These Things Happen
A domestic story told in numerous original and endearing voices. The story opens with Wesley, a tenth grader, and involves his two sets of parents (the mom and her second husband, a very thoughtful doctor; and the father who has become a major gay lawyer/activist and his fabulous “significant other” who owns a restaurant).
Wesley is a fabulous kid, whose equally fabulous best friend Theo has just won a big school election and simultaneously surprises everyone in his life by announcing that he is gay. No one is more surprised than Wesley, who actually lives temporarily with his gay father and partner, so that he can get to know his rather elusive dad. When a dramatic and unexpected trauma befalls the boys in school, all the parents converge noisily in love and well-meaning support. But through it all, each character ultimately is made to face certain challenges and assumptions within his/her own life, and the playing out of their respective life priorities and decisions is what makes this novel so endearing and so special.
Surprise!
In These Things Happen, the coming out of Theo happens in what many would hope is the new norm for our society. He isn’t particularly tortured out about his sexual orientation, but he’s at an age where he wants to claim that part of his identity. The student populace who have just voted Theo in as class president, while surprised, doesn’t seem particularly put off. And his best friend, Wes, who managed his campaign and appears to have been completely in the dark about his friend’s former secret, rolls with it with aplomb.
However…what starts off as a nearly modern age Hallmark version of a come-out, starts to expose cracks in the interiors of many of the people Theo knows and loves.
A Character Driven Story
This story is told from 8 points of view and for some reason had me thinking a lot about As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. Perhaps it’s the way these characters are laid bare by the inner most thoughts or the way, no matter what their intentions, they seem to be barreling toward finding out not so pleasant things about themselves. Regardless, despite the number of narrators, the story still felt intimate. I found the characters each to be fascinating in their own rights, as if Mr. Kramer was presenting the reader with a series of beautiful, uniquely shaped glass figurines and asking the question, “So what do you think about that?”
The varied characters were woven together skillfully, having their stories dove-tail one into the other in a lovely portrait of a modern age extended family dealing with their own baggage.
The Incident and The Aftermath
Bewitched Rating
Bottom Line
Latest posts by Pushy (see all)
- Pre-Squee about… Icebreaker by Lian Tanner – The Hidden Series - April 8, 2015
- The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - February 19, 2015
- Guardian by Alex London - February 12, 2015
This doesn’t really sound like my kind of book, but I like the idea that the story starts off as rather superficial with cardboard characters and then turns into something more. It’s nice to have a story that has some substance to it.
Alison (AlisonCanRead) recently posted..Manga Mondays #131: Skip Beat vol. 28 by Yoshiki Nakamura
Reply »
Eight points of view? Whew! That’s quite a balancing act the author put on, especially since you liked it. I’m not sure it’s a book for me but I know a couple of people I’d recommend it to, definitely.
Mary @ BookSwarm recently posted..Decorating for the holidays
Reply »
Wow, it must be a feat to tackle eight points of view and do it good. The book definitely has me intrigued!
Sana @ artsy musings of a bibliophile
Sana @ artsy musings of a bibliophile recently posted..Review: Through to You by Emily Hainsworth
Reply »
Oh wow… this doesn’t sound like my normal kind of book but after that review I may have to pick this one up! I love it when you can really get to know the characters. Eight different points of view though.. whew!
Lovely review!!
Nova Reylin recently posted..Book Review: Betwixt by Melissa Pearl
Reply »
I do have to admit, the eight points of view do put me off ever so slightly (I can rarely cope with more than two) but this book definitely sounds like it is worth a shot. Brilliant review!
Sam @ Realm of Fiction recently posted..Review: Eternally Yours by Cate Tiernan
Reply »
“more feeling than angst and more introspection than drama.” – Exactly!
So glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks for being on the tour. I’m featuring your review on TLC’s Facebook page today.
Reply »