Kyle Thomas Smith

Torchwood heartthrob John Barrowman said in a recent interview with the UK’s Daily Telegraph, "America has the most gay characters on television in any country but what I don't agree with is that a lot of them are all stereotypes."

Truer words were never spoken.

If one were to rely solely on images presented by the mainstream US media, it would seem that there’s only one type of gay male - an effete, well-manicured, sarcastic fashionista who is equally well-versed in Broadway showtunes as he is in the films of Hollywood’s golden age. But, y’know, the world is a pretty big place and I suspect there are a lot more colors in the rainbow flag than just shocking pink.

And that’s where 85A, Kyle Thomas Smith’s fantastic novel with its irrepressible protagonist Seamus O’Grady, comes in.

This is a whirlwind of a book about a disaffected young punk riding the bus one wintry day in Chicago ruminating on his miserable existence and making big plans for his future. Seamus is no stereotype. It’s 1989 and, forget Judy Garland, he worships at the altar of Johnny Rotten and hopes to be a playwright in London as soon as he’s old enough to strike out on his own. His only two social contacts are his best friend Tressa, a tough and sexy bi-racial girl equally at home listening to Mozart or Social Distortion and his "therapist" Dr. Strykeroth a creepy middle aged man with whom he maintains a rather disturbing relationship.

While it would be easy to compare this to Catcher in the Rye, because certainly there are similarities in structure and tone, Seamus is very different than Holden Caulfied in that his problems are more serious than merely a fear of growing up. And while those problems cover the typical catalogue of woes that plague teens in every other LGBT coming of age story - homophobic bullies, unsympathetic teachers and religious zealot parents, the character himself is totally unique.

The language is gritty and realistic. Smith perfectly captures the rambling, rude voice of an adolescent punk. And you don’t have to be gay to relate to this character, by any means. Anyone who was a misfit in high school should be able to see themselves in his desperate desire to reinvent himself with a cool new persona. I found myself cringing with recognition when Seamus feigns a cockney accent to impress his big crush only to be met with derision and mockery by the boy’s friends. Very funny, but just a little bit heartbreaking. Like so much of youth.

I only have a couple of issues with what is otherwise a wonderful book. As with many other LGBT novels, I found the antagonists were portrayed with too heavy a hand. Seamus’s parents, for instance, might have been more effective if the characterizations were a bit more subtle and less clichéd. And a lengthy tract addressing how arts education might encourage marginal students to take more of an interest in their studies, sounded less like a fifteen year old reprobate and more like the author sharing his opinions. But, all in all, this is a refreshingly different novel from a talented writer who I intend to keep my eyes on.… (más)

I'll start by saying this is not my typical genre and the often profanity-laden dialogue was a bit jarring at first. But it wasn't long before I became engrossed in the thoughts and actions of the main character, Seamus O'Grady. Seamus is a loner often lamenting his past efforts (and failures) at making friend, or dreaming of a new life across the pond, in London. The only exception is his best friend, Tressa. Yep I immediately felt a bond with him; I began to care about his dreams and wince at the ongoing verbal and physical assaults he experiences while attempting to live his life on his own terms, as an individual. His life is a startling look back to the teenage years, making it's easy to relate to his frustrations and actions no matter how far beyond those earlier years you are presently. Ultimately, I judge a book by how much I missed each visit to read a few more page and how deeply the story and characters stick in my memory once I've turned the last page. I miss Seamus!… (más)