before i fall

Novel: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre: Y.A. Literature
Other works by Oliver: Delirium, Requiem (to be released in February 2013), Pandemonium
For more information regarding Oliver and her writing, please visit her website.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Novel: Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Author: John Green and David Levithan
Genre: Y.A. Literature
Other fictional works by Green: An Abundance of Katherines, Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns
Please go to Green's website for more information about his novels.
Other fictional works by Levithan: Boy Meets Boy, Are We There Yet?, The Realm of Possibility, Marly's Ghost, Wide Awake, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List
For a complete list of Levithan's books, please check out his website.

Will Grayson is unlike any of the other books listed in this blog. Levithan and Green work together to create a story of two teenaged boys, both of whom are named Will Grayson. The entirety of this story is written in first person narration (from the perspective of each Will Grayson). The books rotates a chapter at a time through the lives of the respective Will Grayson. There's nothing out of the ordinary about either of these teenagers, until they run into each other a Frenchy's a local pornography shop in Chicago. One Will Grayson has been abandoned by his friends when his fake idea fails him at a local dance club. The other Will Grayson has been cruelly tricked by his "friend" Maura to meet an imaginary online love interest, Isaac. The two become oddly and hilariously tangled in each others' lives.

I'm not sure this is a book I would teach to a whole class of students. If I did, I think I would save it for juniors and seniors who could really appreciate the hilariousness of Green and Levithan's tag-team writing. I bought this book so I could have a copy to share with students once I finally have a classroom. I know at some point in my teaching career I will book talk Will Grayson.