Andrew Barriger reviews
Alex Sanchez's new book
Rainbow High
Simon &
SchusterNovember 2003
ISBN 0689854773
272 pages
 A worthy follow up to Rainbow Boys, Alex Sanchez’s new book, Rainbow High, picks up mere weeks after the first story left off, continuing to chronicle the lives of three gay teens in their senior year of high school. The boys, Nelson, Kyle, and Jason, all come from fairly different backgrounds, but share a common thread as they come to terms with the sexual orientation. Nelson, who is (if you’ll pardon the pun) a drama queen, awaits results from his HIV test after an unprotected encounter in the previous book. His lifelong best friend, Kyle, has finally nabbed the “boy of his dreams,” but faces an uncertain future as college looms. Jason, the jock basketball star, must face the slow realization of his own feelings and the reality of them becoming public. Set in suburban Alexandria, Virginia, Rainbow High invites the reader to become a part of the story, as though the next real phone call could be one of the boys calling for advice. Sanchez’s writing style has only continued to blossom and grow with this latest writing effort as he brings to bear his professional experience as a trained counselor and combines it with a strong emotional awareness and thoughtful presentation of his characters and their lives. Though the story is clearly written to be accessible to young readers, it is equally enjoyable for a more mature audience, with a fresh, light perspective so often lacking in gay fiction. Lastly, and a true testament to Sanchez’s skill as a writer, this sequel stands equally well on its own as an independent story. Though Rainbow Boys provides the back-story, it is not necessary to read the stories sequentially to enjoy them. Rainbow High is a great read and I highly recommend it. – Andrew Barriger, author of Finding Faith. |
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