Jim Grimsley

This book is so unlike anything I've read before that after finishing it I really had to wait twenty four hours before writing my review. It tells the story of a teenage boy who seeks to find respite from his abusive family life in a relationship with a boy who lives next door. The book unselfconsciously passes through at least three genres in the process, meaning that the reader can never quite settle. It's not a challenging read, however, for two reasons. First, Jim Grimsley's prose is beautifully efficient; for pages on end he doesn't waste a word. Second, the characters, while also sparsely drawn, are human and relatable. As a reader I couldn't help but desperately want the best for the protagonist, Nathan, and hope that Roy could provide his redemption.

I'd highly recommend this unique little book and I'll be chasing up the rest of Jim Grimsley's work.… (mais)

3 3/4 stars

Now this is a romance well worth reading. It took a bit to get into the style of the author, but once I did, the story flowed wonderfully and I began to get into Ford and Dan as a couple.

I think a quote from the book will sum up my thoughts on this book

Yet, they slept peacefully, side by side, and the body of one became adjusted to the rhythm of the other, and the breathing of one slowed the breathing of the other, and they dream in tandem and shared fragments of each other's dreams, and they grew more like each other day by day, not in personality but in the fissures of the brain, because, seeing the same things every day, day after day, they laid down crevices in themselves that were the same shape, that were the same events written into memory, and this was enough ... (pg.s 207-208)

It's a slow romance, full of doubts and discomfort on both sides. Ford isn't sure of his footing in this new world, does not even like to have the word "gay" used to describe him, yet, he knows deep down that he's the happiest he's ever been with Dan. In the face of his parents' doubts and anger at his going against the family tradition of marrying when told to, he finds he has to center himself and work his way to a point that he can face them and say "this is my life".

Dan, too, has his problems. He's a hemophiliac and it HIV positive, a combination which, at first, causes Ford some qualms. A childhood of poverty and hardship has left Dan with hard ideas about how much money he spends and he's fiercely independent. Yet, when the time comes, Ford proves to be just what Dan needs, to be able to help him with his illness and take care of him when Dan is too impaired to deal with things on his own.

Lovely romance.

Theme song for this book: More Than Words by Extreme.… (mais)

This is surprisingly good book. I was expecting something a bit fluffier, and instead found a very well written story. The plot is simple, a gate has formed between two worlds, one running on technology, the other on magic. And the world of technology sees the open spaces, and the backwards ways of the world of magic.

Jedda is a linguist, providing her services to merchants who trade across the gate. When she is asked to be the linguist with a delegation to see Malin, a mysterious leader of this world.

The plot of the book seems simple, but its incredibly nuanced. Between Jedda getting a taste of this world that is usually hidden from her people, to the culture of this world. This book is second in a serious, but you can read it without the first book. However, things aren't explained. Why something works isn't given, but enough detail is given so that a reader can pick up on whats happening.

The other thing is that this book is beautifully written. It has a fairy tale feel to it, while being grounded in a reality. The mystical is there, but as a background.

Highly recommended.… (mais)