Camp Review: Cute, Fun & Slightly Infuriating

Author: L.C. Rosen
Published On: May 26, 2020
Publisher: Little, Brown
Genre: Fiction, YA, LGBTQIA+
Add to Goodreads

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It’s where he met his best friends. It’s where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it’s where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim – who’s only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists.

This year, though, it’s going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as ‘Del’ – buff, masculine, and on the market. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish, and his unicorn bedsheets, he’s determined to get Hudson to fall for him.

But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself how much is he willing to change for love. And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn’t know who he truly is?

“Honey, I’ve been around the block a lot longer than you have, and I promise you, a man who makes you change to be with him isn’t worth it.”

Ever since I gave in to the inevitable and purchased this book, I’ve been building a shrine around it on my bookshelf (theoretically, of course). I’d heard such great things about it from booktubers and bloggers, and had combed through the multitude of 4 and 5 star ratings on Goodreads. I even read Jack of Hearts and Other Parts to prepare, as I had never read an LC Rosen book before.

Am I….disappointed? Surprised?? Delighted??? It’s really hard to tell.

Things I liked:

• Camp!! The camp setting in this story was so cute and I love loved it. I thought that Rosen did a really good job at making this story seem juvenile while not reducing the characters to prepubescent campers who were watched over by authority day and night. I also just liked the outdoor-sy vibe while also staying pretty glam – we didn’t get too down and dirty! No spiders, thankfully.
• Theatre & side characters: They’re almost one in the same, aren’t they?? George and Ashleigh were SO supportive from the get go, even though they 100% knew this entire plan was going to blow up in Randy’s face. Their interactions were easily my favorite out of this whole book, and I’d die for spin-offs surrounding them!
• Randy: When Randy was being authentically himself, he was awesome. He was such a cool kid! He was unapologetically himself and helped those around him to be their true selves, too. I wish we could’ve spent more on the plot getting to know the real him, because he was awesome!
• Mark: Give me more Mark or give me nothing!! We love a man who’s in touch with his emotions (and his therapist!).

Things I disliked:

• The “cat-fishy” plotline: Okay, I know the whole point of the book was for Randy to masquerade as “Del” and win over Hudson based with his new masculine persona, but there was just something super sleazy about this entire plot to me. Not only did we get Randy manipulating Del into liking him, but we also saw the entire camp go along with it! I dunno, I just felt really bad for Hudson at times and hated that he was being played so thoroughly.

That’s really it. That’s really all I disliked! I thought this book was super cute and well worth the read. I also can’t speak for the queer community, but this book did touch on the internalized homophobia and issues within LGTBQ+ groups, which was something I wasn’t expecting, but thought added well to our understanding of these characters.

If you’re one to get held up on the icky feeling of the plot, I’d definitely suggest sticking through it to the second half. Randy might have his flaws, but in the end he’s just like all of us, and you can’t help but root for him all the same.

(Also, can I go to Camp now??)

Rating: