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Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite
Before You Can Fly by Jase Peeples is a coming-of-age novel with a twist. Fifteen-year-old Clayton Wheeler is not your average high school boy. He feels he is too tall, too awkward, and he has feelings and urges he doesn’t totally understand. At school, he is bullied, and at home he has to face a stepfather who thinks Clayton just isn’t “manly” enough. He has a love of comics, and along with his two best friends, Ronee and Alistair, the trio manages to navigate the difficult school environment together. When Clayton’s childhood best friend Derek moves back to town, Clayton is incredibly excited. Derek has grown up and is now one of the “cool” kids, even making the high school football team. Despite Clayton’s lack of popularity, Derek still seems to like him and wants to reconnect with him. The only problem Clayton faces is that he feels a powerful sexual urge toward Derek and, amazingly, that desire appears to be reciprocated. Ultimately, Clayton must decide if keeping his secret hidden from the world is worth the suppression of his desires to be open, honest, and free.
Before You Can Fly is a touching story that I am sure many people can identify with, especially the idea of being bullied at school and even at home for supposed differences. Author Jase Peeples has created a wonderful character in Clayton who is forced to wrestle with his own self-doubts as well as his sexuality and decide how important being open and honest was to his ongoing ability to live the life he desired to live. I appreciated the double-sided pressure he experienced from those at school who bullied him for being different and then not being able to find sanctuary at home with his stepfather constantly on his case for being a sissy. It was telling that it was an outsider, Betty, who was able to give Clayton the comfort and support he needed. I appreciated Clayton’s anger at the doctors who seemed to assume that his and Travis’ injuries were likely abuse, as well as his mother’s unthinking comment about her and his “father” being proud of him. Clayton’s friendship with Ronee and Alistair was a testament to the importance of finding true friends who love you for who you are and not what you can do for them. I loved the ending.
