G. H
PhillipsReviews
Metes and Bounds
by Jay Quinn
Paperback: 199 pages, $17.95Southern Tier Editions Harrington Park Press; (August 1, 2001)
ISBN 1-56023-185-8 (soft)
When I started reading this novel, I felt as though I'd not get through it. That all changed after the close of the first night of reading. This very tenderly written novel was rather hard to put down.
There are four main characters: Matt (the main character), Tiger (his adoptive cousin), his lover, Mark, and his friend Jeep—Matt's friend and later on, much-better friend.
Matt realizes he is gay, and I'd say, so does his father. His father opts to send him to spend the summer at Tiger's house on the beach. He learns many things in this summer, from surveying, to surfing, to loving, some of which is on the rougher side.
In a darker side of the story, Matt gets himself involved with a rather nasty relationship with a sick individual, a married man, who likes the occasional company of men, but treats them rather roughly. Tiger basically lays it on the line and Matt divorces himself of the situation. Tiger and Mark are very supportive of him.
There are many touching parts to this story. His friendship with his buddy Jeep has gone on for many years and even though he will wind up in a very highly rated college on a football scholarship, in a straight, testosterone-filled atmosphere, he has a loving relationship with Matt. Tiger and Mark approve of this and welcome Jeep into Matt's life, and their family.
I feel the characters are very well put together and from the description, Jeep sounds even more very well put together…oh my…
I think there was a true feel of what Matt actually had to endure growing up gay in the Bible belt south. I think Jay has done a very good job on this novel and I will look forward to reading more of his work.
The story flows nicely; the parts that need to be accurately told are, in fact, done so well they tickle the senses. There is an intimacy to the story that at times I felt was simply beautiful. I think Jay has done a wonderful job on this novel, and I can only hope he does a sequel, as I would love to know how Jeep and Matt are getting on.