Review: Seven Days by Andrew Grey
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 25, 2011
I liked the idea at the base of this novel, to tell about 7 days in the life of a man, but not 7 consecutive days, but more 7 days which changed his life. Maybe I will not comment on the realism of the story, a single gay man who is allowed to adopt a 4 years old beautiful boy without no issue at all if not, rightly, missing his parents recently passed away. In Italy that would be impossible, legally impossible, and sincerely I think that also in the United States, even if the law theoretically allows it, reality is another thing. But Andrew Grey has already accustomed us to his pink glasses perspective romances, with just that nasty touch of realism to make the story less sugary (in this case an abusive teacher), but in the end with plenty of love and happily ever after.The first day sees Evan, a 16 years old boy at the time, whoring himself on the street; he is orphaned and scared, and probably would have not lasted long if a priest, Father Valentine, wouldn't have helped him. That is the turn in his life that will change everything, not only in Evan's life, but also in the life of all the other people Evan will help after that. Again, it's a positive perspective in the possible evolution of the story, many kids are not so lucky as Evan, and even if they are given a chance, often they are not able to take it. True, where Father Val is a positive figure, a truly good man, in the catholic school where he will bring Evan, the boy will meet his opposite, an evil man who will take advantage of the kid. That is, as I said, the only real bad event in the story, but of course it's also the one with the biggest impact on Evan; and I also liked how the author chose to give "closure" to this part of Evan's life, if he was too "good" also in this case, it wouldn't have been right.Another point that I liked is that, while Evan met the love of his life, Clay, when he is still very young, they weren't immediately allowed to their happily ever after, on the contrary, that happily ever after is on standby for a whole long time, so long that I often wondered if it was in the future at all. In a way, it gave to Clay more realism as well. Clay was not a troubled kid like Evan, and so he didn't grow up ahead of his time; at 18 years old he is still a kid, and as such, he is influenced by many factors, in a positive and negative way. There are really no obstacles to his love for Evan, if not his own immaturity; and the solution to their troubles is simply for him to grow up.So probably the only complain that I have about this story is that no one was complaining at all for Evan and Clay to be gay and in love, not the priests at their school, not the social workers who need to decide if Evan can be a possible father, not even Clay's family... of course that is wonderful, and more than desirable, but how often it happens in today's world?