Book 720: Camp – L.C. Rosen

So, this is apparently the LGBTQ+ young adult book darling of summer 2020, or at least that’s what it feels like. I’ve seen it on so many lists, numerous bloggers/instagrammers I follow have already read it and sung its praises, and I know it’s already been optioned for a film.

Honestly, though I don’t get it. It was good but it wasn’t that good, even if it is all about fighting toxic masculinity. It reminded me a lot of the early 2000s teen RomComs, specifically She’s All That and Never Been Kissed. AND there are so many other books that have similar strains of finding your happily ever after by pretending to be someone you’re not and everyone overcoming the shock factor to just say omg yes, we’re in love. My response is of course rather vague so as not to spoil too much of anything if you decide you want to read it.

However, where Rosen REALLY got everything perfect was the camp aspect. If you’ve ever attended or worked at a sleep-away camp you will 100% recognize EVERYTHING that happens. If he didn’t work at a camp in college or attend a camp I would be SHOCKED because of how accurately hilarious so much of it was. And can we talk about the name of the camp: Camp Outland. It works on two levels that are just perfect being out about your sexuality and camping out, like how cute is that?

“Camp Outland had been their idea four years ago, after I came out. Not many other twelve-year-olds were talking about how dreamy and cute Skylar Astin was in Pitch Perfect 2, and how I hoped my boyfriend would look like him someday, so they thought it would be good for me to meet some other queer kids, and they found Camp Outland—a four-week sleepaway summer camp for LGBTQIA+ teens nestled in the woods of northern Connecticut.” (9)

The Del and Hudson story was honestly meh and that’s supposed to be the story of the book. A lot of this had to do with Del’s commitment to no longer being Randy and playing the butch Del so that he could trick Hudson into falling in love with him. The peer pressure from his cabin mates (and best friends) just washed off Del for three weeks (which is basically like 3 years in camp-time) and it just annoyed me to no end. Sure, he learned things like that he didn’t hate sports, and was actually pretty good at them, and he learned that he can be confident in other ways.

“I’m not forgetting who I am. I’m just changing the way other people see me.” (15)

“Wow.” Ashleigh’s eyes widen. “I’m genuinely impressed. You really tricked him into loving you.”
I stare at her, not trying to hide how much what she said hurts. It wasn’t a trick. It was a plan. And it worked. He loves me. Not just Del, but me, underneath it all. (166)

Hudson’s backstory had so much more going on and I honestly wish he book were told from his perspective or that the book had a split narrative, because I was so annoyed with Del by the time we got to the crisis of the novel I was swearing that if they ended up back together for any reason I’d stop reading. SPOILER: They did and I finished it, but I’m still pissy about it. It’s like Randy was rewarded for everything that he did and honestly, I don’t know if he learned why it was bad. There are a couple of conversations that were supposed to show Randy’s growth from the summer with counselors, but I still question what he actually learned when he got the guy in the end. UGH.

“‘Cause there’s a difference between being into something in a person and thinking a certain type of people are better.” (103)

Similar to Red, White and Royal Blue, I appreciated that Rosen acknowledged that teens have sex and if anything they provided education (aka condoms and consent) which is great. It was a little disconcerting how forward they were, but knowing some of the older campers I worked with and some of my friends, Rosen may have actually dialed it back a good bit.

And on a random note, Rosen does get bonus Geoff points for not only slipping in Austen and Brontë references, but doing it in the same sentence!

George and Ashleigh see me sitting and bring me a stick and then, when I tell them what happened, help me closer to the fire.

“So he came to your rescue?” Ashleigh asks, raising her eyebrows. “In the rain?”

“He heard me yelling. It was what anyone would have done.”

“It’s just very . . . Jane Austen?” Ashleigh says. “Heathcliff? Something.”

“Darling,” George says, gently telling her to stop.” (207)

Recommendation: I’m mixed on my review. It’s worth a read, but I feel like it’s been done before (sometimes better and sometimes worse). I’m still disgruntled about the ending which was well written and I’m sure made everyone smile, but to me it just made me mad. Maybe I’m just a bitter old man at this point, but yeah. Go read it and let me know if you think it deserves to be the darling of the book blog world this summer (or if you think Red, White and Royal Blue was better).

Opening Line: “The smell wraps around me like a reunion between old friends when I step off the bus.”

Closing Line: “Freedom, love . . . no, it’s better than that. It smells like home.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)

Additional Quotes from Camp
“If she hadn’t come out as trans, she might have had a career as a great coach. If there wasn’t a more famous trans Olympian, she might have gotten a TV deal, or her book would have sold better. Being black probably makes the world overlook her, too.” (73)

“And he called me babe!”
“The straightest of all pet names, of course.” (84)

“I’m really lucky. I shouldn’t complain. So my dream guy ended up being just a dream. It was a long shot anyway, right? Mark turns the lights out, and I can feel tears prick their way out of my eyes and I don’t know why. I don’t have anything to be sad about. Everything is back the way it was.
So I don’t feel like I’m filled with stars anymore. So what? Space is mostly just emptiness. Miles and kilometers between them.” (185)

“No coming out story is the same as another. And you’re already out, Hudson is out. And gay is different from trans. Gender no-conforming is different from trans. you know that. But what I mean is there’s out and then there’s the sort of out people don’t want you to be. I could know I was a woman in my mind, but not act on it. Hudson can know in his head he’s a guy in nail polish and eyeliner who will kick your ass on the obstacle course and look fabulous doing it. There are different degrees of out . . . and you need to stick to the ones that are safe. Now, what’s safe changes where you are, and who you’re with. I don’t have that luxury. But I’m also an adult now. I’m not saying it’s safe int he world for me, but my parents can’t kick me out of the house. So Hudson has to find the degree of out that will keep him safe when he’s around his parents.” (223)