May 22, 2009

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

No Kiss
Naomi and Ely have been best friends from the cradle, growing up together int he same building and surviving everything together - including an affair between Naomi's dad and one of Ely's Moms - and they have created a No Kiss List of people that are out of limits, trying to prevent the break up of the Naomi and Ely Institution (especially since they both like boys).

However, when Ely kisses Naomi's boyfriend Bruce the Second (who actually wasn't in the list) all hell breaks loose, with friends and neighbors taking sides as Ely and Naomi's shared world implodes on itself and changes into something completely different.

Naomi's character wasn't a particularly sympathetic one, she often came as selfish and petty to me, but you can understand her pain, it's not so much that she minds that Ely kissed her boyfriend, but she does hate the fact that she now has to let go of her fantasy where she and Ely got married and lived The Perfect Life (Ely's gayness aside).

Ely fared a little better with me, he's a gorgeous and proud gay boy who has been around the block a few times but, after hurting Naomi, he decides he doesn't want to hurt Bruce the Second as well, so he's taking it slowly for the first time in his life which both confuses and thrills him. The scene when both Ely and Bruce2 confess to each other that each of them thinks he's not good enough for the other was one of the sweetest scenes ever.

Now, the Bruces, Bruce the First (Bruce1) and Bruce the Second (Bruce2) both dated Naomi, and they where my favorite characters of the whole book. Bruce1 is an insomiac, a high school junior who once upon a time dated Naomi and who worships her even though he isn't that sure he loves her. Bruce2 is a quiet, plain college student who never thought he was gay until he found himself 'liking' Ely and then falling for him.

Over all, the book is a solid read though it didn't resonate with me quite as much as Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist but it does have it's good moments and it's worth reading.

Grade

starstarstar

AnimeGirl

1 comment:

  1. I agree. Nick & Norah was so much better.
    Bruce and Ely did make a cute couple...Naomi bothered me and I felt like that guy that she ends up with (gabriel's his name right???) was way too good for her.

    ReplyDelete

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