One Man Guy

March 3, 2014
Being forced to attend summer school becomes a blessing in disguise for 14-year-old Alek Khederian when it sparks a romance with an older boy named Ethan, who runs with a crowd of skateboarders and perceived burnouts. Alek’s Armenian heritage is the ever-present frame for the boys’ budding relationship in suburban New Jersey. Early on, they bond over the Armenian version of string cheese (just one of many culinary specialties described in detail); the strength of Alek’s character, due in no small part to his strict upbringing, is part of what attracts Ethan to him; and, toward the end of the novel, debut author Barakiva draws sharp parallels between homophobia and the ongoing enmity between Armenians and Turks due to the Armenian genocide. While the story tends to favor heightened, romantic comedy moments and dialogue over realism (Ethan is a particularly idealized hybrid of bad-boy/nonthreatening sweetie-pie), Barakiva avoids stereotypes and clichés to create a sweet portrait of nascent adolescent love between two boys growing up and finding themselves (with some help from nearby New York City). Ages 12–up. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary.