Review: Whistling in the Dark by Tamara Allen

[erastes]

Summary: Run, do not walk, to Lethe Press and buy this book.

I've read many reviews of WITD over the past couple of months, and I admit thinking that surely it can't be as good as people were saying. Even though the people saying it were mainly my peers. people from The Macaronis and Speak Its Name, people whose own writing and opinion I value highly.  I think that's because I'm the same about any review, be it a film or book or TV programme--I'll take reviews on board, but I'll generally watch or read it anyway.

I wasn't, therefore, expecting to be as impressed as I was.

Whistling in the Dark has a fairly simple premise, a young man from Kansas moves to New York.  In this we have a classic set-up for the "innocent abroad" except in this case, Sutton Albright isn't really quite as much of the innocent as he appears. He's a little too serious,  gay, just been expelled from school for an affair with a teacher and before that he had been serving in France in the first world war. Although ostensibly relatively undamaged on the outside,  he carries the darkness of war with him, buried deep. He's the son of a wealthy man, and his surname betrays this to all he meets, although he's penniless and doesn't talk about his past, immediate or otherwise.  Down to his last pennies, he lands a job at Ida's diner and tries to settle down.

Next door lives Jack Bailey, a careless ne'er do well, who has taken over his parents' novelty store and is struggling to start his own radio station to boot. With these two characters in place, the book could have progressed in a predictable manner, to be read and forgotten as many romances are but it does not do that.

Ms Allen herself calls this a "cuddly romance," and I have to disagree with her.  Yes--granted--on the surface that's one level. It works well as a romance, and the journey that the young men take has the necessary ups and downs along the way; but I can understand why Lethe grabbed this book with both hands, because it's SO much more than a "cuddly romance." Ms Allen does not shy from introducing a huge cast of characters: from Ida the grumpy suspicious diner owner, to the myriad homosexuals in various joints that Jack flits between--each one a distinct personality, to the neighbourhood thugs, attempting to claw their way up the social ladder and better themselves. There are a lot of issues dealt with in this book. Shell-shock, homophobia, the influenza epidemic, the beginning of Prohibition, the birth of commercial radio, the gay scene in 1920's New York...Just to mention a few.  However these are not overdone, they bend and shape the story and the characters, they do not break them and it in this that Ms Allen achieves a hugely realistic story of a world of Bright Young Things and wannabe BYTs that has gone forever.

I felt--and that may be because of the war theme, and the time period covered--the ghosts of Renault and Fitzgerald in this book, the dialogue is beautifully brittle, hiding much, saying little, even the love scenes are almost as repressed in private as they are in public.  The party scenes are delicious: jazz, champagne (always present, even if it means not eating) and tuxedos. I quite fell in love with Theo, Ox, and Woody, but you'll have to buy the book to meet all of them.

With this book, a further step has been taken. It might only be a small step--although if there is any justice in this world it should be bigger and this book should get the accolades and attention it deserves--but Ms Allen has proven without a doubt, that not only that women can write great gay romances, but great gay fiction.

Comments

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

so yes, bought it - guess what the FIRST book it reccomends is in the reccomendy section....

"Frost Fair"

I've heard it is a pretty good read

*grin*

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It ain't no WITD! :)

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

probably not. as it was written by some "erastes" personage.

Good night? I hit 35k on DRM :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Excellent, well done!!

[lusiology.livejournal.com]

The first thing in its favour is that the book doesn't have one of those god awful picturs of 2 'pumped' men on the cover that gay romances seem to favour.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I am seeing a sea-change - gradual though it is - with covers, particularly historic covers. Some publishers seem to be taking on board that two naked men don't say anything about the book and what it's about and it's about time this message got through. Part of the problem is what gehayi said in my RWA post of yesterday is that, to many people's minds, gay fiction=sex I'm afraid. What I've done with my publishers is to point them at the huge online discussions about covers, to show them what people are saying, what people say they want.

[lusiology.livejournal.com]

It must be so frustrating for an author to have to compromise on the cover design.

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

YES!

[lusiology.livejournal.com]

Indeed!

:)

[storm-grant.livejournal.com]

I had my own cover done for exactly that reason. (See icon.) The naked torso thing is only going to lead to false expectations and disappointment for a novel that isn't heavily sexed up.

And I adored Whistling in the Dark. Yay!

And yes, as Erastes says in her post, it does seem to be changing, thank God.

[lusiology.livejournal.com]

Nice cover. The style reminds me of the glory days of the rail travel poster.

[storm-grant.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm not yet sick of it and that is high praise, indeed. ;-D

[ggymeta.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

I hate those covers--and that's a major reason I wont submit to many publishers online...when they tell me 'they have cover control' [and I come from a graphic novels background] that tells me they love stock photos--and stock scares me shitless.

[lusiology.livejournal.com]

Not being an author, I'd never considered that publisher would have cover control. I'm a visual person and have, since I was a child, been swayed by a book's cover. There must be 1000's more like me so I'm not surprised you want to hang on to that decision.

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

Oh well - there goes my 1930s gay gangster novel. ^____^

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Not at all. This is not in any way a gangster novel. It has a couple of thugs in it who attempt to strong arm the young men, but it's not in the gangster ethos at all. Plus - it's a good 10 years earlier. No depression for a start.

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

WRITE IT! Please! Oh god, gay gangsters!

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

I've already written it, but trust me: it will never be published. :)

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Oh, dang. Why not?

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

It's not very good. :)

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

But it presses a lot of my secret buttons ...

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

There you go - ggymeta.wordpress.com is writing one! Gay gangsters ahoy! :)

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

thank you! :)

[emlynley.livejournal.com]

i want to read it too. you could always post chapter by chapter online... and if you get enough good response, you might want to rethink the idea of subbing to a publisher...

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

I did post it chapter-by-chapter in my LJ awhile back. People seemed to like it well enough, but I know from bitter experience that's not enough for a publisher. I've published six books already and for the past nearly 4 years, I can't get published to save my life. Right now I am working on trying to accept that my "career" (I use the term loosely) is probably over...oh well. At least I've been published. *shrug*

[mroctober.livejournal.com]

Well, I'd be interested in reading it. And I happen to be a publisher.

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

really?????
I mean...really?
Wow.

I could send you the first chapter - I just finished revising it last night. Would you be interested in looking at it?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*skipping happily from the sidelines*

I've just read the first chapter, Steve - I enjoyed it a lot.

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

*blushes* Thank you. :)

[mroctober.livejournal.com]

Sure. Send it my way. editor AT lethepressbooks DOT com.

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

On its way. :-)

Thank you.

[ggymeta.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Seriously-- write it. :) I'm writing one with a gay gangster that takes place in the late 20's--and I can assure you it's nothing like WITD. :)

I love that era, and I love gangsters--please go for it.

[sleveen.livejournal.com]

You and vashtan must absolutely get together - you're writing it, and she wants to read one. So there you are. :)

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

although if there is any justice in this world it should be bigger and this book should get the accolades and attention it deserves

That's the truth, isn't it? I wish we could do more to get people to buy it.

[mroctober.livejournal.com]

Alas, because it was previously published, it cannot be entered for a Lammie.

[mylodon.livejournal.com]

Isn't it a shame? I see it's had a bounce up in sales today, though!

I think I'll take to accosting strangers and forcing them to buy it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

You are more scrupulous than some of this year's entrants then!!!! I was rather shocked to see some very obvious reprints! But yes, it is a shame, it might be worth asking Charles Flowers if self published counts.

[mroctober.livejournal.com]

Hmm, well I'll send a note to Charles to watch out for the reprints. Self-published does count, unfortunately.

And yeah, I'm scrupulous.

[probodie.livejournal.com]

It's reviews like these that catch my interest and make me want to read the book. The problem I find quite often is that the review is for an e-book (unless I am looking in the wrong places!) Now much as I love the concept of e-books, my first preference is always going to be for a print copy.

Sorry, going off track there. What I wanted to say is thanks for the review and I shall be popping over and buying the book as soon as my bank balance allows for it :-)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you - it was a pleasure to do this review as it was a great read. I normally put my reviews for gay historical fiction over at Speak Its Name,(www.speakitsname.wordpress.com) but this had already been reviewed by another of the members. If you haven't perused that site, you'll probably find a lot of others that pique your interest - both print and ebook.

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Lovely, thanks. Shall wander over there soon.

[dakotaflint.livejournal.com]

Loved, loved, loved this book.

And I love Lorraine Brevig's artwork. So very fitting!

[girluknow.livejournal.com]

Everytime I get a good review, I think how is that poor little book going to live up to that.:D And that is a great review. Just saying thank you seems so inadequate, but thank you. It may never find a big audience but I do so heartfeltly appreciate the kind, supportive readers who've read it and reviewed or commented. Thank you all very much.

[mroctober.livejournal.com]

My advice to finding a bigger audience for WitD: finish your second novel. Trust me.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Hear hear!

[cassandra-gold.livejournal.com]

Okay, now I have to get this book.

I've been eyeballing it for a while, but your review clinches it for me. :)

*off to shop*

[markprobst.livejournal.com]

I've only read one-third of the book so far and I can't put it down! Why the f--k is this not a New York Times bestseller! I know, because it doesn't have a gargantuan publisher with a huge advertising budget behind it. It is far better than most of the stuff that is on the NTYB list. If ever a book deserved to succeed on grass-roots word-of-mouth level, this is it!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

There is no justice in the world. There are some books out there, and this is one, that are every bit a good (imho better) than the so called acclaimed gay literature such as Call Me By Your Name and others of that ilk. Bah.