Love Drugged
Terrified that his classmates will discover he is gay, high-school freshman Jamie decides his best cover is to start dating a girl. No sooner has he decided this than beautiful, wealthy Celia expresses an interest in him, but unfortunately, it evolves into a sexual interest that Jamie cannot reciprocate. But wait: Celia’s father is a doctor who develops behavior-modification drugs and is experimenting with one that will “cure” homosexuality. Still determined to change, Jamie begins stealing the untested meds. In an interesting parallel, his best friend, Wesley, simultaneously decides to take himself off the Ritalin that has helped control his hyperactivity. Things don’t work out as either expected. Though sometimes a bit clumsy and melodramatic in its execution, Klise’s first novel succeeds in capturing the terrible anxiety of a teen discovering the truth of his sexual identity while also offering a cautionary take on the sinister personal and social ramifications of medical technology’s attempt to change one’s sexual orientation. An excellent novel for both classroom and gay-straight alliance discussion. Grades 8-11. --Michael Cart