Lee Bantle

David Inside Out, a new young adult novel by Lee Bantle, is a wonderful coming-of-age story that follows a gay teen in small town Minnesota who is in deep denial about his sexuality. He's trying everything he can to be straight. He dates his friend Kick, a girl, in hopes of becoming attracted to her. He wears a rubber band around his wrist and snaps it every time he has "inappropriate" thoughts about his teammate, Sean. And, when his best friend, Eddie, comes out, David begins avoiding him show more at all costs. When Sean reveals that he might return David's feelings, at first David is relieved. But it's not that simple. Sean, too, struggles with how society - and the in-crowd - will see him if they knew he was attracted to guys. This compelling novel brings its teenage characters to life and deals with the reality that is growing up different in the suburbs. show less

Growing up in the Midwest, David is frightened when he suspects he might have feelings for Sean, a fellow runner on the cross country team. He devises many different ways to force himself to stop thinking about Sean: self-punishment, overexertion at meets, going out with his close female friend.

But nothing seems to work, and encounter after encounter with Sean seem to push David very nearly over the edge of losing control of his emotions. Can David be true to himself when he is afraid of show more what the world will think of his real feelings?

DAVID INSIDE OUT is a quiet but powerful read about the complexities of coming out in a wary society. Details are sparse, and while the simplistic narration and underdeveloped characters may turn off some readers, others may appreciate those techniques as a subtle yet effective way of bringing a difficult issue to light. David’s uneven summarization of the events in his life is indicative of a confused individual attempt to sort out his emotions.

Many of the characters, unfortunately, are unlikable or feel incomplete, even though they are partially that way due to their hinted-at complexities. Their motivations are muddled or unbelievable: David’s relationship with his accepting mother seems uncomplicated to the point of childishness. I actually found that the character whose actions I understood the most was Sean, caught in between homosexual feelings and the paralyzing fear that he will lose status and acceptance if he does not continue to lead the “normal” life.

DAVID INSIDE OUT is not for the faint-hearted or innocent-minded: there are quite a number of descriptions of sexual acts. That being said, it is a fascinating look into the struggles to come out in high school, and can very well be a must-read for anyone interested in GLBTQ studies. show less

David is a high school junior from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He's a runner for the high school track team. He goes to a private, parochial school on scholarship. David's best friend since elementary school is a boy named Eddie. Eddie is openly gay and trying to start a gay/straight alliance group in the school. This embarrasses David, even though he secretly harbors a crush on his track teammate Sean.

David's guilt over his growing attraction to Sean leads him to take drastic measures. He show more distances himself from his best friend Eddie, and he crudely attempts to use aversive therapy on himself, snapping himself painfully with a rubber band every time he has an inappropriate homosexual thought. He also attempts to advance physically with his girlfriend Kick (Katherine).

When Sean propositions David and the two become intimate with one another, it sets David's world on end. Not only does he become all the more obsessed with Sean, but he begins to question his own identity. He seeks help from a gay teen telephone hotline.

Ultimately David must choose whether to remain closeted while living a lie or to be honest with himself, his family, and his friends.

David Inside Out is a classic coming-out, coming-of-age story. It is a quick read, but very captivating. Written with emotion and humor, it is both believable and meaningful. It's poignant message drills into the heart of the reader, leaving them yearning for more.

Not only is the book a great addition to any young adult library, but it is an enjoyable and entertaining story for more mature readers as well. It's a heartwarming, unpretentious, and touching story about self discovery and acceptance. I highly recommend it. show less

I read this book in just about three hours. It's a sweet, though sometimes sad, coming of age and coming out story. It's a very quick read, but it's by no means an easy read. David's a strong, if very conflicted, conflicted character. But at the same time, he's also very sympathetic. I was reminded of several other gay YA books I'd read, and in a good way. One of the best things about Bantle's book is how realistic David seems, with his conflicting feelings about being gay and not wanting show more to. The struggle is quite real and it's hard not to care about what happens to him. show less