I picked up this book with the anticipation that it might turn out to be an inspiring Young Adult Bildungsroman. However, I was sorely mistaken.

This book is disappointingly flat. The characters lack depth and the story seems to unfold in a rather lackluster manner. It is also opaque, making it difficult for the reader to truly understand the motives and emotions of the characters.

Furthermore, it is infuriating. The way certain themes are presented and the actions of some of the characters are simply frustrating. And to top it off, it is downright gross in some aspects.

While I appreciate Oates’ attempt at addressing the issue of homophobia and opening up a dialogue, it was not done in an artful or engaging way. This book failed to meet my expectations at every turn.

I have come to the conclusion that I won't waste my precious time reading anything else by her. It seems that her writing style and the content she presents are just not to my taste.

Overall, this book has been a huge letdown and has left me with a rather negative impression of Oates as an author.

I have a profound affection for the fragmented prose style. It is indeed as the protagonist asserts: We perceive what we desire to see, not the objective reality, and that is precisely what we fall in love with. It is all fabricated.

I had been anticipating a bit more from the ending, however. And I am of the opinion that it ought to be retitled. Nevertheless, JCO has become one of my new interests. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, depending on the perspective), she has approximately a million books for me to explore and make my way through.

Grade: A-

At first glance of "Sexy" by Joyce Carol Oates, one might assume that this story is centered around the life of a handsome boy and his love affairs. However, upon opening the book, it becomes evident that it is not merely about the allure and charm of being good looking. Instead, it delves into the profound lessons of love, loyalty, and trust.

Darren Flynn has always struggled with communicating with girls. It was an awkward experience for him. Nevertheless, most girls would be overjoyed at the mere thought of him speaking to them. He was aware of how girls felt towards him, yet he often lacked the necessary confidence. Some days, he would feel on top of the world, exuding confidence and sexiness, while on other days, he would feel invisible and unnoticed. There was one girl in particular, Molly Rawlings, whom Darren held in high regard. She was a smart and quiet young lady who worked tirelessly at school to achieve perfection. Although the story is not solely about his love life, the author skillfully weaves in the connection between the two shy high schoolers.

Determined and respectful are perhaps the two words that best describe Darren in the eyes of the adults in his life. This year, as a junior, he made the varsity team on the North Falls swim team. But his efforts didn't stop there. Darren worked extremely hard to keep up with, improve upon, and match the abilities of the better swimmers on the team. His coach constantly praised him for his perseverance, and other teachers were astonished to witness his excellent manners.

The question of trust loomed large throughout the entire novel. After an English teacher failed several swim team students due to a difficult essay, they sought revenge. Darren found himself in a difficult situation, unable to trust any of his friends, who were even lying to the authorities. He desperately wanted to extricate himself from this mess, but he didn't know who he could turn to for help.

The plot was relatively straightforward, revolving around the theme of trust. This became evident as soon as the main conflict between Darren and the tough English teacher, Mr. Tracy, began. Suddenly, the teacher showed a hint of interest in Darren, making him feel uncomfortable and leading to the students' desire for revenge. Darren couldn't trust anyone, not even his teachers, friends, family, or Molly Rawlings, his secret crush.

I awarded this novel four out of five stars because it was a captivating read filled with numerous twists and turns. It had a lot to offer and was unlike any other book I had read. "Sexy" taught the valuable lesson of what can occur and how easily one can become entangled in a web of lies, as Darren and his friends did. However, the story lacked a clean and satisfying ending, as it didn't fully explain what happened between Molly Rawlings and Darren or whether people discovered the students' lies. Although I suspect the author intended to leave the ending open, it wasn't the style that I preferred, unless there is a sequel.

I'm not quite sure what to think of this book. I enjoyed reading it, but I can't ignore some of the (even fierce) criticisms I've read. While the theme of homophobia is obvious and pervades the entire narrative, I still noticed a certain ambiguity regarding the character of Professor Tracy. The accusations of molestation were false, but the man did take pictures of a minor student in the pool and did behave inappropriately, taking advantage of his position of power and influence over the students. Additionally, in the last email Tracy writes to Darren, there is a sort of half-confession about what Tracy would have "felt" for Darren, specifying that he never acted on these desires. Tracy's death leaves everything in suspense; his "propensity" for athletes (minor students) will never be fully explored.

So, did Tracy deserve the false accusations of pedophilia? Obviously not. But he's not a saint either, and the fact that Darren celebrates his memory at the end as if he were an absolute innocent victim of the system AND THAT'S IT is related to the fact that the perspective is that of a 16-year-old boy who grew up in a highly problematic, homophobic context where violence is not only tolerated but encouraged by his own father. So, a boy who, by force of circumstances, sees the situation in black and white. But Darren, just a few pages before, had actually felt uncomfortable because of the professor's attention, an unease immediately smothered by internalized homophobia and thus translated into the fear of being labeled as gay.

All in all, I think the confusion and the lack of a satisfying ending are in line with the nebulosity of the story told. It's a story about homophobia, the objectification of the male body, and that in some way reflects well (at least in my opinion) the impossibility of dealing with and talking about certain topics in a clear and crystalline way, considering that often it's a gray area where no one is a saint and no one is a sinner.

The first seven chapters, which span the first 20 pages, seemed to be a tiresome repetition of the same ideas. It felt as if the content could have been more effectively organized and condensed. Additionally, aside from the constant appearance of Darren or Darren Flynn, I found the author's sentence structure rather unappealing. I also didn't like the way the author would first state what happened and then proceed to explain it in greater detail. This occurred several times and, in my opinion, was unnecessary.

As for the story itself, it was just average for me. The main character is a young boy who is not yet ready to mature. His body has developed into a more attractive one, but mentally, he is still not prepared for this change. As he himself admits in the book, he still has the mindset of a 12-year-old. He is a follower among his friends and when they do something wrong, instead of telling the truth, he attempts to avoid the situation. He doesn't want to harm his teacher, but at the same time, out of fear, he doesn't offer any help either. The truth about Mr. Tracy is somewhat unclear. He may or may not have done something inappropriate to the other kids, but as the reader, we know that nothing happened between him and Darren. Perhaps there was a look or a bit of awkwardness when the teacher asked Darren to call him by his first name. After all, what student really wants to do that? The incident between them was more of a feeling that Darren thought he sensed in Mr. Tracy and within himself. We also know that the teacher was not arrested. So, as you read, you can form your own opinions. In my view, he was an innocent man who angered the wrong student by giving a well-deserved bad grade. When the teacher dies, the main character undergoes a change. He grows up a little, but of course, he still has a long way to go.

I have really loved it.

At the beginning, I thought I wasn't going to like it that much. However, it has ended up being a very beautiful book.

The story is engaging and the characters are well-developed.

I found myself getting lost in the pages and not wanting to put the book down.

The author has a great way of describing the scenes and making them come alive in your mind.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good read.

It's one that I will definitely be reading again in the future.

I expected nothing less from a Joyce Carol Oates young adult book.

Here, we have a vivid main character who is grappling with difficult yet realistic high school male issues. The story unfolds in a way that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

The ending is ambiguous, leaving room for interpretation and further thought. As a high school English teacher, I can't help but feel that Oates had nailed this character and his dilemmas perfectly.

She has a remarkable ability to capture the essence of the teenage experience, especially when it comes to the challenges faced by young men.

The book is a quick and engaging read, one that will appeal to both teenagers and adults alike. It offers valuable insights into the minds and hearts of high school students, making it a must-read for anyone interested in understanding this crucial stage of life.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and entertaining young adult novel.

I usually have a pretty good idea of which books I have read. However, this book had completely flown out of my memory. I read the book somewhere around January and now I mainly remember that someone wrote a funny political thing on the back of the book.

I think it was rather boring, but just because I forgot it so quickly, it gets minus points.

Bye bye

The text is easy and quick to read. However, in my opinion, it doesn't delve deep enough into the personalities of the characters. There is a bit lacking for me.

The book is targeted at adolescents and I believe it connects well with them and the stage they are going through. It likely explores themes and experiences that are relevant and relatable to their lives.

Perhaps the author could have provided more details and nuances about the characters' thoughts, feelings, and motivations to make them more fully developed. This would have enhanced the reader's understanding and connection with the story.

Nonetheless, for its intended audience, the book seems to fulfill its purpose of engaging and entertaining while also touching on important aspects of adolescence.

**"Sexy" by Joyce Carol Oates: A Thought-Provoking Tale for Adolescents**

Joyce Carol Oates, a beloved author, has yet another facet to her writing - creating stories for adolescents. This is a relatively new endeavor for her, and she shows great awareness of her target audience.

The story delves into a topic that often concerns both adolescents and their parents - sexual abuse. The transformation in her writing style is radical. Compared to her collection "Infiel. Historias de transgresión", the syntax and vocabulary are simpler, with shorter sentences, ensuring clarity and no ambiguity in the exposition.

The protagonist, Darren Flynn, a typical sixteen-year-old, struggles with the usual dilemmas of his age - shyness around girls and the pressure to meet his parents' expectations. A decisive event occurs when he has an encounter with a teacher that leads to a series of consequences, changing his life forever.

Darren experiences an epiphany and realizes that he could have done something to prevent what happened. Oates uses this to make us reflect on the consequences of false accusations and testimonies, as well as on guilt and what we can do individually to combat it. This is a phenomenon that can be extrapolated beyond adolescence and into our own lives.

Even in the smallest details, Oates offers us worthy material. Her eclecticism and ability to change styles are indeed two of her greatest virtues. The texts are from the translation of the English by Xohana Bastida for this edition of "Sexy" by Joyce Carol Oates for SM.

Oates Odyssey #11

Old biddy Joyce's head seems to be filled with nothing but black thoughts or perhaps something even more sinister. Her latest work is truly a creation of darkness, yet again signifying her rather nutty ways. It's as if she dwells in a realm of her own, one that is filled with shadows and strange ideas. Her writing style, which is often characterized by its intensity and vividness, only serves to enhance the sense of foreboding and mystery that surrounds her works. One can't help but wonder what goes on in that mind of hers, what inner demons she is trying to exorcise through her writing. Perhaps it is her way of making sense of a world that she perceives as being full of chaos and evil. Whatever the case may be, there is no denying that Joyce's work has a certain allure, a dark charm that keeps readers coming back for more.