Author: Alex Sanchez
What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): In the last book of the Rainbow Boys trilogy, Jason receives an invitation from an all-LGBTQ high school in California wanting him to speak, as a star high school athlete, about his public coming-out. He, Kyle, and Nelson decide to drive to California to have a last adventure before Kyle goes away to Princeton. The boys get on each others' nerves and learn more about themselves, as you do on a road trip.
What I think (in 250 words or fewer): When I read the premise of the book, all I could think of was the SVH book Perfect Summer, one of my favorites, in which the key SVH characters go on bicycle trip, and Jessica meets a hot guy named Robbie October (seriously), somehow a rich girl gets stuck riding with them and she and Lila fight, and the guest nerdy guy (someone's nephew?) saves the group from a forest fire and a bear attack! Road trips in books are SO much more fun real-life road trips!
Nelson's flamboyance and spontaneity, Kyle's over-planning, and Jason's refusal to take his speech seriously grates on their nerves. Plus, Kyle, sadly, and finally starts to see that he's put Jason on a pedestal. I could have told him Jason was not the perfect guy for him two books ago. Jason's bisexuality becomes an issue, and I am glad it was addressed but wanted to punch Jason for hurting Kyle.
As is typical in Sweet-Valley-Rainbow-High stories, the boys meet all kinds of interesting LGBTQ groups throughout. I could complain that they go on a "big-gay stereotypes" trip, but I enjoyed it because poor Nelson has been the "different" one and meeting new people causes Nelson to shine! He finally gets his happy ending.
I was uncomfortable with how "creeped-out" Jason is and how Kyle thinks "teen tranny" when they meet a transgender girl (at a Britney Spears lookalike contest!). However, Rainbow Road was published in 2005, and the language might simply be outdated.
My final takeaway: Solid end to a fun series.
And also, my predictions:
Kyle and Jason will break up before the end of Kyle's first semester at Princeton, and then Kyle will meet a nice accountant and settle down and live happily ever after. Nelson stays in California, sows his fabulous oats, and eventually becomes a teacher at the high school where Jason gave his speech.
Jason will play college basketball from a better college that gives him a better scholarship and he'll eventually become a college coach and run the at-risk youth program at the YMCA. Statistically, he's more likely to marry a woman, but since this is my prediction, I am going to give him a series of hot MALE Latin lovers.
My favorite quotes:
- "Whoa! Miss Teen Closet-Case finally comes out during his last days of senior year and for that he wins a free trip to Hollywood? . . . I've been out since kindergarten. Where the heck's my all expenses-paid trip?" (paperback, pg. 6).
- "Any doubts he'd ever had about his gayness were immediately dispelled as bare boobs jiggled past, only inches away. Yep, he was gay. No doubt about it" (pg. 77).
- "Then as the orb turned golden, its first rays burst forth, turning all heads west. The crowd inhaled a collective gasp, as a show of flame blazed steadily across the canyon's rock layers--orange, burgundy, crimson, and gold--while shadows withdrew like a tide down to the canyon's floor" (pg. 202).
- "Maybe you'll make a fool out of yourself, but if that's what it takes for you to accept that a lot of us look up to you--then that's what you've got to do, because I'm not getting you out of this" (pg. 222).
Other reviews: Goodreads and Kirkus.
This book is NOT available in the Greensboro Public Library. To request that it be added to their collection, fill out this form.
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