Reviews

Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley

dlberglund's review

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3.0

I agree that this is a very well written love story that moved me. I only hesitate to really rave about it because of my prudish side: being pulled into such shame, fear and abuse kind of freaked me out.

pjv1013's review against another edition

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3.0

Da história de uma descoberta amorosa entre dois adolescentes, do abuso sexual no âmbito da família, da violação, violência e assassinato. Destas dores nos fala este livro.

Algures no sul rural dos EUA dois jovens, Nathan e Roy partilham a mesma escolha e a vizinhança. O tempo e o desejo acabam por os aproximar e os mesmos se envolvem numa relação amorosa. Mas um conjunto de detalhes adensam a trama indiciando uma possível situação de abuso sexual no seio de uma das suas famílias, de que um deles teria sido alvo.
Num processo de leitura em crescente de intensidade o autor coloca os dois amorosos jovens num acampamento com outros adolescentes. E na exploração dos territórios, algo macabros, da floresta onde acampam a relação amorosa e sexual de Nathan e Roy é descoberta e, num fulgor de violência o mais jovem é frágil, Nathan, é violado, violentado e assassinado.

Jim Grimsley escreve de um modo magistral, intenso e dramático esta história de dor que me prendeu sobre maneira. É uma obra que pensava ligeira mas que me prendeu e que demonstrou uma vez mais a importância de que a literatura fale de nós. Sim é essencial que a literatura fale de nós, das pessoas LGBTI, é essencial nos sentirmos representados. É essencial que as estórias dos livros contém as nossas estórias.

E de repente este livro recordou-me da violência que tantos jovens LGBTI são alvo um pouco por todo o mundo. Fez-me recordar de Mathew Shepherd torturado e assassinado, em 1998, na cidade de Laramie no estado do Wyoming.

Essa memória é essencial para a criação de modelos positivos para a população LGBTI. Temos que ser capazes de falar de nós, da nossa história, daquilo que nos é essencial, dos nossos amores.

E aí, a literatura tem um papel fundamental ao criar objectos de fruição cultural - livros - que ao mesmo tempo nos ensinam, promovem o debate e criam a memória e o lastro da lembrança em tempos futuros.

E isso este livro faz muito bem.

earth2chad's review

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4.0

This book sucked me in. I'm not sure whether it was the writing style, the characters, or the setting, but something about it made it impossible to put down. The overwhelming sense of dread that filled me as I got deeper into the story had me hooked. Everything is told so vaguely, yet with such detail; it's quite hard to explain. It is not a novel I will soon forget, and I may have to re-read the last few chapters due to the dazed state I was put in after the climax. This novel, literally, left me breathless. I don't mean that in a positive way, but I also don't mean it in a way that should deter you from reading it for yourself. It is beautiful in a way that is also disturbing...read it!

prettyperiwinkle's review

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4.0

oh my god
wait
im so confused
i have so many emotions

ktkate's review

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5


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liszt91's review against another edition

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dark sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

yetilibrary's review against another edition

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5.0

Haunting, harsh, sublime, brutal, beautiful. Dream Boy isn't for everyone, but it has stayed with me since I read it and kept me thinking. I've never read a book like this, before or since.

embarcaderosky's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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mjielah's review

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1.0

Well, I hated it. Especially the ending. Big no from me.

wickedwitchofthewords's review

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1.0

Honest to God, this book didn’t work for me.
In any way.
It mostly made me tired.
From the beginning of the novel things were clear... by the end it was just weird... the characters were unlikeable, every single one of them. Weird relationships all around. I wouldn’t call that “love” either. Abusive relationship is as far as I’d go.
I mean, seriously, it did not work.