while, y’a know? Sometimes you just want to read about a lonely kid who is obsessed with his dog and has a crush on his first real best friend!

Though a bit dated and awkward at times, the book holds up better than and YA written in 1969 it has any right to considering. Recommended to anyone who considers themselves a YA scholar or loves a good throwback YA!

[OUT Shirt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alapvetően bájos könyv. Nagyon könnyű és szórakoztató olvasmány. Amellett, hogy a főszereplő Davy mennyi szörnyűségen megy keresztül végig szerethető és alapvetően szimpatikus marad az egész könyvben. Bimbozó romantikus kapcsolata Altschulerrel, annyira természetes, hogy szinte hihetetlen, hogy a nyolcvanas években ez a könyv magyarul megjelenhetett. Talán egyedül a könyv záróakkordjai miatt lehetett, ahol az egész szerelmi ügyet visszazárják a tabuk bűnös szelencéjébe...
Szerintem könnyed stílusa alapján akár mai fiatalokat is meg tudná szólítani, ha az új kiadásban ki lehetne törölni (átdolgozni) a könyv végén olvasható (homo)szexualitással kapcsolatos moralizálást és a szörnyen nyolcvanas éveket idéző illusztrációt, valamint a borzasztó ronda könyvborítót...

[Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A l'inici m'estava semblant dolentíssim, i al final m'ha encantat. És dur, parla de problemàtiques socials (alcoholisme, mort, separacions, homofòbia,,etc) i ho fa des d'un punt 0sensacionalista, perq la vida és així i punt.... Hi ha algun punt en què penso que el desenvolupament de la trama s'accelera massa i no m'ho acabo de creure, pro en general la psicologia i arc dels personatges està molt ben explicat. Trobo que els personatges són molt humans, amb tots els seus més i menys. I tot i que pot semblar un xic durilla la representació solitària i dura de la vida, penso que també queda espai per coses boniques. Les relacions són complexes, i m'agrada que es mostrin així . Les dels adolescents protagonistes, pro també les dels seus respectius familiars. El recomanaria.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 to the book and to the additional essays on the book written by Brent Hartinger, Martin Wilson, and Kathleen T. Horning!!

[Barb Middleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is supposed to be YA but the boy seems really young. I thought the plot lost steam and the characters were flat. Written in 1969.

[Lucca Ángel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

[michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had been sitting on my shelf for at least a year before I decided to pick it up. I knew next to nothing about it, other than it was apparently gay themed and published in 1969. Sometimes it takes me awhile to work up to reading classic/older novels...maybe it's because I need to get used to the language and the timeframe, I don't know. Maybe it's because I read a lot of modern contemporary novels, so when I start something that isn't in that genre, it can be slightly jarring at first. That being said, one of my favourite novels is The Catcher in the Rye, and as soon as I started reading this...like literally the first couple sentences, I felt that same feeling I did when I first read Catcher. I really loved the first half of this book. It's so important to have interesting protagonists, because when you're reading from someone's perspective, you want to be captured. They don't exactly have to be likeable (though I found Davy plenty likeable), but they do have to give you some kind of feeling. You have to want to read from their point of view, and I'm so glad I found that in Davy. Sure, he wasn't a terribly reliable narrator (like Holden), but I loved how this thirteen year old boy was so introspective, especially in the very grown up world around him. I loved how repressed and confused he was because it was fascinating. The interactions with his mother, his father, Stephanie, Altschuler, and of course, Fred. I understand how groundbreaking this novel was, and I applaud Donovan for it.

I liked how this was more of a coming of age thing, then a real romance. Davy is just at that age where he's discovering himself and I thought his relationship with Altschuler was rather sweet (even with the fighting). I also really liked the heart-to-heart he had with his father, and was surprised by how open minded his father was about everything. I loved how he was with Fred...he definitely used animals as an escape from dealing with actual human interaction (and when it comes to his mother, who can really blame him?), but the way Fred was written was so realistic. I almost felt like I was in there with him.

I think my main complaint with this book, was I felt that the ending was a bit sudden? I'm ok with the ambiguousness of it. Certainly then you HAD to be ambiguous because of the controversial content, but I just felt that it was a bit rushed. Like I was reading and suddenly I realised I'd finished the book without realising. Other than that though, I did like this a lot. I thought it was mostly rather realistic and touching, and I liked the hopeful vibe the book ended on.

3.5/5

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

All show no tell, so the reader is left to figure out who the boys are and what happened and how the boys are going to figure out what to do about it, and about everything else in their lives. And judging by the reviews here, different readers have different ideas. I, personally, think it'll be a long time before each of them figure out whether they're gay or bi, and whether they're going to fake being straight or not... and they're not likely to be more than friends to each other. My take/ not a spoiler.

But, yeah, dated. Cuz gay boys are more adorable and a little older and a lot more self-absorbed in newer books. And I don't think it would be accepted by so many that this 13 yo would be living with a falling-down-drunk mother now, not when there are other choices and he doesn't particularly want to, anyway. And I don't think a modern character would work so hard to hide his own opinions and desires, saying 'sure' and 'I guess so' to everyone to the point where he barely knows that it's ok to grieve for his dead grandmother.

Oh, and the vibe of the read is very much like Catcher in the Rye. But is Caulfield a good kid underneath, like Davy is? I dunno, cuz I do not like that book. Nor do I like the word 'phoney.'

Seriously, I wish my library system had finished discarding all copies of this old book so I didn't have to waste my time. That is to say, at the time it was written, fine, but not now.

[Wolfram-Jaymes Keesing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel earned its five stars with its historical context and the actual pleasure I got from reading it. It left me feeling YA hasn't changed much in fifty years; or, that Donovan was a time traveller who knew exactly how to reach us in 2020. His characters felt more believable to me than some I've endured in modern YA, and showed that we didn't have to 'wait until the 10s to see queer characters have their happy endings' (y'all need to stop).

A boy's best friend... is his mother? No. Very no. But faithful dog sidekick Fred was a beautiful distraction for both reader and protagonist. There was much wow in that little man, but I'm only here to mention 'one main character is a dog' and let it destroy you from the inside.

A happy ending. By modern standards, their last conversation probably seems like straight up betrayal. Yet I can't imagine folk thinking that was the end of their story back in '69. You develop an intimate view of the protagonist's ideals and anxieties throughout the novel, and, although he's panicking, walking away isn't something he can do even if he wanted to.

An accessible narrative that flutters your heart one minute before punching you in the gut the next. It's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but the fight over candy was longing for a boy all along. Read it if you want to experience feelings again.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually rate erotica. This is not gay erotica. Let's just clear that up first. Rather, this timeless novel (published in 1969!) is a sensitive and compassionate tale of a young boy's developing sexuality and the crush he develops on a school mate. When his caring Grandmother passes on, Davy is sent to live with his indifferent mother. Luckily, Davy has his faithful friend, his dachshund Fred. At school, Davy meets a boy known simply as Altschuler. At first the 2 boys are simply buddies, but their curiosity about each other leads to things that Davy will agonize about, explore and come to terms with.
Again, timeless, sweet-natured, non-explicit, innocent, sad and compassionate. Spoiler: The loss of Davy's canine friend Fred might have you forced to put the book down for a while.:(
My rating: Very good, highly recommended. Geared towards young adults, but a literary classic, written at a time when homosexuality was just beginning to assert itself against being a societal tabboo.