Julian Winters has written a romance, a story about the lasting effects of being bullied on the fragile and developing sense of self of children, a story about the journey to find out who you are and what your place in the world looks like, a story about learning that LOVE IS LOVE, a story about what it means to be a family and not just the biological kind, and a story about love and respect of self and others all in one book.
Running With Lions is the story of Bastian and his last summer before starting senior year. But it is Willie and Mason and Emir and Hunter and Grey's story too. There were times this was a painful read because I really just wanted to hug these kids and bake them cookies and hear their thoughts and when they hurt I felt it. That is a huge testament to Julian's writing.
I loved his use of a soundtrack, yes a soundtrack in a book. No, the book isn't like those greeting cards that play music when you open them, but the characters have music they listen to and their musical choices are a huge part in making them come alive on the page, of giving them a sense of dimension, as if they were living breathing beings in the room and telling you their tale.
I guess if I had to list one thing, one piece of criticism, I would say, and this is just for my tastes, you may not mind, there were some times the soccer details made me have the Harry Potter Quidditch feeling. That is, when reading the Harry Potter books there were times when I felt like it was enough with the Quidditch details, get back to the story, only to realize after the fact, that there was a lot of to be learned about the characters through their playing of the sport. But I am a mushy kind of gal and I like the personal story parts the best over the big flashy show of a sporting event.
And of course I loved Lily, she is the kind of mom I see myself as, loving my children without them having to do anything to earn it other than exist. My son who is 12 going on 112 recently came out as Bi and we went to his first Pride event last week. My 17yo daughter is gender fluid and identifies as a Lesbian. I can only hope my kids end up with friends as loyal as the friends Bastian has.
Thanks Julian Winters for an enjoyable read, write more stories please.
(Finished June 17, 2018)
Running With Lions is the story of Bastian and his last summer before starting senior year. But it is Willie and Mason and Emir and Hunter and Grey's story too. There were times this was a painful read because I really just wanted to hug these kids and bake them cookies and hear their thoughts and when they hurt I felt it. That is a huge testament to Julian's writing.
I loved his use of a soundtrack, yes a soundtrack in a book. No, the book isn't like those greeting cards that play music when you open them, but the characters have music they listen to and their musical choices are a huge part in making them come alive on the page, of giving them a sense of dimension, as if they were living breathing beings in the room and telling you their tale.
I guess if I had to list one thing, one piece of criticism, I would say, and this is just for my tastes, you may not mind, there were some times the soccer details made me have the Harry Potter Quidditch feeling. That is, when reading the Harry Potter books there were times when I felt like it was enough with the Quidditch details, get back to the story, only to realize after the fact, that there was a lot of to be learned about the characters through their playing of the sport. But I am a mushy kind of gal and I like the personal story parts the best over the big flashy show of a sporting event.
And of course I loved Lily, she is the kind of mom I see myself as, loving my children without them having to do anything to earn it other than exist. My son who is 12 going on 112 recently came out as Bi and we went to his first Pride event last week. My 17yo daughter is gender fluid and identifies as a Lesbian. I can only hope my kids end up with friends as loyal as the friends Bastian has.
Thanks Julian Winters for an enjoyable read, write more stories please.
(Finished June 17, 2018)
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