Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
Helpful Score: 1
THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST couldnt have come at a better time. In a modern world where the topic of homosexuality is so frustratingly politicized, Camerons story is a welcome respite. With crisp, relatable prose, unique characters that burrow themselves in your mind, and character ambiguity that marks only the most brilliant and realistic novels, THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST shapes up to be one of the best YA debuts, if not one of the best books, of 2012.
There are so many things to like about this book. I like how danforth doesnt politicize homosexuality. The homophobic characters in the book are people too, not soulless demons who arbitrarily spew homophobic comments; the conversion therapy setting isnt depicted as all good or all bad, but rather just is. While this may frustrate some pro-gay marriage pundits who feel like this book doesnt take a strong enough stance on the topic of homosexuality, I appreciate its honest-to-life portrayal, the gentle admittance that, in many circumstances, its impossible to neatly put issues and people into boxes.
Here is a book that shows that when you dont write down to teenagers, youre finally getting close to writing at their level. Little separates this from an adult book except for the age of its protagonist. Camerons observations and musings dont have an age limit; in fact, her thoughts dont have any kind of label that derives from our politically and religiously charged world. This means that THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST isnt a story about a gay girl; its just a story about a girl.
The book isnt perfectand by this I mean the extraordinarily cheesy, over-the-top endingbut danforth proves in one fell swoop that shes no amateur when it comes to writing resonant fiction. I wholeheartedly recommend THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST to anyone with an appreciation for well-written, emotionally resonant literature, and wait with eager anticipation to see what danforth has to show readers next.
There are so many things to like about this book. I like how danforth doesnt politicize homosexuality. The homophobic characters in the book are people too, not soulless demons who arbitrarily spew homophobic comments; the conversion therapy setting isnt depicted as all good or all bad, but rather just is. While this may frustrate some pro-gay marriage pundits who feel like this book doesnt take a strong enough stance on the topic of homosexuality, I appreciate its honest-to-life portrayal, the gentle admittance that, in many circumstances, its impossible to neatly put issues and people into boxes.
Here is a book that shows that when you dont write down to teenagers, youre finally getting close to writing at their level. Little separates this from an adult book except for the age of its protagonist. Camerons observations and musings dont have an age limit; in fact, her thoughts dont have any kind of label that derives from our politically and religiously charged world. This means that THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST isnt a story about a gay girl; its just a story about a girl.
The book isnt perfectand by this I mean the extraordinarily cheesy, over-the-top endingbut danforth proves in one fell swoop that shes no amateur when it comes to writing resonant fiction. I wholeheartedly recommend THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST to anyone with an appreciation for well-written, emotionally resonant literature, and wait with eager anticipation to see what danforth has to show readers next.
