kirkusreviews.com
Love abounds, heartache happens, and
friendship endures in this hilarious and timely coming-of-age novel.
Alek Khederian, an Armenian-American
New Jersey sophomore, is happily besotted with his handsome skater boyfriend,
Ethan. Not only is he out of the closet, but his family accepts him and
welcomes Ethan, a white senior. Alek, while in love, is not ready for sex,
which Ethan seems to accept. During their six-month anniversary celebration,
however, Ethan unwittingly reveals news that threatens to rip their relationship
apart. Barakiva (One Man Guy, 2014) creates an engaging central couple
whom readers will root for and smartly surrounds them with a flawless cast of
three-dimensional supporting characters who round out the protagonists
while standing out in their own rights. Alek’s parents are grade-obsessed,
old-fashioned, and controlling to the point of hilarity, but their love and
unconditional support of their son suffuses every interaction they have with
him. The Khederians are ardent Christians, and Alek attends St. Stephen’s
Armenian Orthodox Church on both Saturdays and Sundays. The scenes between Alek
and Reverend Father Stepanian are some of the tale’s most gripping. Their
ongoing debate regarding the church’s stance on homosexuality is handled
sensitively and intelligently, providing Alek with character growth while also
acknowledging the priest’s difficult position. The novel is enriched with vividly
textured Armenian cultural details.
An honest and compelling teen
romance. (Fiction. 14-18)
Add comment