With or Without You

June 13, 2011
While Farreyâs debut novel will likely draw attention for its chilling subject matterââbugchasing,â or intentionally trying to contract AIDSâat its heart itâs a novel about gay teens who are removed from (and often ignorant of) their cultural history, and the ways in which they try to connect to it. After years of being bullied because of their sexuality, best friends Evan and Davis are graduating from high school and are ready to get on with their lives. And that means getting out the hell out of Dodgeâor rather Madison, Wis.âto attend college in Chicago in the fall. The boysâ friendship is tested, however, when Davis gets drawn into a new gay community group with militant overtones and a three-stage recruitment process (âRevolution. Liberation. Identificationâ), and Evan tries to keep his gorgeous and brilliant college-age boyfriend a secret from both Davis and his own family. Farrey, a YA editor, in no way glamorizes the world of bugchasing, but he adeptly demonstrates how seductive the promise of belonging and power can be for those who havenât known either. Ages 14âup.

September 1, 2011

Gr 9 Up-Evan and Davis are best friends. Growing up gay in Wisconsin has made them outcasts and victims of violent bullying. Evan has found comfort with a loving boyfriend, but Davis is still looking for his niche when he discovers the Chasers, a support group for gay youth lead by the mysterious Sable. When Evan learns that Sable hopes to bring his newly created clan to a "bugchasing" party to intentionally contract HIV, he knows he must get Davis out. Descriptions of Evan's art provide a structure for the protagonist's memories and fill readers in on his backstory, allowing them to understand his growth. Farrey paces his story beautifully, covering many contemporary issues for teens about coming out, friendship, relationships, and following a dangerous crowd simply for a sense of belonging. Though the author handles these difficult concerns well, the gravity of all of these elements can be overwhelming. With a much more serious tone than John Green and David Levithan's Will Grayson, Will Grayson (Dutton, 2010), this well-developed novel is great for readers interested in an approachable story about teen homosexuality.-Devin Burritt, Jackson Memorial Library, Tenants Harbor, ME

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2011
Grades 9-12 Desperately tired of being bullied and abused outsiders, gay teens Evan and Davis welcome the opportunity to join a new group organized by a charismatic stranger named Sable. Called the Chasers, the group promises an opportunity for fraternity but to Evan's dismay quickly turns into a vigilante pack determined to enact revenge against local gay-bashers. Meanwhile Evan, a gifted artist, meets Erik, an older boy of like mind, and the two begin a relationship that Evanfor reasons that remain confusingly overintellectualizedkeeps secret from his family and best friend, Davis. Things get further complicated when the Chasers evolves into something far more sinister and Davis' implausible evolution into a true believer comprises his lifelong friendship with Evan. Some readers may find Farrey's first novel at times pretentiousespecially regarding its treatment of artand its characters overly noble, but its treatment of AIDS is extremely well handled and welcome at a time when AIDS fiction has become almost nonexistent.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)