Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Will Grayson and will grayson both narrate their stories a little bit differently, but they both have some big things in common. Since these guys are seventeen-year-old boys, they talk like seventeen-year-old boys, complete with swearing and all kinds of casual pop culture references. They also both have wicked senses of humor. For example:
It is approximately across from the hallway mural in which a poorly painted version of our school mascot, Willie the Wildkit, says in a speech bubble, "Wildkits Respect EVERYONE," which is hilarious on at least fourteen different levels, the fourteenth being that there is no such thing as a wildkit. Willie the Wildkit looks approximately like a mountain lion, though, and while I am admittedly not an expert in zoology, I'm reasonably sure that mountain lions do not, in fact, respect everyone. (5.100)
That's Will talking, but it could totally be will, too—both are super funny. And neither of these kids is empty-headed; they're both really trying to make sense of a lot of important things. Will thinks through his feelings on love, for instance, while will comes to terms with his sexuality and his fears about opening up to other people. Sure this book is light and funny, but you won't finish it without the wheels turning in your own brain a little bit, too.