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By Robin Reardon
Jason is 16. He's a runner, and feels really comfortable on the track.
Where he doesn't feel so comfortable is with his feelings for guys - specifically, Raj, the new guy on the track team.
Jason has been hiding that part of himself, but now their attraction throws Jason's world for a loop.
And even if they can figure out things between themselves, how can they deal with the homophobes out there? Jason carries a secret knife to make him feel protected from the bullies. But Raj is convinced the non-violent strategy of Ghandi is the way to deal with the haters of the world.
Can Jason and Raj figure things out? Can they ever feel safe? Can they find and keep love?
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2 comments:
The book I read previous to A Secret Edge was somewhat of a deep and arduous task, so it came as a great relief to next read something light and diverting. A Secret Edge is a contemporary high school coming out story - I know, like we don't have enough of THOSE. But what makes this one stand out from the myriad of others is that Robin Reardon has written something that teenagers of today might actually relate to. Instead of the normal torment and angst and parents who don't understand, Reardon has given us characters that are much truer to today's situations. When Jason, an orphan being raised by his aunt and uncle, comes out to them; his aunt startles him by saying she already knew - a common reaction nowadays. His uncle takes it a little harder but quickly comes around to acceptance. The scenario of tolerance is more realistic than it would have been when I was a teenager some 25 years ago and I really believe that makes the story more relatable to teenagers today dealing with these issues. Don't get me wrong, Reardon doesn't skirt the issue of homophobia and gay-bashing, it's just not as prominent. Reardon's writing style is very enjoyable. Jason is a smart kid, and he displays a lot of wit in sorting out his confusion. I found myself laughing out loud numerous times. There's a bit of sex too. It comes nowhere close to being erotica, but for a book marketed to gay teens, I was a little surprised at the somewhat explicit sexual descriptions. When I was sixteen, I would have felt very uncomfortable and guilty reading those passages, but that was then, today's teenagers might not even bat at eye at it.
So whether you're a teenager who is struggling with your orientation or an adult who enjoys light romantic coming out stories, A Secret Edge will fit the bill.
Mark R. Probst - Author of The Filly
Instead of the normal torment and angst and parents who don't understand, Reardon has given us characters that are much truer to today's situations. When Jason, an orphan being raised by his aunt and uncle, comes out to them; his aunt startles him by saying she already knew - a common reaction nowadays.
That's cool. I remember one parent of a bisexual teenage girl emailing me when she found out that I was solicited for material for PRIZM Books. She pled with me, saying that not all parents of gay kids are monsters. She also forwarded a note from her daughter, which said something along the lines of "not all of us suffer the way gay kids suffer in YA books." I kept her words to heart when I started writing.
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