Boy Underground, a short book review

Before my short review of this book, I need to make an editorial comment about Boy Underground: The first chapter of this historical novel is one of the best written pieces of narrative I have read in a long, long time—not that other pieces have been bad, but author Catherine Ryan Hyde’s writing in that chapter of this book is smooth and easy to read, engaging, and just “comfortable” in style.

That said, this informative yet relaxed style continues throughout and creates a great read focused on the early days of World War II and revelations about how Japanese residents and Japanese-American citizens were regarded and treated at that time (especially in rural California, where the story is set); of course, the background theme, which follows the story’s narrator and his evolving coming out story, is totally believable, as well as relatable (even to those of us who grew up twenty years later, in the 1960s and ’70s).

Above all else, I think my enjoyment of this book centered around all the little pieces of daily life and thought in the period, which Hyde just states matter of factly rather than making a big deal about explaining.

This might be a slowly paced book for some readers but if they can give themselves over to the natural draw and revelation of happenings and events, the reward is a wealth of knowledge about the times, in both a straight and a gay world.

Buy a copy of Boy Underground by Catherine Ryan Hyde for yourself through the-gay-editor’s online bookstore. If you need more convincing than I’ve done in my short review of this book, take a look at some of these outside reviews:

• with a plot description, at goodreads.com
• with a detailed plot description, at bookreporter.com
• with several opinions, at netgalley.com

the-gay-editor has compiled a number of other titles for your reading pleasure, and all are LGBTQ+ focused. Visit our special bookstore page to find links to book selections for adults and younger readers that include these recently added titles:

• What If It’s Us or Here’s to Us, by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
• The Perfume Burned His Eyes, by Michael Imperioli
• Something Like Possible, by Miel Moreland

the-freelance-editor has also built a bookstore for writers, aspiring editors, and readers of all interests. Visit that bookstore page for an index to categories and links to those selections.

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originally posted December 31, 2022
no text revisions to date

image information: Featured image used via the book publisher, Lake Union Publishing in Seattle.

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