“Before You Can Fly” by Jase Peeples

Before You Can Fly

Jase Peeples
Evernight Teen (2026)
ISBN: 978-0369513687
Reviewed by Sarah Osman for Reader Views (2026)

Jase Peeples’s Before You Can Fly takes us back to 1980s suburbia, where 15-year-old Clayton Wheeler is a delightful nerd who happens to be gay. He’s mercilessly teased by the football players at his school (aka the zombies, as his friend Roonie refers to them) and bullied by his homophobic stepfather. He escapes reality through the comic books he reads (and writes) with his two best friends. But when his childhood friend, Derek, comes back to town, Clayton’s life is turned upside down. Derek is everything Clayton’s not: Derek’s cool, a jock, confident…and the two share an undeniable connection.

But that connection leads to a secret Clayton must hide…or will he finally learn to fly?

One of my favorite aspects of Before You Can Fly is its believable and relatable LGBTQ+ characters. Clayton’s voice sounds like an actual 15-year-old’s (albeit not an obnoxious one), and his view of the world through superhero lenses is a more unique take on the coming-out experience. Derek doesn’t feel like a stereotype; instead, he defies them by being good at sports and video games, and he’s a generally chill guy who just happens to like guys. None of the characters are defined by what would, in a far worse novel, be their sole trait, like being gay, mixed race, or having vitiligo. These aspects are just part of who they are; it’s not their sole personality.

On the other hand, the villains actually feel more one-note. We’ve sadly seen Clayton’s stepfather in real life and in media many times over, which makes the character unfortunately realistic while also a little dull. The same goes for the football buffoons who make Clayton’s life hell. I did not go to a high school where jocks ruled (mine was quite the opposite), so I’m not sure how much the bullying jock trope is true to real life. While Clayton did have my sympathy, the jocks did feel stale. Perhaps they were more common in the 1980s when Before You Can Fly takes place.

Speaking of the 80s, Peeples fully immerses us in this neon world. The references to 80s songs, fashion, and video games are blended well with the harsher realities of the era, like the AIDS Crisis and the Reagan economy. I’m not sure how well Before You Can Fly would work if it were set today, since there are so many specifics tied to the tubular time period, which, in my opinion, is the mark of a strong setting and worthwhile story.

That’s not to say that Before You Can Fly isn’t timely. While AIDS isn’t as much of a misunderstood global epidemic, homophobia and transphobia still are. LGBTQ+ youth are still far more likely to be kicked out of their homes due to parents like Clayton’s stepfather and to experience bullying. At the same time, the butterflies of young love are still as sweet and awkward as ever. If only we could get to a time when everyone can fly freely, regardless of whom they love.