I had an unexpected connection with my latest read, The Inside of Out by Jenn Marie Thorne.
This story, which will be released on May 31st, takes place in and around Palmetto High School in South Carolina. I actually graduated (almost twenty years ago) from Palmetto High School in South Carolina. Now, the school in this book is located somewhere around Charleston, and my high school is in the Upstate (Anderson County, if you want specifics), roughly 200 miles away, but I still thought this connection was pretty cool. (Yes, I know I’m a dork.)
Anyhoo, The Inside of Out, takes a look at a very special friendship and what one girl will do to stay involved in her best friend’s life when things begin to change.
Daisy and Hannah are best friends. They share almost everything with each other. It comes as little surprise to Daisy, then, when Hannah comes out just before the start of their junior year. Daisy is beyond prepared to be a supportive friend…even though she despises Hannah’s girlfriend, Natalie. (There’s a bit of a history there.)
Even though Hannah shies away from the spotlight, Daisy is determined to be the staunchest ally her friend could ever hope for. She joins the school’s Gay Alliance, and, before she really knows what she’s doing, Daisy is leading a campaign to end the school’s ban on same-sex partners at dances. She actually becomes the face of this campaign–which is gaining international attention–and everyone simply assumes she’s a lesbian. Daisy plays along, but she’s straight. Surely this little white lie couldn’t lead to problems, could it? (I bet you’ve already figured out the answer to that question, haven’t you?)
Daisy’s fight for equality is getting out of hand, and her relationship with Hannah is suffering. Hannah never really wanted any of this, and it’s driving a wedge between the two friends…and between Hannah and Natalie. Daisy’s love life isn’t much better. What could be a connection with a college journalist takes a back seat to Daisy’s quest to create an inclusive homecoming event.
Everything is spiraling out of control, and Daisy doesn’t know if she can hold on. How can she possibly deliver on everything she’s promised? What will all of this mean for her friendship with Hannah? Is there any way for Daisy to untangle the mess she’s made while being true to herself and her best friend? Find out when you read The Inside of Out by Jenn Marie Thorne!
So…even though Daisy was grating at times and I found the ending to be a tad unrealistic, I did enjoy this book. I think it’s a good look at what it might be like to be the straight best friend. I know it’s all-too-easy to see people as issues instead of friends. Daisy took things a bit farther than most probably would, but I can understand how she would want to be supportive of her friend no matter what.
I also think The Inside of Out addresses the issue of privilege in an easy-to-understand way. At the end of the book, Daisy is called out on her gung-ho quest for equality. If she fails, she really loses nothing. She can go home, live her life, and nothing major will change. For many of the other students in the Gay Alliance, however, that’s not the case. They face ridicule, hatred, and even violence regularly, and that will still be true whether or not Daisy’s plans fail. This book has helped me to check my own privilege and look at a variety of issues and scenarios through different lenses.
I think The Inside of Out is a great pick for libraries that serve young adults. It is an especially important book for collections looking to build up their book selections for LGBTQIA readers and allies.
If you’d like to learn more about this book and Jenn Marie Thorne, visit the author’s website, and remember to look for The Inside of Out on May 31st!
Knight Reader 