Review: Don't know what to think.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 02 5, 2013
I'm a bit frustrated. I feel this story is missing something all over, but I don't know exactly why. So, you'll get a bullet review, sorry.- Best friends reunited:GOOD: the theme in itself was interesting and one of my favorites. I like reunited everything in a plot because I like to see what remained the same and what changed. It really hooked me and kept my curiosity, but:NOT GOOD: Kellan basically abandoned his best friends to the bullying when they were in high school and never defended him. I get Nate's anger, but I don't think they really discussed this point, I don't think Kellan was really sorry and grovelled enough, I don't think Nate's forgiveness was convincing. It was such an important point, and both characters made it about themselves instead of the other one as I think it would be required to solve that issue in a satisfying way. Also, Nate said that Kellan outed him, but it was left there, I didn't really understand the hows and whys, and I was sure it was a thing that would require, again, from Kellan to say he was sorry.- Revenge plot:GOOD: what happened to Nate's family and he's desire to make Kellan's father pay gave Nate's character an interesting edge, something dark in a very pale personality. Kellan gives him the means to take his revenge in exchange for playing his boyfriend, because Kellan is trying to punish his homophobic father in some way, but:NOT GOOD: I didn't really get the point of Kellan's scheme. Why is that the right button to push to get back to his father? I felt that all the point that justified the plot were clutches to justify the way the story was supposed to go. The guys need a reason to get close, so a straight character like Kellan needs a reason to get close to his gay best friend Nate, therefore: homophobic father. Nate needs a reason to agree to the scheme, which is a bit too sleazy, therefore: Kellan's father screwing Nate's dad's career in the past. Nate writes a column of advice to people, so how could he expose Kellan's father business intrigue? Therefore: Nate also writes a column about the evils of bad business. Can you see what I'm trying to tell: it was all ok and coherent and justified, but it seemed too plotted.- Characters:GOOD: I like when an author writes flawed, almost unlikable characters, I like to play the game of being convinced to like them and end up caring for them. Kellan has never really worked in his life and now he's desperate because his dad took everything away from him. He's 28, I think, so I have to ask myself if I want to feel sorry for him. No, of course. But there's this suggested, constant comparison with his dead brother, and I could feel sympathy for him. But:NOT GOOD: Kellan never really stopped being selfish and self-absorbed, pushy and careless. He shows a drop of decency choosing a job in music therapy, but it seemed he could be nice to everybody, but he took Nate too much for granted, it all seemed a game, never really thinking of Nate's feelings, if he was behaving in a way he would hurt Nate.GOOD: as I said in the beginning, Nate doesn't seem so interesting, he constantly seems to stand on his soapbox. All his psychological babbling was funny. His toppy attitude was also funny, because it was in contrast to his apparently unremarkable persona. The revenge made a not so nice guy out of him, but:NOT GOOD: He never really pulled Kellan in or away. He was always a bit too passive. It was interesting that the author didn't make him a man who suddenly find the fight in him, but the issue of running away was something that wasn't really handled. I don't think there was a moment when Nate consciously decided not to run away, and I needed to see this to respect him.The relationship:GOOD: mmmmh, I don't know.NOT GOOD: I didn't see the moment when the scheme turned into something else, into a deeper feeling. I didn't see the friendship return and something else taking the place of it. There was more in a set of unguarded pictures than in the actual story. It was as if the problem of having the two guys engage in sex took the place of developing their feelings. Sex can be an effective way to show a relationship progress, the guys communicate through it, but I didn't feel it here. Kellan and Nate were always wrapped in their own little bubbles. Their need didn't become desire. There wasn't a sparkle of warmth.ABSOLUTELY GOOD: the writing. Eli, a character who can show strength and weak spots at the same time, bright and mysterious at the same time.So, I think I can't rate this, but I'd still recommend it.