DARTS AND FLOWERS

In Backus’ debut YA novel, two best friends, one straight and one gay, conspire to break up their private school’s most popular couple.

Zack Standish doesn’t fit in with the rich kids at Watson Christian Academy in the Seattle suburbs, where his offbeat skater-boy look causes him to stick out in a crowd. Imagine his delight when his best friend from childhood suddenly moves back to town after five years in Los Angeles. Josh Bradshaw is the same old guy, but he’s got something to tell Zack before they pick up their friendship where it left off: Josh is gay. And for years Josh has been secretly in love with Zack’s archrival, Brian “Superjock” Esau. Zack loathes Brian, the school’s star athlete, because he’s dating the girl whom Zack is in love with—the gorgeous Missy Hoff. Josh is pretty sure that Brian reciprocates his feelings, which gives Zack a crazy idea: What if Zack and Josh conspire to wreck Brian and Missy’s relationship? “ ‘You want us to break them up for our own devices?!’ Josh leaped to his feet as Zack nodded. ‘Why, for God’s sake?’ ‘For sex, of course! Why else?’ ” It’s a bonkers plan—the best ones always are—and it only gets wilder after the boys accept the help of Brian’s sister, Jamie, the school’s resident manipulator. The high school culture that Backus creates feels notably cinematic; it’s not at all realistic, but it’s entertaining, nonetheless. The author gives the plot some appealing dimension by including Brian and Missy as point-of-view characters, adding unexpected depth to the king and queen of the school; Brian is in therapy to figure out why he isn’t happy with his life, and Missy doesn’t feel secure in the relationship because she suspects that Jamie hates her. Overall, the book has a big heart and should please fans of both high-school comedy films and YA fiction.

A high-energy homage to 1990s teen movies.