King of Cats: A Life in Five Novellas

Rating:
Summary: Wandering back through the truths of a tale of relationships
Review: Blake Fraina (note, and remember, the name) bounds onto the literary scene with a finely written, mesmerizing story that is as much an occult visit to an Analyst's Office as it is beautifully written story. KING OF CATS: A LIFE IN FIVE NOVELLAS is, in retrospect after reading the book, a suggestion of what Fraina seems to be about. The 'expected' meaning of "Novella" is extended short story, usually addressing completely different subjects and ideas. Not so, here, as Fraina suggests in his wise Preface. He has written five non-consecutive years in the life of a Rock star - one Jimmy 'Strange' Lyons - and the development of this main character from the barely suggested character in the first novella to the gradual disrobing and analyzing the whole person by the end of the book is in keeping with the book's premise: "Ultimately, it's our secrets that define us". Fraina places his character on the prosector's table and then proceeds to reverse the time machine in a most satisfying way.
The first installment "King of Cats" Fall 2002 deals with a narrator Sam (presumably the author) who becomes obsessed with an exhibition at New York's Metropolitan Museum of the paintings of Balthus - one painting in particular being 'The King of the Cats'. During the course of his involvement with understanding the seductive aspect of this painting, he encounters a young man, Elliott, as elusive and enigmatic as the painting, and eventually has a torrid affair with him. By the end of this novella we discover that Elliott is not the inexperienced 'first-timer' Sam thought and the concept of Elliott's past rises from the fog in the persona of Jimmy Lyons. In the subsequent novellas, Sam is not longer present as a person (though one thinks he is in actuality the writer). Instead we are gradually shown Jimmy Lyons in "The Bargain" Spring 2001 and how he became involved with the strange Elliott as he attempts a straight life with Lisa. In "Kissing the Gunner's Daughter" Winter 1995 we find that our Jimmy Lyons, as an established Rock guitarist, has entered a relationship with Adam who to this point has been a verbal homophobic member of Jimmy's band - the Mogs. Elliott remains in the picture as a shared love interest but by the end of the fourth novella "My Father's House" Summer 2003 the triangle plays to an unfortunate but not unexpected end. The handsome, popular, famous, drug dependent Rock star Jimmy Lyons, who has seemed to be utterably and almost cruelly self-sufficient, is explored in the final novella - "Hidden History" 1987 - where we discover the roots of Jimmy Lyons in his poverty belt in England, his abusive-parented childhood and his break into the escape world of popular music. How this tortuous manner of story telling plays out is left to the reader to discover, as telling the ending would remove one of the pleasures so abundant in this book. Described by one of his would-be female lovers Cass, upon seeing the scars from his father's repeated beatings, "It occurred to her that he wasn't unlike one of her flea market finds, seemingly so flawless yet secretly damaged." "His public persona...was merely a defense mechanism. Inside he would never lose his fear of being exposed, used, humiliated, hurt." And so by shifting back and forth in time, stumbling on clues of who the real Jimmy Lyons might be, Fraina has painted an indelible image, a character that will stay with you long after the 'Novellas' are over.
Yes, this is a book about gay relationships and Fraina writes as well about the intimacies and the varieties of lifestyles as anyone writing today. He does not make it a point to scream out that this is a 'gay novel': it is simply a novel that is peopled with a significant number of gay people. No AIDS traumas here: the sex scenes, while sensuous, are an integral part of the storyline, not lurid decor. Blake Fraina, first and foremost, writes extremely well. And for a first novel, this book is quite extraordinary

Rating:
Summary: "Coffee, Cigarettes and ... Chocolate."
Review: Blake Fraina joins a list of authors I would read anytime, keeping company with Charles de Lint, Patricia A. McKillip, et al. Fraina writes in the style of an updated urban fairytale - stitching myth and reality into the lives of real people.

Fraina carefully weaves a purposeful rearrangement of time and place to slowly unfold his musician, Jimmy, whose life is a sum of all of its experiences. All of the characters in KING OF CATS strongly step from the pages - each with his/her own crisp personality and more specifically, their own needs and history.

As when I read Charles de Lint's DREAMS UNDERFOOT, I avoided reaching the end of the book, not wanting to leave the characters behind. I fell in love with Jimmy, Adam, Amy ... and hope to see their futures and pasts appear again in Fraina's writing.

Rating:
Summary: Something I acquired...
Review: Days after finishing this book, I felt this deep melancholy and I realized it was because I missed the characters. Fraina has a unique style of writing that etched their personalities into my life as if they were friends. When the book ended, I found myself longing for their company. I came upon this read, quite by accident and I came away feeling like I entered a world I'd like to hang out in. Looking forward to his next work....


Rating:
Summary: Defined by our Secrets...
Review: Generally a 'novella' suggests a work that too long to be a short story and too short to be a novel. And generally a book of novellas are long stories unrelated to one another, but this book is unique. King of Cats deals with five non-consecutive years in the life of Jimmy 'Strange' Lyons, a closeted guitarist, and tells the development of this central character from the barely mentioned figure in the first novella to the gradual disrobing of the whole man by the end of the book. The book's premise is that: "Ultimately, it's our secrets that define us". Our secrets and our past, that is. Or does our past define and reveal our secrets?

I was astonished to learn this book is the author's first. The writing is crisp and sparkles with imagination. The storyline and characters are provocative and mesmerizing and I found myself wanting to finish each novella in one sitting, and then saying to myself "What the heck" and moving on to the next novella as well...just so I could discover the secrets of these people and what or who tied their lives together.

Not just another one of those books you'll read for a couple of minutes on the john each day, King of Cats will demand your attention from beginning to end and when you've finally finished, you'll hate yourself for not savoring it's magic.


Rating:
Summary: An engrossing and intricate parable
Review: King of Cats: A Life in Five Novellas is a story comprised of five mini-arcs that weave together human lives, rock-n-roll and the inordinately powerful sway that fathers have over the lives of their sons. Vivid characterization brings personal foibles and power struggles to life, and the power of music is a double-edged sword, as is the lure of money in this captivating human drama. An engrossing and intricate parable.


Rating:
Summary: Captivating Story
Review: The "King of Cats" makes for top quality, enjoyable reading. I was thoroughly amused as well as drawn into the story. The writer has such a vibrant imagination - not comparable to any book I have read before. Blake Fraina spins a web with such enthusiasm, a story about a gay rock star and his life's anguish; he must know this person in real life. Or at least he must have had some fixation with this rock star in real life. And being involved in this fixation was a total enjoyment for me.

The life story of this rock star is so in depth, you may grasp onto a few ordeals and recognize something of this nature having happened in your life also (maybe not to this degree). Something you have never tried to entertain but it pops up in your memories and you connect with the star. You feel drawn into the story and feel related to one person or another as if the story involves you as a character. The feelings between the father and son really grasped onto my heart strings. I felt for this boy. I wish I could have actually been united in the story and aided him, so that he could bond with his father in a manner that it should be -- as my fortunate experience in life has been.

I especially like the way the five novellas are not in the order of the star's life. It makes you think a little, and remember the activities of the coordinating novella as it all blends together into one web of a tribulation that is mind grasping. I have never read a book with such fervor. You must read this book and I'm sure what happened to me will happen to you; you will never forget this story, and it will be embedded in your mind forever.

Rating:
Summary: Maybe Jack of Cats
Review: There is much to like about this book but the lack of action and repetition (up and down love affairs) in the first four novellas make it a slow read. This changes dramatically in the fifth novella, "Hidden History", which is by far the best. The central character, Jimmy, is not particularly likable and his rather strange relationship with Elliott is difficult to understand. (Why would a studly rock star find a short, immature street hustler attactive for eight years??) Adam starts out being a disagreeable individual but gradually comes around. The novella approach, while novel, presents some sequencing problems to the extent that I found myself flipping back to figure out what time period was being described. Still, this is the author's first work. That he has talent is evident and I, for one, look forward to his future efforts.