Boys I Know
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4.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A modern Judy Blume meets Jenny Han.
"[A] complex coming-of-age story about identity and sexuality."—The New York Times
A high school senior navigates messy boys, messier relationships, and the struggle of never quite living up to her Taiwanese mother's expectations.
June Chu has always been the "just good enough" girl. Good enough to line the shelves with third-place trophies and steal secret kisses from her AP Bio partner, Rhys. But not good enough to meet her mother’s unrelenting expectations, or get Rhys to commit.
While June’s mother insists she follow in her (perfect) sister’s footsteps and get a (full-ride) violin scholarship, June doesn’t see the point in trying too hard if she’s destined to fall short anyway. Instead, she focuses her efforts on making her relationship with Rhys "official." But after her methodically planned, tipsily executed scheme explodes on the level of a nuclear disaster, she flings herself into a new relationship with a guy who’s not allergic to the word girlfriend.
As the line between sex and love blurs, and pressure to map out her entire future threatens to burst, June will have to decide on whose terms she’s going to live her life—even if it means fraying her relationship with her mother beyond repair.
Boys I Know is a raw and realistic look into the lives of teen girls, examining the complex overlap between teen sexuality and Asian American identity. A sharp and unflinchingly honest journey of self-discovery.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Taiwanese American high schooler June Chu, a Midwesterner, searches for love and autonomy in Gracia's emotionally raw debut. June just wants to be "good enough" for her mother—who is never short on Chinese proverbs and constantly compares June to her valedictorian older sister. But third-place wins at violin competitions won't get her into a top-ranked school ("They going to be looking for first-place winner, not third," June's mother reminds her). Even worse, her lab-partner/maybe-boyfriend, Rhys, refuses to kiss her in public and keeps her at arm's length. Eager to live a life separate from everyone else's expectations, June institutes "Mission: Boyfriend" and pursues Brad, the first boy to ever openly adore her. June's quest for autonomy forces her to reevaluate her relationships with her family and confront the fear that she may never be enough. Gracia employs a whirlwind pace that complements June's myriad triumphs and failures; a large, vibrant cast; and a true-to-life teen voice to explore societal gender roles, racism, and sexuality while artfully depicting one teenager's search for herself amid cultural and familial pressures. Supporting characters are predominantly white. Ages 14–up.
