2022 sadly saw a lot of books with LGBTQ+ themes being banned, challenged, or withdrawn from libraries, especially schools. While this is far more prevalent in the US than in the UK, it is definitely a worrying trend. Representation in literature is so important for young people and I love that challenges like Popsugar encourage people to read widely.

What it’s about?

Will Grayson meets Will Grayson. One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers are about to cross paths. From that moment on, their world will collide and lives intertwine.

It’s not that far from Evanston to Naperville, but Chicago suburbanites Will Grayson and Will Grayson might as well live on different planets. When fate delivers them both to the same surprising crossroads, the Will Graysons find their lives overlapping and hurtling in new and unexpected directions. With a push from friends new and old – including the massive, and massively fabulous, Tiny Cooper, offensive lineman and musical theater auteur extraordinaire – Will and Will begin building toward respective romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most awesome high school musical.

What I think:

The race was on to finish this before Big Ben chimes midnight, and I made it with 12 hours to go!

I found this a little hard to get into to start with. Will Grayson 1 and his friendship with Tiny was much easier to read than Will Grayson 2. The lack of capitalisation and the relationships he had with his mother and Maura were much harder to read.

I stuck with it and the book really picks up when the two Will Grayson’s meet and their two world’s collide.

From that point on the characters really beginning to develop and the story picks up pace.

Tiny Cooper is the star of the book as well as the show. He is bold and confident, dynamic and sensitive. The show he puts on brings everyone together and the ending brought such a smile to my face.

This book has got lots that people can empathise with. Will Grayson 1 is struggling with friendships and where he fits in. He is also conflicted about his feelings towards friend Jane as the next step could ruin their friendship. He wants to support Tiny but sometimes finds his loudness and fabulousness too much.

Will Grayson 2 struggles with his mental health and depression. He finds real-life relationships a challenge and finds comfort online. His most important relationship is with online formed Issac whom he hopes to meet in real-life.

The book explores so many different relationship: friendship and love, gay and straight, parents and children and ways people express their feelings for each other.

By the end of the book, I was rooting for all of the characters and the final chapter was wonderful.

I can see why this has been such a popular read. And far from being banned, this should be available for more teens and young adults to read.