Book Review: With Or Without You By Brian Farrey

Brian Farrey’s new novel With or Without You (Simon Pulse)centers around eighteen year old Evan. The events of the novel take place in the months following Evan’s high school graduation. Evan and his best friend Davis plan to go to college in Chicago at the end of the summer. However, their plan is complicated when Davis is approached to join a mysterious club called the Chasers and Evan becomes more deeply involved with his (secret) boyfriend Erik.

There is a lot going on in this book! Evan is experiencing the joys of first love with his boyfriend Erik. However, he does not want to tell his family or his best friend Davis about his relationship with Erik. Throughout the book I felt so bad for Erik, because he is the perfect boyfriend. I kept trying to mentally will Evan to tell his family and friends about Erik while I was reading. Basically, it’s a good sign that I love a book if I start attempting to control the characters with my mind while reading. It never seems to work though…

Evan is also experiencing problems at home. He feels ignored and overlooked by parents who show favoritism to his older sister, Shan. And then there’s Davis. Davis is Evan’s best friend. Since their friendship began at age 9, they have shared everything. They both endured homophobic bullying throughout high school and helped each other deal with coming out. But when Davis wants to join the Chasers, Evan is worried that the group’s leader, Sable is a dangerous influence on his friend. There are a couple of scenes in the book that depict Evan and Davis getting brutally beaten by bullies. The scenes are disturbing, realistic and very emotional.

Evan is an artist and paints amazing pictures on glass in the style of famous artists like Picasso and Keith Haring. There are flashbacks throughout the book based on a multi-paneled window with different scenes painted by Evan in each panel. There are nine panels in the window and each panel corresponds with a different flashback. I loved this device as a means of communicating the back story to the reader. I looked forward to each of the flashback segments in the book eager to find out more about Evan’s background.

Brian Farrey develops his story against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic. Yes, it is still an epidemic, and I am SO glad that the author masterfully weaves the story of Mr. Benton, a man suffering from the AIDS virus, throughout the novel. Farrey manages to humanize and show the effects of the disease without being preachy. I commend the author for shining his spotlight on a disease that has been largely forgotten in the past decade.

In the book’s afterword, contact information is given where readers can find more information about HIV and AIDS. I really wish the publisher would have also added information regarding what to do if you are being bullied at school. I know that lots of children and teens are going through what Evan and Davis experienced in the book, and they need to know that there are groups out there that they can contact if they are being harassed or bullied. In With Or Without You, Evan and Davis do not seek help from the police or an adult when they are beaten. I know that this is very true to life and teens are scared to tell on their peers for fear of retribution or ridicule. The website StopBullying.gov is an excellent resource  and has information, advice, and links regarding the many types of bullying and harassment young people may face.

I truly enjoyed With Or Without You. Brian Farrey has written a novel that is at times sweet, witty, poignant, and gripping. And if that isn’t enough, his book also contains an element that YA as a whole is lacking: a gay protagonist. YA needs more characters like Evan, Davis, and Erik.

Many thanks to The Teen Book Scene for including me in the blog tour for With Or Without You. Be sure and check out the other stops on the tour.

Monday, May 9: Kari at A Good Addiction (Author Interview)
Tuesday, May 10: Mandy at The Well-Read Wife (Tens List)
Wednesday, May 11: Tara G. at Hobbitsies (Review)
Thursday, May 12: Zoe at In the Next Room (Into the Past)
Friday, May 13: Cynthia at A Blog About Nothing (Review)
Monday, May 16: Julia at Rex Robot Reviews (Guest Post)
Tuesday, May 17: Corrine at Lost for Words (This or That List)
Wednesday, May 18: Kari at A Good Addiction (Review)
Thursday, May 19: Sarah at YA Librarian Tales (When I’m Not Writing)
Friday, May 20: Jessica T. at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile(Review)
Monday, May 23: Cynthia at A Blog About Nothing (Author Interview)
Tuesday, May 24: Mariah at A Reader’s Adventure (Tens List)
Wednesday, May 25: Sarah at YA Librarian Tales (Review)
Thursday, May 26: Brent at The Naughty Book Kitties (Guest Post- Title Change)
Friday, May 27:Mandy at The Well-Read Wife (Review)
Monday, May 30: Alisia at Alisia Leavitt (Guest Post)
Tuesday, May 31: Tara G.Hobbitsies (This or That List)
Wednesday, June 1: Zoe at In the Next Room (Review)
Thursday, June 2: Danna at Friendly Reader (Teenage Garage Sale)
Friday, June 3: Jessica T. at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile (Author Interview)

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