I read Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez in high school which was almost 8 years ago. Holy cow! Now I do not normally reread books. I don’t like to know what’s going to happen or I lose interest in the book. But when my best friend asked me to read Rainbow Boys with him I said yes.
I gave this book originally 5 out of 5 stars and I kept it 5 out of 5 stars the second time I read it. The story follows Nelson, Jason, and Kyle. Three gay students who are trying to discover themselves. Nelson has embrace his inner gay and is out. Meaning everyone knows he is gay. Kyle is in the closet so to speak. Then we have Jason who has always dated girls but recently is having thoughts about guys.
Rainbow boys shows the bulling that happens in schools and also how hard families take to the news that their child is gay. I love the different points of views we get to see between Jason, Kyle, and Nelson. I also love how Alex Sanchez was not afraid to add in the issue of HIV.
I have read many gay and lesbian books in my life time and one subject that not a lot of authors like to add on is HIV and AIDS. I know because I read all the books in this series that the thought of HIV and AIDS is not just in Rainbow boys but it is also a hot topic in the other two books; Rainbow High and Rainbow Road. And even though HIV/AIDS is a touchy subject I think that Alex Sanchez hit it on the nail. He didn’t make the whole book about it but he didn’t leave the issue out. Instead he gave his best way to tell the readers about how serious safe sex is, male or female.
This is one of my favorite coming of age stories. I think anyone would love this book and I highly recommend it. I think this not only helped me understand my gay friends better and what they were going through but it also touches on some hard topics.
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