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srosen930's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
2.75
This book focused more on flowery language than the actual substance of a story. That took away how I enjoyed reading it.
It was a good anchor point on how gay men were treated about 30 years ago, and how much of the mentality has changed. However, a lot of the issues in the book revolves around Pauls shame and attempts to deny his sexuality. It’s not a representative story, but one that is still worth learning about.
Paul writes with a lot of anger inside and it shows through his descriptions and stories.
It was a good anchor point on how gay men were treated about 30 years ago, and how much of the mentality has changed. However, a lot of the issues in the book revolves around Pauls shame and attempts to deny his sexuality. It’s not a representative story, but one that is still worth learning about.
Paul writes with a lot of anger inside and it shows through his descriptions and stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
demogakidis's review against another edition
4.0
A lot of beautiful passages but felt incredibly rushed in the end
michaelkerr's review
3.0
A memoir about the debilitating and toxic effects of the closet, and about the process of coming out. It's a worthwhile read, honest and full of pain, but far too much time is spent on neurotic intellectualizing with very little (almost no time) spent on the healthy possibilities once the closet is abandoned. It's very much a book of it's time, reflective of a world long gone, before AIDS and before possibilities like gay marriage; however, I can't say the narrative has a lot for a more modern sensibility.
michaelpadden's review
4.0
I loved this book. It's a memoir about Monette's time in the closet. Monette reminds the reader throughout the book that his memory of that time is unreliable, the things he was telling himself about himself at that time weren't honest. But, the feelings he had around being gay at that time are vivid and truthful and that's what I found compelling about the book. His life was somewhat privileged having attended Prep school and then gone on to Yale, but I could still see myself in his experiences. I more than just enjoyed this book. I found it helpful.
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