Title: Boys Will Be Boys
Author: Paul Alan Fahey
Genre: Young Adult, Historical (1950s)
Length: Short Story
Publisher: Queerteen Press (October 14th, 2012
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: In the late 1950’s, fourteen year old Philip Noland is a gay but sexually inexperienced freshman at St. Sebastian’s, a Catholic high school for boys. Alone and emotionally isolated, with the exception of two friends named O’Riley and Carlin, there are no familiar guideposts for Philip to follow, just an excess of rules and regulations that make no sense to him.
A late bloomer, Philip learns to masturbate effectively and fall in love for the first time, but his greatest challenge isn’t the regimented behavior at St. Sebastian’s — it’s surviving a bully named Molinara who has set his sights on Philip.
Can Philip navigate the minefields of St. Sebastian’s and emerge victorious?
Product Link: http://www.queerteen-press.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=57
Reviewer: Madison
Review: I enjoyed the author’s writing style. The way the report cards and other notices were incorporated into the story was both unique and effective in terms of establishing the setting and characters.
I wonder what the intended audience’s age is for this story (I’m guessing it’s fairly young). The entire time I was reading, all signs led to impending tragedy, but that climactic moment wasn’t really that bad. It could’ve been much darker.
Overall, this is a touching short story about young friendship and love. Yay, Smith!