Stephen (USA: MD) (2011/11/19):
Adolescence can be a tough time for anyone. For young men its a time for them to define their masculinity and come to terms with what it means to be a man. This struggle is at the heart of the angst over coming out that so many gay men go through. It's also at the heart of much of the gay-bashing and homophobia that goes on as well. This novel deals with those issues with the further complication of the young man's having been raped. The novel is from the point of view of the young man as he struggles to deal with an event that has very painfully separated his life into the before and the after. And yet by the end there is hope that with supportive friends and the help of profesionals he'll get his life back on track. We all love to hear stories of adversity overcome and we all have that attraction to drama that compells us to look at car wrecks even though we know we shouldn't. This novel has that appeal as well but it deals with these things in an ulimately positive manner. I would recommend this book to folks not only as an engrossing read but as an exercise in empathy and compassion.
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