Review of "Will Grayson, Will Grayson"

"Will Grayson, Will Grayson"
John Green & David Levithan


5

Pub. Date: April 6, 2010
Pages: 304

Synopsis: One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical. Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

I have read a couple other books by John Green, so I knew "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" would be a winner. I have to say, the book was better than I imagined, and it ended up being one of my favorite books I read in 2011. I loved the idea of two complete strangers randomly coming across each other on a failed night out. Both Will Graysons need each other, even if they don't know it. I loved how different each Will Grayson was; they each had unique voices due to having two authors with unique writing styles. If the Will Graysons weren't enough, flamboyant Tiny will capture your heart. Even though the book is about both Will Graysons, Tiny steals the show. At times he may seem like a pretty frustrating friend, everything he does is meant with the best intentions for Will Grayson.

"Will Grayson, Will Grayson" is hilarious, heart-warming, and heart breaking all at the same time. I love how this book can balance the ridiculous of Tiny's life story told through a musical with the difficult story of growing up gay and an honest look at the ups and downs of true friendship. This book may not be for all readers, due to its intimate look at gay relationships, this may make some readers uncomfortable. It also does contain mature language and there is a scene in a porn store, but this does not mean the book is crude or filth; it is honest without being ashamed to show its true colors.

My favorite part of the entire book is the end. It is kind of ridiculous, kind of cheesy, but also wonderfully, fantastically heartwarming. If some people were to read only parts of this book and sneer at it due to some content, they would miss the amazing story behind it all. After reading "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" I will have to read more by both David Levithan and John Green. The only other book I have read by Levithan is "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist", which was awesome as well!

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