One Summer in Vancouver

One Summer in Vancouver rotates through three characters’ stories as they participate in different ways in the Gay Games being held in Vancouver in 1990. Tom saw a Village People song as a sign from the universe to fly from Ontario to Vancouver to stay with his gay uncle while he explores his own sexuality and ends up involved in the whirlwind that is the Gay Games as a spectator and volunteer. Dwayne, who runs into Tom by chance on the first day Tom touches down in Vancouver, is nursing a heartbreak and balancing his job, daydreams, and volunteering at the Gay Games while falling head over heels for Tom. The third point of view is Gina, an athlete in the Gay Games who is playing baseball on the same team as the person her ex cheated on her with. Tom, Dwayne, and Gina become fast friends, so, while their stories are independent to each character, they are also deeply intertwined. A host of side characters (some loveable, like Kouri the Australian visitor and Uncle Fred, who accepts and encourages Tom to be his true self, and some not, like Kent, the man Tom becomes enamored with) help show the complexity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community during the Gay Games, and what the world could begin to look like without discrimination towards out and proud humans.
There were moments in One Summer in Vancouver that were moving and important, particularly the discussions about the stigmas of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and the immense collective grief that perseveres. However, the writing, itself, felt choppy and somewhat emotionless for the duration of the text. Each chapter was a separate day, and each day contained multiple points of views of the three main characters; it was difficult to build momentum in the storylines because of the numerous shifts in perspectives paired with moments of flat writing. Because the characters were cycling through different scenarios and different conversations that seemed to have little impact on the plot or character development, it was hard to be emotionally invested in the story. It felt like there were opportunities to present character emotions and reflections that would have highlighted the intricacies of Tom, Dwanye, and Gina, but the writing was too straightforward and surface-level to dive in to these opportunities. Towards the end of the novel, once characters had been firmly established and the structure of the chapters did not seem so confusing, the events that challenged and changed Tom et al were more engaging to read. Tom’s dad—who is not accepting of his own gay brother, let alone a questioning son—is given a glimmer of redemption through a conversation with Gina after seeing Tom in drag. Dwayne is gifted a pair of shoes and a life lesson from a character that seemed insignificant but who helped him ultimately build confidence in himself. These small moments offered some redemption for the somewhat dry introduction and first half of the text.

The end of the novel includes a historical note about the process of writing about the Gay Games and blending truth with fiction in order to create Tom, Dwayne, and Gina’s stories that may have been more impactful at the start of the book. As I was born post-1990, I didn’t know that the Gay Games were a real event in Vancouver, and such may be the case for many young adults who choose to read this book. Introducing this aspect at the start would encourage tandem research to pair with the reading of the book.

A note about the language in One Summer in Vancouver: there are multiple instances where words that are harmful and derogatory towards the 2SLGBTQ+ community are used. It may be necessary to have a conversation with young adult readers about the context of the novel and how different characters engage in the reclamation of the words.