Well I just spent my spare time for the last three days reading Underthehoodster's Perry and Jesse series. What a captivating story. The detail and the character development were simply excellent, and it was one of those stories that I just couldn't stop. There were a things about the story that just hit me as being wrong, or maybe even impossible. Upon analyzing these impressions, I kept returning to the overwhelming conclusion that the author is either a closet female, or writing from an incredibly feminine point of view.

First of all, there seemed to be considerable gender juxtaposition. For example, the key protagonist boys were largely passive, while the women were very aggressive. Notice how Perry is constantly following, not leading, and how Jesse maintains a totally defensive posture? Compare that to the women, like Clarissa, Jessica, Katy, Melissa, or Deanna, all of whom are very assertive, even domineering. The men, when they are assertive, tend to be violently so. Most men recognize that they live in a rough and tumble environment and expect that to a certain degree, whereas women find that, generally, to be insane, much as the author portrays it.

Then there is the crying. The guys in this story cry ALL THE TIME. WTF is that all about? Most 8th grade guys do not cry in public, and only in front of each other on rare occasions. It seems like every time you turn around these guys are having emotional breakdowns.

Next, Perry is a completely unbelievable character, IMHO. We are given the impression that he is a good friend, very handsome, to all outward appearannces a complete heterosexual, and a basketball star. His good looks are matched by a killer bod. Yet this guy is completely unable or unwilling to fend for himself. This makes no sense. Hell, he can't even handle Deanna, he has to wait for Jesse to bail him out. I am supposed to believe that a 14 year old guy, with broadening shoulders and good muscle tone, can't handle even some fat chick? He is the constant victim. Here's the rub. If this guy is as pretty as we are told, and as wimpy as he is portrayed, and as emotional as we see, I find it hard to figure out how he's going to be popular in middle school, much less pass as straight.

Finally, the male sexuality in this story is somewhat unbelievable. Why? These guys, or at least Perry, simply have too much physical control. There reactions are distinctly NOT male. Men think with their dicks, especially when aroused. Perry is bisexual, yet with his encounter with Jessica, he makes no move to take off her bra and play with her tits. Even if he was gay, and she was jacking him off, don't you think he'd want to at least explore? Even a wimp like him? Especially when he's hard as a rock and she's stroking his dick? In his encounters with Tom, with Gary, with Morgan, even though he is aroused and hard, his logic always overwhelms his sex drive. A 14 year old guy? I think not.

Further, these guys, in their sexual encounters, often keep their clothes on and just cum in their pants. Sometimes they even plan on it. I can see this once in a while, but it happens alot (Tom and Jesse both do this often). Guys that are exploring sexually, discovering each other's bodies, are clothed? Not buying it.

Change the parameters of the story and make Jesse and Perry, especially Perry, females, perhaps cheerleaders. Notice how much better his behaviour fits that mode. The "I'll do it even if I don't want to just to make you happy" sexual attitudes he displays, the "I need someone big and strong to protect me" mode, and the "I'm gonna cry again" emotional responses fit that model much better than a hot middle school male jock.