Rating: 
Summary: OK, but an unworthy follow-up to an excellent novel
Review: Boy,this one was tough. I LOVED The Men from the Boys; it is one of my favorite newer gay novels, so I was very excited about this. But, I have very mixed feelings here.Pros: Mann makes some wonderful observations about the gay lifestyle in relation to AIDS in this era, the self destructiveness of certain behavior, etc. But that's about it. Cons: 1) Wow. There is a "mystery" that runs almost to the very last page of the novel. A mystery that any reader will solve a few pages into the setup. I mean it is ridiculous to believe that ANY gay man wouldn't have thought out the angle to that story - never mind a character who is an educated, writer. It becomes REALLY torturous as we keep waiting for him to figure it out.
2) The other main character has become almost too new-agey spritual. To the point where some dialogue is really annoying and makes you almost cringe. 3) Eva. Hello? Really - yeah, we'd all put up with that. 4) I guess these two great characters now just seem ... dumb. Flip side: if you haven't read the first book, it does have it's fun moments and some good social observations. But as a sequel it is a letdown. It's like Mann wanted to write a sequel but didn't have a real story so he concocted this strange platform for the boys return.
Rating: 
Summary: Captivated
Review: I found it difficult to put this book down once I began reading it. I was so captivated by the characters and felt like I knew each one of them personally by the way the author wrote about them. It was almost like I was sitting in the middle of the story and it was unfolding around me like a movie. I could identify with each of the characters in different ways as well. I thogtht that this book was well thought out, written and presented to me, the reader. I read alot of books by many authors and this is the first time that I have been so impressed that I wrote my thoughts out for others to see.
Rating: 
Summary: What a letdown!
Review: I loved "The Men From the Boys" so I was looking forward to any new book by William J. Mann. I was thrilled when I discovered that on top of everything the new book ("Where the boys are") was going to be a sequel to the one I loved ("The Men..."). What a disappointment! "Where the Boys Are" seems to be written by somebody else. Some of the characters have the same names (Jeff, Lloyd, the ghost of Javitz, and very vague references to Eduardo, Tommy, etc.) but that's about the only thing the two books have in common! (Mis)Using a narrative technique taken from Faulkner's "As I lay dying", we get to see the events from inside three character-narrators (Jeff, Lloyd & Henry) but instead of introspection and personal points of view, we get shallowness and confusion -especially since it changes from one to the other every few pages, before the reader can get a feel for the character. Since there is no introspection, it doesn't make a difference who is narrating, only confusion as to who the "I" on that page refers to! In addition, each of these three character-narrators gets into an irritating 'dialogue' (?!) with the reader, teasing her or him on what they will share or not share with her/him, etc. Paradoxically, this approach of getting inside the characters -to get to know them better- leaves the reader with the impression that there is nothing there making the characters far less likeable than in the previous book.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: I thought this book was a beautiful portrayal of the gay tribe, with their loves and tribulations, and mysteries. It's core is two gay men, and their circle of friends, and their struggles to find connections through a year of their lives. I won't give the plot away, but I can highly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: This Really Hit Home
Review: It was if Mann had some sort of portal that peers into my life, my hopes and my wishes. Although the details may be different, we have all experienced what these characters have to some degree. It was reassuring to know that these feelings about gay life, relationships and friendships are not unique. What really made the book interesting was the fact that it was written in first person from the points of view of three characters: Jeff, Henry and Lloyd. It's obvious that these are much more than fictional characters, but characters based on people that the author has actually known. It's interesting how the three points of view fill in the missing gaps in each character's narrative, or give a different spins on a single event, much like the characters in a Maeve Binchy novel. With Where the Boys Are and its prequel, The Men from the Boys, our generation may have actually found its literary voice in William J. Mann.
Rating:
Summary: A Treat from Start to Finish
Review: Jeff, Lloyd and Henry - the principal characters and narrative voices of this thoroughly engaging novel - are imperfect human beings. They reveal their fears, and they display their faults. Simultaneously, they speak to us of the struggle for self acceptance and the importance of connection, of community, of friendship within that struggle. Into the bargain, they speak with charm, candor, insight and wit. This book is a treat from start to finish. William J. Mann writes beautifully. He has clearly demonstrated his formidable skill in two previous novels (The Men from the Boys and The Biograph Girl) and in two nonfiction works (Wisecracker and Behind the Screen). If you've not read them, you have rich experiences awaiting you. Don't miss the pleasure of reading Where the Boys Are! I didn't merely like this book; I loved it!
Rating:
Summary: Sweet and Real
Review: Mann has developed his voice and his writing style since "The Men from the Boys." Never afraid to try something new, "Where the Boys Are" is a continuation of the lives of Jeff and Lloyd, set a few years after Javitz's death. Jeff's new best friend, Henry, becomes the third narrator and a year in their life is told from all three viewpoints. Each man has his own distinct voice and through the entire book, I often forgot Mann was penning each section. Though gay characters can be labeled stereotypical, I believe each of us can see parts of ourselves in the main and supporting characters. Jeff, lost and alone (even though he's surrounded by others), makes me remember what it's like to feel lonely. Lloyd, embarking on a new adventure in P-town, reminds me of the joys and the rush experienced when starting something new. Henry, finally able to see himself in a better light, allows me to wonder if I could do the same. Though this book speaks to gay men, the issues transcend sexuality. With every high and low I felt more connected to Jeff: I learned lessons while he learned them, understood why he was being selfish when he was. No, the characters in this book are not perfect...but that's the point. This book is real life, put down on paper. Friends taking friends for granted, trying to learn how to sacrifice for others, mixing trust and boundary issues: these are things I see affecting us all. Mann's deep love of Provincetown is apparent though the setting does smoothly transition between P-town, circuit parties around the nation, and Boston. Forewarned, this is not a circuit party book. Instead Mann uses his settings as backgrounds, focusing on the events that occur at each, not the actual location. Characters relate to each setting differently and new facets of their personality are revealed as their own thoughts change. This just made me fall in love with them even easier. My highest praise for a book is whether or not I'll read it again...WTBA has already gone through its second showing this summer!
Rating:
Summary: Therapy and a Good Read
Review: Seems like many authors writing primarily for a specialized audience can rely upon that audience, and don't have to mind things like quality. That is hardly the case with William Mann and this book. Like its predecessor, Men from the Boys, this book is extremely well-written, with believable, human characters, with attributes and flaws. The book offers that rarest thing in modern novels -- something that both makes you think AND that you enjoy reading. Topics such as monogamy, forgiveness, hate crimes, and gay men-women relationships are addresses seriously, but without lecturing, politics, or stereotypes. Finally, one grows by reading these books -- it is an ally against much pain and depression and uncertainty. In short, it is a gift.
Rating:
Summary: A cheap soap opera, yet somehow deeply moving
Review: The Men from the Boys is a poorly written book. Very little happens, there is an enormous amount of repetition, the characters' choices seem utterly implausible, and, overall, the characters seem grossly unselfaware. Besides that, the book is humorless, without any trace of irony. Still, I found myself crying every couple of pages. Even though the novel as a whole is weak, scene after scene is deeply affecting. That makes for a very provocative read.
Rating:
Summary: A cheap soap opera, yet somehow deeply moving
Review: The Men from the Boys is a poorly written book. Very little happens, there is an enormous amount of repetition, the characters' choices seem utterly implausible, and, overall, the characters seem grossly unselfaware. Besides that, the book is humorless, without any trace of irony. Still, I found myself crying every couple of pages. Even though the novel as a whole is weak, scene after scene is deeply affecting. That makes for a very provocative read.
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