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Invisible Boys
Invisible Boys | Holden Sheppard
5 posts | 4 read | 2 to read
An emotional tale of identity, sexuality and suicide derived from personal experience about three teenage boys who struggle to come to terms with their homosexuality in a small Western Australian town. On the surface, nerd Zeke, punk Charlie and footy wannabe Hammer look like they have nothing in common. But scratch that surface and you'd find three boys in the throes of coming to terms with their homosexuality in a town where it is invisible. Invisible Boys is a raw, confronting YA novel that explores the complexities and trauma of rural gay identity with painful honesty, devastating consequences and, ultimately, hope.
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review
Lauredhel
Invisible Boys | Holden Sheppard
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Mehso-so

Others have already provided plenty of reviews about how this is a visceral look at gay masculinity in a claustrophobic rural city. Three boys at a Catholic school - a nerd, a jock, and a punk - have different journeys toward dealing with their sexuality. (An older farm-boy features, too).

I'm mostly here to provide a couple content notes completely missing from most/all other reviews: there's a rape scene, and gross, unchallenged fatphobia.

blurb
Lauredhel
Invisible Boys | Holden Sheppard
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This local YA LGBTQ+ book has been well reviewed. It's set in regional WA and is described as a "raw, confronting" book tackling "homosexuality, masculinity, anger and suicide ". #booked2022 #comingout

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Ali_caat
Invisible Boys | Holden Sheppard
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‘I got it wrong,‘ I say. ‘This whole thing was just a phase after all.‘

It‘s really difficult to breakaway from the “homophobic bully” stereotype, but actually writing from his point of view can bring up some real life internalised homophobia that I‘ve not seen from this archetype before, really beautifully done

blurb
Lauredhel
Invisible Boys | Holden Sheppard
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I'm enjoying my library being open again! They were closed several months for renovation. #bookhaul #loveozya #weneeddiversebooks

Megabooks Enjoy interior!! So good!! 4y
Lauredhel @Megabooks everyone says so! 4y
61 likes2 comments
review
Jeg
Invisible Boys | Holden Sheppard
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Pickpick

It‘s a beautiful quiet spring morning and I‘m sitting out in the garden. I heard Holden on the radio and knew I had to read his YA book. I got it yesterday and finished it this morning. Holden lives in the city now but grew up in the regional centre of Geraldton. This story must have been painful to write. It‘s about 3 very different boys , in a country town, coming to terms with their sexuality. Brave, powerful and inspiring. @MrsMalaprop

Suet624 💕💕💕 5y
CarolynM Sounds good. Stacked🙂 5y
MrsMalaprop I have seen this book around and he‘s been doing various launch appearances at bookshops around Perth. 5y
12 likes2 stack adds3 comments