travlbug

Lovely high school exploration story. The Japanese setting was fascinating, as this story could not have occurred in the U.S.

So far, Brody appears to be a good boyfriend for Jordan, but so did Noah (until he didn't!). While Jordan may be content with Brody (even though Noah tastes better!), something may still happen to derail that relationship. Alternatively, if Jordan falls for Noah again (and God doesn't intervene 🤗), he may face a very hard choice with dramatic consequences. That said, I love the characters and the writing both, and I have no doubt that the story's conclusion will leave me happy. (Right, Ethan? Where are those curlers.... 😂)

Oh, forgot to mention, when you hit a stone just right, you get a spark! (Yay for the Boy Scouts!) Of course, it usually takes hitting two stones together to get a spark...or am I overthinking? 🤔

Yay! Another great story already. But are you sure we're not still in Wonderland--possibly at a pornograhic tea party? (I felt like Aidan's sparkplugs were misfiring on seeing Heath's bar! ) Can't wait to see the myriad ways that Heath intends to yank on Aidan's chain (amongst other things 😏), while Aidan tries to resist the Health God's charms and write NDAs for his other conquests at the same time!

I love that, while his mother tries to humiliate Shaun at work, there are others who support him and provide him with an objective view of what he does for the company. Perhaps he has some friends after all. I also love that, with his growing self confidence at work, he is finally feeling independent enough to find his own place. And if the first thing he does in his new home is watch gay porn, then more power to him: He never could have done it in his mother's place, and for Shaun, watching porn is his equivalent of waving a flag of independence! Ah, the fledgling is learning to fly! From watching porn, he graduates to sex apps (possibly dating apps?), and he learns the hard way about the Paul's of the world. Of course, that shouldn't prevent him from persevering, as you never know when Mr. Right will make his app-earance!

Shaun's life is a sad one: He lives with chronic pain. He depends on his mother for his job, and he even lives with his mother, so his independence is curtailed (even more so than his pain would suggest). His mother considers him a second-rate son, and he has no relationship with his brother, partially because of the years that separate them and partially because Shaun has learned to hate what his brother represents. Does Shaun even have any friends? Not likely, as he vacations in Scarborough literally to get away from everyone he knows. Thoreau said that "most men lead lives of quiet desperation," and he could have been talking about Shaun. Of course, Shaun is on vacation, and you never know when something might happen to change your life....

The father has never given Jordan the time of day, yet Jordan is devastated. "And I’ll never get the opportunity to make it right": Jordan's observation makes clear that the true horror of death lies in the missed, or lost, opportunities which result. Had his father lived, Jordan still, most likely, could never have made it "right," but death has stolen his hope. In juxtaposition, Noah's father has reached out to his son, and the opportunity for reconciliation--the perpetuation of the father/son bond (and the love it represents)--is Noah's for the taking. (The mom may never come around, but in declaring her son "dead," she misses so many opportunities for her own happiness.) "Where there's life, there's hope": Jordan's father may be gone, but Noah's waiting on his doorstep.... 😊

If Anyas had wanted to capture our heroes, he already had the capability to do it and did not need to treat with them under the security of the masking program. He is being honest with them--likely to a point--but he still may have his own hidden agenda.

"At some point in time we fall back onto the sofa...." Aw, what happened to the coach...uh, the couch...um, the Chesterfield? (Poor Basil.) 😉

Crazy glue? Duct tape? @Ethan has just used an act of God to prevent sex between Jordan and Brody! And if God is against them getting together.... 😏

"Soon my lips are on his chest, tasting his savoury skin." "I’ll make this up to you. I promise....” Poor Brody: All he got was a lick and a promise--literally! 😉

Uh, that went well.... (At least, as well as could be expected. 🤗) The twins and Drew are talking to each other and, just as important, they're listening to each other. A "scar" performance! (Sorry, couldn't help myself. 😊)

"My mom is hysterical. 'What are our friends and our family going to say? We won’t be able to show our faces anywhere anymore!'” Really? For Noah's mom, the problem isn't even completely religious: She actually twists the situation so that it's all about her--she's more worried about appearances--how she'll be perceived for having a gay son--than she is for her gay son's welfare! (And THAT makes her ugly indeed.)

“I put the picture on my desk.” “By accident or on purpose?” “On purpose. I just couldn’t do it anymore." Hercule Poirot foregoes the nitroglycerin bottle, and Noah plants a picture for his mother to find (or not): Both may be leaving the outcome up to God, but it doesn't take a Belgian detective to discern what will actually happen in either case. I'm glad that Noah finally forced the issue, but in typical Noah fashion (at least as far as his being gay is concerned), he did it the most passive way possible. "To thine own self be true": Even if Noah loses Jordan, he's still better off than living a lie for sperm and egg donors who couldn't give a (insert swear word here) about their exemplary son just because he's gay (they don't deserve him). Sadly, Noah's learned his lesson a bit too late, but he still has a life to lead which will be all the richer for living it in truth.

That Loz's dad was able to turn on a dime from apparent homophobe to accepting parent shows that the homophobia was not actually internalized--that it was more for show, probably because of what he has heard from others all his life. Regardless, his perceived homophobia has done untold damage to Loz, demonstrating the harm a parent can inflict on a child, even unwittingly. By the same token, the father's love and support---always there below the surface--will be vital to Loz's rehabilitation and ability for self forgiveness and self acceptance going forward.

I was also struck by the emphasis Elijah gave to the art of story telling vs a simple discussion of plot. Hear! Hear!

I love this big-hearted story! It gave me the warm fuzzies, as it involves nice people—no bullies—and their interactions as a self-created family. The boys all like each other (and one loves another!), and all the teasing is in good fun. This story proves that great writing does not require conflict (good vs bad—not even a grinch) to tell a tale: Rather, a touch of mystery and the wish for a happy ending for Elijah and his secret admirer drive the story to its fulfilling conclusion. Elijah’s goofy grin on receiving the first love note sets the lighthearted tone, and I love how the boys are actually interested in helping Elijah figure out his secret admirer. No condemnation of homosexuality at this school, or perhaps the boys have simply bonded to the point where the sexuality is irrelevant. I also love how Elijah “forgets” his straight persona as he becomes more excited with each poem and picture. As in other of the Glittering One’s stories, I love the inclusiveness, with a cast made up of Asians (even specifically a Vietnamese Asian and an Indian Asian), a Jew, an aboriginal Australian, Caucasian Australians, and a possible transplant from Sweden (did I miss anybody?). So the big question: Will Tiger convert for Elijah! The rhyming love notes are clever, but I agree with Elijah: The secret admirer is a better artist than a poet. While each verse has the same number of syllables, the lines don’t scan. Even so, the sentiment in each is clearly heartfelt, and the secret code embedded in the poems is a hoot! (Shakespeare may have written in iambic pentameter, but even he didn’t employ a secret code!) I realize that this story is a stand-alone (sigh), but the joy in it has really made my day. (I'm sitting in my office as we speak doing tons of paperwork). Thanks for providing an angst-free zone to let me play a bit of hooky!

GOOD! I'm GLAD that Noah's parents found the Valentine's day picture! The truth finally has a chance to come out (even if Noah doesn't want to come out); and I agree with @ColumbusGuy that Noah would never reveal the truth without it being dragged out of him. That said, the parents can't be oblivious to Noah's rapid decompensation, and they are probably worried sick about him: They may even have had the time to realize that a gay son is better than a dead son, regardless of mom's thoughtless utterance in an earlier chapter. In fact, their discovery of the picture may have literally saved Noah's life: Regardless of their ultimate decision to accept or reject him, he will now be free of the parents' expectations and can live as he sees fit.

Now that's true love! (Maybe a wedding dress? )

A lovely interlude (but Drew still won't promise to wear a dress!). Of course it's not going "to be alright now ": I'd be disappointed if it were. That said, I can't wait to see our intrepid trio face the world!

Hey, no violence here. Just the offer of a new hair style!

Interesting that Byron calls his father-in-law "Mr. Tate" rather than "Dad" or Enderson," as their relationship has clearly been kept formal. Also, I feel sad for Michael if Byron can be bought so easily. Enderson comes across as slimy, as we know his real agenda. (Just remember, Mr. Tate: If you can take over your clone, the clone may be able to take you over as well! We're only in chapter 2, and I already can't wait for your comeuppance!)

Noah, you're a git. Please hold still while I bitch-slap you for several minutes. And about those curlers I just put into your hair? They have nothing to do with electroconvulsive therapy. Just trust me.... And Ethan, consider this my formal request to double the length of your chapters. If not, would you like to try on some curlers....

For what it's worth, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down life imprisonment without parole for minors (through a series of rulings from 2010-2016), and the prison system has been scrambling to recalculate sentences and provide new parole hearings. The big problem: These kids were considered "throw-aways" and, with the expectation that they'd never be released, were never provided with a proper education or any knowledge of how to negotiate their way through adult society. Now, classes are being cobbled together to provide an orientation to society before prison discharge, but it's likely to be too little too late, and no one really knows what will happen when these folks hit the streets. 😥

Thank you for your explanation. Please understand that I am not defending the U.S. system, which is frequently more punative than reformatory (the U.S. is the world's biggest jailer on a per capita basis 😔), but I wanted to make clear what the U.S. readership might be expecting and to ask what I should be expecting based on the laws and social net from across the pond. Your explanation fills in the blanks, and now I can rest easy, knowing that Loz will indeed receive the help he requires. 😊