This is a collection of short stories which reads like a novella.
In the first tale, Kent meets Spencer when they are both kids in 1966. Spencer is the new boy in school and Kent is drawn to him. But Kent’s domineering sister, Suey, doesn’t like Spence because he stands up to her bullying.
Each story jumps many years as we revisit Kent and Spencer as teen lovers and loving adults. All the while, Kent’s grandmother, Miss Lee, continues to be a major influence in both their lives as she recognises their sexuality from the very start, and supports them all the way through.
This book has been developed over a very long time, and it shows.
Each self-contained story twists and turns, but none feel like they’re not part of a larger work. We easily pick up from where we left off with each story, even though time has passed in between.
I’ve read Jerry L. Wheeler’s work before and one thing I like about his writing is, although it has homespun American references, it feels universal. As a non-American reader, you never feel like an outsider looking in. A lot of it is familiar through decades of US screen culture, so you can easily picture a 1960s school yard, or the North American mountain Miss Lee lives on. This is not always the case with American novels.
Besides the ongoing story of a gay couple, there is another theme which links these stories. It will become evident as you read and has a lot to do with the way Kent processes a fact of life we all deal with.
Five stars.
kevin klehr 