Reviews

The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley

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haleylinn's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

nightstitch96's review

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emotional reflective slow-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

3.5

Content Warnings

kimmyp's review

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3.0

There were parts of this story that I liked, but there were also quite a bit that I didn’t. This story takes place in the 70s, so I understand that it was a different time, but I didn’t like the way Ben treated Ronnie and the names he called him. He was in a difficult position being a football player and coming to terms with his sexuality in that environment and time and he was losing his mom, but he was callous with Ronnie’s feelings. And he had a major anger problem that I didn’t like. But, he was also the one who was more resolute in showing his feelings and keeping Ronnie close. I did enjoy the connection they made as their relationship progressed where they talked to each other and leaned on the other. I enjoyed the pining and I understand that Ben needed a break because he didn’t know how to deal with the loss of his mom. I guess it didn’t pack as much of an emotional punch as I was expecting and hoping for, even with all of the dark topics. It didn’t land for me.

lovehaunts's review

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challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

pnwbibliophile's review

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Holy hell this book knocked my socks off. Jim Grimsley beautifully captures the feel of North Carolina and being gay in the 1970s. I felt immersed in the world and in the life of a UNC student in such a nostalgic way. It was as if I’d already lived this life. A few aspects of this elevated the writing and made it resonate with me deeply—the dialogue, the author’s ability to capture male relationships, and the way grief and consolation was braided into the relationship.

The way these characters spoke felt so familiar, possibly because NC isn’t too different from where I grew up in WV. Mrs. Dee and the parents all spoke like people where I grew up and there was something about that that felt like a warm hug. Ben talked like my best friend growing up. In that way, Grimsely was able to weave in place not just by describing the setting, but through colloquial dialogue authentic to the setting.

The central relationship in the story is toxic at times yet somehow still manages to be tender and touching. The tender moments between Ronny and Ben were in the short sentences they’d say to each other to reveal their feelings. This is exactly how many men talk and open up to each other when they grew up in areas where masculine heteronormative traits are held up (most of America). It’s exactly how these two characters would have spoken to each other had they been real people.

Then there was the touching aspect of how their relationship played out amidst loss. It gave the novel much more of a literary, timeless feel than I’d been expecting (in a good way). This is the first book I’ve ever read where I felt like it captured the essence of what being gay felt like in the town where I grew up and at the college I went to. I think a lot of rural and/or southern gay boys will connect deeply to this as I did. Finally, do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook. Michael Crouch, the narrator, is one of my favorites. He is so skilled at capturing emotion in an understated way.