By Matthew Wexler
Author Andrew Keenan-Bolger knows New York City. He also knows what it was like growing up gay in the 1990s in the shadow of the AIDS crisis. Combine that with a theatrical flair (he’s got five Broadway credits), and the result is Limelight, a new young adult (YA) novel that sparkles with self-discovery, the sights and sounds of the big city, and an alluring time stamp with a nod to the hit musical Rent.
YA books have become increasingly popular with adult readers. Whether it’s fantasy, nostalgia, or romance, there’s an alluring quality of self-discovery that permeates the genre, as well as a determination that hasn’t been diluted by age.
“One of YA’s greatest strengths is how, at its best, it manages to discuss serious issues almost by stealth,” says author Amy Jones. Limelight lives up to that observation while also portraying its central character, 15-year-old theater-obsessed Danny Victorio, with irresistible resilience.
1 Minute Critic caught up with Keenan-Bolger amid a packed book tour as Limelight gains traction as one of the must-read YA books of the season.
Limelight is set in the 1990s, and you’ve discussed Rent being a formative part of your exposure to theater. In all of your research, what 90s moment do you wish you could time-travel back to?
It feels a little obvious, but I never actually got the chance to dance at the Limelight. And I think that’s part of why the place grabbed me so hard when I started researching the time period. Through all the interviews that I did, everyone described this level of creativity and freedom that felt almost impossible, especially for that era. You could walk in as whoever you felt like being that night, and the room would meet you there. I want the sweat, the lights, the bass of Madonna rattling my ribs, and the feeling that you’re a part of something for a few hours, even if you came alone.
We’re seeing increased vitriol toward the LGBTQ+ community, particularly queer youth. What message do you hope Limelight delivers to readers?
I hope my book tells queer kids they’re not alone, and they’re not the problem. I hope it says: you’re allowed to be who you are, out loud or quietly, messy or confident, and you don’t have to earn your right to exist.
I also hope it reminds them that joy is real, that friendship, art, crushes, chosen family, the places you feel seen, all of that counts. And that the grown-ups who make you feel small are not the final authority on who you are.
What moment in the book feels most close to home?
The moment that feels most close to home for me is when my main character, Danny, reaches out and touches Christian’s hand for the first time. It’s such a small gesture, but when you’re that age, it can feel absolutely seismic. I really remember what that was like as a teenager, the first time you let yourself reach for someone and how one tiny moment of contact could light up your entire body. That feeling, that electricity, still very much lives in my body.
“Christian’s hand had been resting there, palm open, as if calling out to Danny like a song about tomorrow, and Danny could still feel that spark on his finger from the place where it had brushed up against Christian’s skin. And he could still feel it in his chest, that memory of what it felt like when Christian let his fingers curl softly, perfectly, entirely around a hand made of lightning. Because somehow with just a single touch, on a Saturday in late September, Danny’s life stretched out in an entirely new—and, maybe, not entirely unwelcome—direction.”
An excerpt from ‘Limelight’ by Andrew Keenan-Bolger
What creative itch does writing scratch (you’re also the co-author of the Jack & Louisa middle-grade book series) that performing doesn’t?
Performing feels like joining a party that’s already going. The words and characters are already there, and you get to drop in and bring them to life. Writing feels like it’s me throwing the party. I get to decorate the room, pick the music, decide who’s invited, and what the night even is. That kind of freedom is exhilarating and also genuinely terrifying. There’s nowhere to hide, because every choice is yours. I don’t know. I guess I’m an adrenaline junkie in that way.
1 Minute Critic celebrates analog art forms — live theater, art, music, dance, and books. (We like the kind with pages, but if you prefer an e-reader or audiobook, no shade!) What is your ultimate book-reading scenario?
I’m very much a believer that audiobooks absolutely count as reading. My perfect scenario is me on the subway with my headphones in, packed in with every kind of humanity, and I’m quietly building a whole other world in my head. As far as what I’m reading, give me anything new, anything queer, anything fiction.
Limelight is available at Bookshop.org, where your purchase supports authors and independent booksellers!
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