Camp is such an incredible book.
I so do not like camping, but I loved CAMP. It made me laugh and feel emotional (signs of a good book) but I also loved how it packed a punch with the weighty topics it discussed. I’ve only read two Rosen books (Jack of Hearts And Other Parts was also phenomenal for this) but I already want way more. His books tackle topics that aren’t talked about enough.
CAMP unpacks (1) toxic masculinity within the queer community, (2) how devastating it can be to have parents who are “accepting” but only to a point, (3) queer stereotypes and expectations like the struggles of femme and masc presenting people go through, and (4) it discusses both queer sex but also how being queer shouldn’t be an inherently sexualised concept. It’s so nuanced and complex and lovingly told.
what it’s about…
Randy is off to queer camp (a glorious 4 weeks of every summer where everyone is queer and celebrated) but this time he’s determined to win over the heart of the dashing Hudson, known heartbreaker and player…and who only likes masc boys. Except Randy is femme. So Randy “changes” himself and stages this basically 1-man-broadway production to get Hudson to fall in love with him in 4 weeks without accidentally revealing his true self until the right moment so that Hudson will definitely “love him back no matter what!!!”
Like the whole premise made me sad because OBVIOUSLY THIS WILL GO WRONG, RANDY!! But is peer pressure and trying to fit in and making terrible decisions part of being a teen? Yes. (Talking about me 😭🙌🏻 I was so dumb.) There’s so much pressure on queer teens too. Are you too gay? Not gay enough? Are you being a stereotype and is that problematic? Or are you being called a “stereotype” but you’re actually being your genuine self? The book talks about it all.
time to go camping!!!!
Did I mention I hate camping yet. The bugs, the lack of wifi, the way nature rustles at night 😩 take me away oh please. Trying to just let these kids have their experiences while I lock myself indoors. I still did enjoy the camping premise 🥺✨The whole atmosphere was so queer-inclusive obviously, so it was kind of lovely the whole time! They do queer history and education, but also sports and craft and bad camp food and canoe trips. It was really fun to read.
Connie says a weekend in the woods is what camp is all about. I say the point of camp is to be able to be near enough to the woods to appreciate them, but not live in them.
other things I loved…
- the epic friendships! George and Ashleigh are AMAING. George is the purest most lovely drama queen, femme and delivers the best lines. Ashleigh is demisexual and crushing on a straight lifeguard that her friends are trying to distract her from.
- there are so many amazing side characters 😍 All the theatre kids are lovely and hyper, salty and real and complex. And so much loving rep! Nonbinary characters, trans teens and leaders, an aro/ace girl, POC queer teens. (I wished there had been some queer disability rep though.)
- it celebrated being glamorous and beautiful and tossing gender conformities.
- MARK. Camp leader. Absolutely dramatic. Absolutely loved him. (Basically Randy’s like “I’m going to do sports not theatre” and Mark was just “🙂🙂🙂I need to lie down and talk to my therapist 🙂🙂🙂”.
- how it unpacked lust vs love + confused teen feels + safe sex + being genuine vs masking
- And I’m so so glad it covered this: but it talked about how it is NOT lying or wrong to be closeted for your own safety. This is an important message for teens who aren’t safe to come out.
Every time YA gets more books like this, the world becomes a better place.
It’s inclusive and loving. It’s also so fun! Glitzy and glamorous, and about exploring different parts of yourself and deciding what’s a stereotype, what’s you, and what’s a mask for the world.
“I think it’s weak willed to be a stereotype. Being what everyone tells you you should be. I think being more…masculine, I guess, is strength. I think it’s better.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I say. “My team just kicked your ass in high femme.”
Thanks Penguin Australia for the ARC! Camp by L.C. Rosen came out in July, 2020.
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?
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tell me if you actually like camping/the outdoors 😂👌🏻and then is this book on your tbr? have you read any of Rosen’s books?
Nooo… I’m scared of all kinds of creatures. So can never go camping. 🙈
Ooh, I haven`t heard about this book at all but it sounds absolutely amazing!!! Love seeing so much queer rep, especially when a book talks about more than one identity 🙂 I`ll definitely add that one to my tbr.
lovely review! I love this book so much <3 It's one of the best I've read so far this year 🙂 And I also love camping and camps and being outside in nature with people I love. All of the past holidays were camp vacations haha
This book sounds so interesting omg! Loved this review Cait xo
Aw this sounds so good! I admit, I too was a little iffy because of the whole camping thing, in that no thank you never ever will I camp unless I have to because the apocalypse dictates it. But I LOVE how many great messages this book has, and how completely accepting it sounds! Like talk about perfect, especially for someone who may be questioning all these things themselves. You are so right about the world becoming better with this kind of book!
I ABSOLUTELY ADORE CAMPING. When was little, it was what our family always did together. Now …. I miss the internet, but I bring a book. (Last time i went camping, I read almost an entire game of thrones book, lol)
Camp looks so good!! And very important. I’m not very good about reading diverse books because I read a lot of blacklists… and those are horrible about rep, especially accurate rep. But I really want to read more! And I always adore the books that you love 😍
(I’ve also seen you post this book so many times on Instagram and I am a fan 😁😁)
Went camping recently with a bunch of friends….suffice to say once was enough lol, the bugs and everything was just too much (i’m more of a glamper myself). This book sounds amazing and you’re completely right – inclusivity (done right, not just tokenism) makes the reading world a better place!
the theatre aspect of this made me so happy i love reading about theatre kids and they were all lovely. this book made me SO happy overall. i loved that it totally wasn’t what i expected. when i read the premise, i thought i knew exactly where it was going to go: randy realizes that he doesn’t have to change himself for hudson and moves on, accepting who he is. but i loved that the book went so much further than that, and showed that by being del, randy was also finding out an entire new layer of himself and realizing that he can love both sports and theatre and he doesn’t have to choose one thing over the other. hudson also surprised me so much, at times, i hated him, but then other times, i loved and wanted to protect him. i want to re-read this book already, hahah, it was soooo much fun!
I loved this one too! I must admit, after Jack of Hearts I had high expectations and it was brilliant. What I love about his books is that he’s inclusive of all sexualities and genders and incredibly sex positive, whether you choose to have sex or identify as asexual. There’s no standard mould or stereotypes. It’s why also own voices narratives are needed and incredibly important. Must admit, I’ve never been camping and have absolutely no desire to do so. I like nature, as long as I’m not out in it 😂