Book Review: I'll Give You The Sun
Two words. Four syllables. JAN.DY. NEL.SON.
If you already haven’t heard about this wunderkind of an author, this absolute stunner of a person yet, hold on to your bootstraps, because, boy am I here to tell you. The latest novel written by Jandy Nelson, takes place in a Californian beach town, where the sun bakes the surfer clad pedestrians below and the ocean is a endless sky of blue. The story, told in dual perspectives, focuses on twin protagonists, Jude and Noah Sweetwine. Jude’s the sister, Noah being the brother. Nelson’s piquant take on the narratives, centers on Jude during the present when she is 16, and Noah in the past when his was 13. In using this technique, the author is able to better appeal to the audience in a way in which a regular individual or a dual viewpoint would not accomplish.
Early on in the story, the audience is introduced to Noah and his grapple with his sexuality. In his case, he’s not in between the throes of “I think girls are pretty” or “I think boys are pretty” or “Both girls and boys are pretty” or “I think everyone is pretty”, no, Noah is sure of himself. He is gay and he is part of the “I think boys are pretty” gang. Though he knows this, he has a hard time expressing this, especially when Brian comes to town. Brian, the new kid, is quirky and spacey and charismatic. Because of this, he gets many a girls’ attention in their respective beach town, and this puts Noah in an odd space, considering his twin sister, Jude also starts to aim her sights on him as well. Towards the end of the novel when Noah and Brian’s relationship becomes fully realized, I, for one, admired Nelson’s writing valuing Noah and Brian’s love for each other, particularly when paralleled to the heterosexual relationship his sister engages in within in the novel. Both romances are not treated as separate entities, but as equals, especially when much of media fails in normalizing LGBTQ+ relationships. Rather then dwell on the expected angst which comes with trying to understand one’s sexuality, such as acceptance, family, loneliness, etc.,
I’ll Give You The Sun provides a fresh outlook on a familiar trope. In addition, Nelson takes pride in not focusing the parts narrated by Noah as his “coming out” but more so, as Katie from gayya.org describes it as, “Noah’s queerness is an important part, but it’s not the entire plot, it’s not what the book is about. I believe this might just be the kind of book people mean when they say they
want a queer book ‘that is not about coming out.’” With Jandy Nelson’s whimsical words spinning a tale not only elaborate, yet endearing, she constructs a portrait of two guys just trying to love each other. She is able to portray a relationship you want to pump your fists in the air for, and root for Brian and Noah to finally declare their undying love for each other. I won’t go on for fear I might ruin it for you, it’s just one of those books you have to read for yourself. To leave your heart with something left to be desired and as well to better advocate to get your hands on this book already, I’ll leave you with some quotes from the author to woo you herself:
“He was the kind of man who walks into a room and all the walls fall down”
“‘I love you” I say to him, only it comes out, ‘Hey.’
‘So damn much,’ he say back, only it comes out, ‘dude.’”
“I didn’t know you could get buried in your own silence.”
