The Importance of Being Kevin

Reviewed by Sammy for Diverse Reader

When his father returned home from prison and his mother abandoned them, Kevin Devereaux turned his anger inward and set himself on a path to self-destruct. Running with a dangerous gang of older boys whose behavior escalated from simple theft and minor property destruction to attacking and hospitalizing another boy, Kevin is caught up in the frenzy and lands in juvie. Now on probation, he must either find a job or join a summer program. Since no one trusts an ex-con a job is impossible to find so Kevin tries one last ditch effort to escape going back into juvenile detention and auditions for a play. He not only makes the cast—he gets one of the leads.

His fellow actors all embrace him, especially the other male lead, Peter Finn. Peter is older and a sophomore in college. Kevin is just sixteen but still at the legal age of consent so the two begin a clandestine relationship. During the course of their time together, they are caught on video and the man who has it uses it to blackmail Kevin sexually. When Peter discovers what the man has done to Kevin he goes after him. Little does either boy realize what is about to go down and how it will explode around them.

With a subtle mix of young and new adult themes, author Steven Harper delivers a new novel, The Importance of Being Kevin. It is a poignant and gripping coming of age romance complete with a mystery subplot that left me guessing till the end. With fully realized characters, a compelling story line and an evil villain, this novel grabbed hold of my imagination from the very beginning. My heart bled for poor Kevin and his dad. It was horribly unfair how the world treated these two and they paid for their mistakes over and over again. For Kevin, Peter was someone who looked beyond his poverty and his record and saw something of worth. For the first time, Kevin felt valued and loved and it was heartbreaking to see him deny both those things over and over and fall into self-loathing.

But what made these two so perfect for each other is that Peter had similar feelings. He hated that his parents ran his life using their wealth to hold him hostage. He couldn’t tell them he was gay—his father was a homophobe and his mother simply refused to see Peter for who he was. Both Kevin and Peter felt alone and in that loneliness they found each other. Their investment in each other and their happiness was the best part of this novel. This was a gritty, unflinching look at how a young man down on his luck can be abandoned by the system and forced into doing things that no one should ever have to do. I will warn you there is a rape scene in this novel—it is not explicit but it is vile and horrifying, nonetheless. It is also an important part of the book for it sets up the pathway that will lead to a devastating climax that is shocking to read. Every moment in this novel is well placed, carefully executed and important to the overall story—nothing is gratuitous or there just for shock value even when it is indeed shocking to read.

I think the only part of this novel that didn’t read true for me was the near instant capitulation of Peter’s family and their attitude toward Kevin and his dad. With all their prior interactions coming off as hostile, the way in which the author chose to resolve the parent’s many issues was just a bit too easy and quick. There was so much escalating drama between Peter and his parents and the fallout was always aimed at Kevin and his father. For things to change I felt more time was needed to explore how to correct it all. However, this was a minor glitch in an otherwise wonderful novel.

The Importance of Being Kevin was an intense story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The two main characters were really well written and the romance was sweet and well done. I look forward to reading more by this author.

The Importance of Being Kevin is a remarkable novel by Steven Harper, which deserves more than 5 stars. It's a stunning coming of age tale and I'm in awe of it's splendor.

This is the story of Kevin and Peter who start off as two actors in a play together, the flirting starts, and the story takes off. There's so much depth to this story that it's amazing. From the very start, with some tender, yet hesitant flirting, I found myself completely sucked into this romance.

Kevin and Peter are complete opposites. One's rich, one's poor. One has a checkered past, the other is living a life of luxury. But both suffer in their own way in this powerful tale of abuse, first times, and more.

My first read from this author, I am blown away by it's brilliance. The writing is superb, but the story and it's message are phenomenal! This book is so much more than I could have ever expected. The author brilliantly separates the book into Acts and Scenes, like the play they are preforming in the book. This completely reinforces the different sections of the book, as they are many, in a way that is clever and effective.

As for Kevin's acting performance, it's so damn well explored. The fact that he can fall into the role, instead of acting a role, is perfectly illustrated. Taken to the extreme, it's both a fascinating and poignant part of Kevin.

And as for the play they're performing, The Importance of Being Ernest, it couldn't have been a better parallel to Kevin's life. Not a fan of the classics myself, this is a magnificent move by the author.

The author expertly explores the economic divide between the rich and the poor. Not just the monetary differences, but also the power divide. Kevin's from the wrong side of the tracks and struggles for every penny. Peter meanwhile, is from the wealthiest of families, with the power and money to do whatever they want.

Although a young adult novel, the themes are heavy. Yes, it dramatically explores the issues of good versus evil, abuse, first times, homophobia, drugs, and privilege. There are some tough triggers as well, with rape being the toughest read. Their story expertly delves into the troubles of being a closeted teen, troubles with being susceptible to losing everything in an instant, and the sacrifices one makes for love. It's a tough read with the emotional and physical pain that comes from abuse.

This is a tale of anger; both the pitfalls of giving into anger, and the continual cycle of anger causing harm. It's a story of homophobia and Peter's struggle to be gay in an affluent, homophobic family. Their story if one full of fear. It's a story of forgiveness, of allowing oneself to get out from the burden of guilt. And it's an exceptional exploration of good versus evil. I cannot recommend it enough.

And damn, it's full of twists and turns I never saw coming. (I love not reading the blurb before starting a book.)

The Importance of Being Kevin is a accomplished and impressive book with a poignant lesson. It's a phenomenal story, one that leaves me a better person for having read it. I highly recommend this story when you're in the mood for something deep. Not a light read, definitely check it out when you're looking for something special. You will not be disappointed.

I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of the classic literature – such as Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde, so I didn’t choose this book for my love of the play this story is named after. However, Steven Harper provided me with an education in theatre, as well as Wilde’s play while reading The Importance of Being Kevin.

Kevin is from the wrong side of town. His life is rough after his Mother runs off when his Father gets out of prison. Kevin gets himself in trouble and needs an activity or job to keep him out of “juvie”.

Peter seemingly has it all. Money, popularity, a successful family – and the inheritance of the family business in his future. But he can’t have love if it means being with a man.

When Peter and Kevin meet at the local teen theatre group for the production of “The Importance of Being Earnest”, their differences don’t matter. A bit of courage, some opportunity and more than a little chemistry make a connection happen very quickly. That is until the world shows its nasty side…

This book is thrilling, surprising and highly engaging. It certainly has its darker elements (please note the tags and warnings) but the mystery and suspense are balanced nicely by the sweet relationship which blooms on the page.

The Importance of Being Kevin by Steven Harper is a gasp-worthy page-turner that you won’t want to put down!