I have a soft spot for John Green's books. His debut and Printz winning novel, Looking for Alaska, was the first YA book I read when I decided to go to library school. I remember feeling reluctant in picking up a YA book. Mostly because I didn't like or read the YA books when I was in high school. During my high school years, I skipped YA totally, which consisted mainly of Sweet Valley High and other fluff, and went straight to the classics and adult books. After reading Looking for Alaska, I realized how far YA has come since I was a high schooler and boy, has it come far. I found the book to be poignant, funny, and I couldn't wait to discuss it with others. Thus began my love for YA books and the beginning of my John Green groupie years.
   So when I first heard that John Green and David Levithan (another YA author favorite) have been working Will Grayson, Will Grayson together, imagine my excitement shoot to an ultimate "OMG, I can't wait to read that book!" I normally don't buy books from bookstores unless it's something that I know I will love and will reread again. Will Grayson, Will Grayson fit both categories perfectly. I put it high on my ever growing to be read pile. I'm so kind that I did both, because this book is brilliant!

Description: There happens to be two teens, from very different personalities and walks of life, who have the same name. Will Grayson (Number 1) is a dry, very cynical teen who believes in two rules of life: 1. Don't care too much and 2. Shut up. His best friend, a very lovable and flamboyant Tiny Cooper, breaks these rules constantly. He seems to fall in love hourly, and he never stops talking. Will, who appears to be fine with being in the shadows of Tiny seems to be getting fed up with this one-sided friendship. Will grayson (Number 2), is isolated from everyone. He hates his friends and suffers from depression. He is emotionally shut off from everyone except his Internet boyfriend, Isaac. When Will grayson (Number 2) heads to Chicago to meet Isaac on the same night that Will Grayson (Number 1) and Tiny Cooper are there for a music show, their lives and friendships change in unpredictable ways.

Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson is told in alternative chapters written by the two authors. It might be easy to confuse the two title characters just by reading the description above, but they're personality are completely different. Will (Number 1) is the kid who pretends he doesn't care, but really he does. For once, he would like others to be his friend and not the other way around. His chapters are conventionally written. Will (Number 2) is very sarcastic, lonely, and depressed, which is expertly shown by the lack proper punctuation, capitalization, and the very bare IM conversations Will has with others. I found both Wills to be real, well liked, and very witty. The real star, however, is Tiny Cooper. A character that is filled with life, love, and the epitome of hope. I dare anyone to not like Tiny Cooper.
  I found Will Grayson, Will Grayson to be laugh out loud funny. There were many parts of the book that I had to actually finish laughing before I could go on yet there were equally many parts where I thought to myself, "Wow, that's really true. I didn't think of that before". Green and Levithan's expert skills of writing real, tangible characters bring this book to life. There isn't a villain per se in the book, but like life, there are people who make mistakes because they are scared, people who simply make bad choices, and those who let the people that they love down. Despite all of this, Will Grayson, Will Grayson is an uplifting book that celebrates male friendship, the complications of love, tolerance, and most importantly of all, hope. This is definitely one of the best books I've ever read this year.

Rating: 5 stars


Words of Caution: This book is not for everyone. There is strong, graphic language in the book as well as sexual innuendo, which is how real teens talk. Green, himself, recommends this book to high schoolers and above only. I agree with him.


If you like this book try: Papertowns by John Green or Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn