Rating: Summary: Uniquely Human Review: I picked up this book because the art was intriguing, and read the novel from cover to cover in a single day. Funny, sad, heartfelt, this is a solid first novel from an author who maybe tries a little too hard, but never fails to entertain. Surprise yourself and get The Year of Ice. This is no National Book Award nominee, but an enormously satisfying read, just the same.
Rating: Summary: Waiting for the thaw Review: It's 1978, and Kevin and his father are still adrift after the death of Kevin's mother two years ago. Kevin's due to graduate from high school, and in the pecking order, Kevin's near the top, despite his grades, but he has a secret crush on one of his friends. As the year progresses a series of shattering secrets surface, and the bond between father and son becomes thinner, which isn't helped by Kevin's aunt who blames her sister's death on Kevin's father. "The Year of Ice" is a beautiful story of anguish and grief, of finding oneself amidst a chaos of family trauma, of growing up gay and having to hide. Malloy deftly writes with a sarcastic wit that brings Kevin and the other characters of the story to life, and pushes this novel closer to the reader's heart. Definitely one of the best books of 2002.
Rating: Summary: Best Novel of 2002 Review: In sharp contrast to all the other over-hyped novels of this year that turn out to be undreadable and instantly forgettable, The Year of Ice should be getting all the praises. This is truly one of the best works of fiction I have ever read. The author gets everything right; each and every page is wise, funny and heartbreaking. I read this book in less than 24 hours, have just finished it, and feel like I have been immeasurably enriched by the experience. The characters are as real as you and I, and the author displays a talent for telling a story that few writers possess. I wish happiness for all of the characters in the book, and much success for Mr. Malloy. I know this is a cliche, but do yourself a favor and read this tender and touching novel as soon as you can.
Rating: Summary: Sometimes the Ice Is Pretty Thin Review: Kevin Doyle seems to have very little going for him when we meet him mid-Senior year of high school in 1978 in Minneapolis. He plays sports without much enthusiasm, has marginal interest in music, hangs with an entirely uninspiring group of friends, plods through school with minimal enthusiasm, and has no real plans for the future. Kevin would seem to be supremely unqualified for the role of protagonist. Yet, indeed, Kevin Doyle is the point of focus of this story and he rises to the occasion through Brian Malloy's deft storytelling skill. We learn that behind the one-dimensional Kevin Doyle we first meet is a sensitive young man very much alive in the multi-layered struggles of figuring out who he is and where he is going In the early course of The Year of Ice, we learn that Kevin's mother died in a tragic car accident on a snowy night a year before we meet him. We also meet a kid who is completely unglued by the burden of realizing that while the girls might like him, Kevin is finding himself attracted to boys and he is completely paralyzed to pursue the reality of being Gay other than fumbled and often comical misdirection. Kevin's father seems more adolescent than the Kevin himself and his personal aimlessness, womanizing, immaturity and betrayal provide for a significant part of the out-of-the-ordinary challenges that Kevin Doyle must face. Brian Malloy provides Kevin with interesting well-developed supporting characters outside of his home life that serve as important and often unlikely avenues of strength for him. The most engaging and vividly written character in The Year of Ice is that of Kevin's Aunt Nora, an Irish woman deeply devoted to God and the Pope, never married, ferocious in her outspokenness, intensely comical in her undisguised hatred of Kevin's father and yet unbelievably loving and compassionate when push comes to shove. Kevin's own inner reactions and thoughts are cleverly integrated into the story's narrative as we learn as much of what we doesn't say in response to people and situations, as we learn of what he actually says. The success of Brian Malloy's writing is that he makes us realize that there is no such thing as an ordinary life and that there are always multiple layers to any human being's life - not all of them ever always wonderful. There is no typical adolescence. Parents aren't ever perfect. And, the most important lesson of all, life is never always a picnic, but more usually a roller coaster ride. Outstanding first novel. A writer to keep track of in the future. Highly recommended. Daniel J. Maloney Saint Paul, Minnesota
Rating: Summary: Universal Appeal Review: This straight, female middle-aged reader read about gay male teenage longing and thought, "YES! That's it exactly!" I'm not quite sure how Brian Malloy achieved that, but I'm so glad he did. And he's funny! When I read funny books, I smirk. I chuckle under the surface. It's very rare that I laugh out loud. This book has more than its fair share of laugh-out-loud moments. But it isn't a comic novel. It's a touching one that just happens to have hilarious lines. I think Malloy's greatest achievement is finding a way to make the specifics of his characters' lives something we can all relate to. He's done a magnificent job. I envy those of you who are yet to read this book for the first time. You are in for such a treat.
Rating: Summary: The Real Thing Review: So many books are typed as "coming of age" or "coming out" but neither of those terms does full justice to the voice and character that is 18 year old Kevin Doyle. You can almost hear him speaking the story to you as you read, and his wit, empathy and hope come through on every page. A book that is filled with the ache of what it means to be young in a world you do not understand, where you do not often know how you should take part -- Brian Malloy has created a story anyone who was once 18 knows all too well. An excellent use of setting, an array of well-drawn secondary characters, realistic dialogue -- these are the marks of a writer who will be with us for many years to come.
Rating: Summary: This one sneaks up on you! Review: In the interests of full disclosure, I should say at the outset that I can't be totally objective about this book. Brian Malloy is one of my oldest friends (we met in a group for people newly out of the closet). I've watched him write several books before this "first" novel came out. So I sat down with this book well disposed and I wasn't disappointed. Malloy has written a fresh book that really sneaks up on you. The main character is someone unusual in gay fiction. His is not a classically smart, bookish outsider. Rather, he is a high school insider, cool, good looking, a jock. And yet, his story rings more true because of that. You feel Kevin Doyle's deep sense of alienation from himself and consequently, from everyone around him. His tone rings true...by turns smart aleck, moody, angry, sensitive, and finally vulnerable. The best thing about the novel is that the gay angle is only one part, and not the most important part of the story. Mostly, this book is about the unraveling of secrets. Kevin has his own secret, but so does his bumbling father, his dead mother, his strong Irish Catholic aunt, even his friends. And as the secrets unravel the novel takes a surprising turn into grey territory. And the book ends paradoxically unresolved and yet satisfying. It mirrors life well...though by the end of the book you hope that Malloy is planning a sequel. You want to know more about these fascinating characters. All in all, this is a wonderful debut, even if I'm biased. Readers of gay themed fiction should appreciate this book, but I also believe that it should find a wider general audience. The truths about adolesence and family found in this book are universal. Thanks Brian, it was a great ride!
Rating: Summary: Read this book Review: I won't repeat the themes of the story, as you can read about them elsewhere in these reviews. I'll only say that I read a couple of books a week, and I can't tell you how terrific I think this one is. In my opinion Brian Malloy has written a flawless work with a main charachter that will stay with you a long time. I almost feel bereft in having to wait for Malloy's next effort, and I do hope that he will revist Kevin Doyle somewhere down the road.
Rating: Summary: Excellent first novel Review: The Year of Ice does a good job of protraying a gay teenager in the late 70s. Brian Malloy created a likable, flawed protagonist with clear character development. While the book can seem like a Lifetime movie at times, Malloy's witty prose holds the novel together.
Rating: Summary: Highly Creative Coming out book that is not about coming out Review: What an exciting and creative book! I Loved IT!! I was highly amused by the 1st person that the main character, Kevin Doyle, spoke in. The author, Brian Malloy allowed us into Kevin Doyle's head by using a creative method. He would tell the reader what the character was thinking, followed immediately by the character's verbal response. Sometimes what Kevin thought and said were the same, in many cases, it was not. This caused me to laugh out loud on multiple occasions. It was refreshing to read a coming out book that was not primarily about coming out. In fact, this book was more about other impacts on Kevin's life over a years time (his 18th year) than on his accepting his sexual orientation, however, I will say, his thoughts about sex left me snickering on many occasions. I think you will enjoy this book. It may be the first book by this author, but I can honestly say, I am looking very much to more from him. He is creative, and a breath of fresh air.
|