Rating: 
Summary: A strong debut
Review: Robin's first year at high school is marred by his brother's tragic accident. As his brother lingers in a coma, the family slowly self-destructs, leaving Robin on his own to explore his burgeoning sexuality and myriad frustrations. With sparkling insights and a captivating voice, Soehnlein has written a remarkable book that was an utter delight to read. It did seem a bit much for all this to happen in less than a year, so I had some hesitations about giving it a higher rating. It's like a watered-down version of a Scott Heim novel, and yet I could see that Soehnlein has great potential and I look forward to his next project.
Rating: 
Summary: A book about a teenager, wanting someone to love
Review: I thoughly enjoyed reading this book. The author kept you wanting to know more about the main character "robin", who seemed to want one thing, someone to love. The book descriped his life, what he went thought, his pain. Very worthwhile reading.
Rating:
Summary: The Maze of Youth
Review: Thank God for Robin McKenzie.At last someone has given us a book about a teenager coming into his own who has a real reason to rebel. Robin struggles with his emerging sexual identity against the background of a suburbia in which Holden Caulfield would feel quite at home. Faced with a dying brother, parents who refuse to hear his anguish, teachers who ignore his needs, and friends who would much rather use him, he manages to stand up for himself and take control of his own life. Both adults and young people need more books like this, that examine young people's lives taking into account the real problems that must be faced while growing up. Unlike Holden Caulfield, Robin doesn't actively tried to make his life more difficult. His quest is simply to make sense out of the world around him. In this respect, he is what we'll hope our children will be. He is a searcher after truth. In deference to the reviewer's who chose to criticize this book by descending to semantics, Robin "invokes" the avatars of popular culture that surround every young person today. As he soon discovers, they offer little support or comfort. In the end, as must we all, he must rely upon himself. Whereas Holden needs a sanitarium to help him adjust to society, Robin makes his own way.
Rating:
Summary: Something special
Review: I expect one of two things from a work of fiction: to take me to a place I've never been before, or lead me through a place I'm deeply familiar with and uncover the part of it I've never been able to articulate myself. This exceptional book does both. 13-year-old Robin MacKenzie, the book's protagonist, moves through the action of the novel trying to navigate a disintegrating family life and his awakening sexuality, all the while trying to come to terms with not being a "normal" boy. If you are gay, if you are male, or if you have every been 13 then you will find many things to love in this entrancing coming-of-age story. I saw reflections of myself in many of these characters, reglimpsed some of my own forgotten gay teenaged angst articulated in Robin's conflicted thoughts and feelings, and eagerly followed along as Robin experienced the kind of adventures it took me many more years to find the courage to experience for myself. A beautiful, honest story -- read it and you'll feel like you've discovered something special.
Rating:
Summary: For any boy who grew up gay.
Review: This is a very emotional and at times tragic story of a young boy in the New Jersey suburbs who struggles with his sexuality while also facing a tragic accident in his family and his parents' destructive behaviors. This brought back many memories of the frustrations and heartbreaks of teenage life, when you know you are "different" somehow but not sure how, exactly. This book is the real thing.
Rating:
Summary: A Major, Very Important Book!
Review: About once every decade or so along comes an author with a voice so clear and exciting that a first novel becomes a revelation. K.M. Soehnlein has given us another universally effective tale of the coming of age of a boy in the labyrinth of puberty. Joyce, Salinger, Wolfe did it and created prototypes that became icons for countless young men fortunate enough to be encouraged to read abou the tangles life presents when the hormone balance shifts toward adulthood. "The World of Normal Boys" is a sheer wonder of writing skill, passion, and commitment. I wonder at the lack of notoriety due a book of this stature - but then perhaps this book has fallen victim of being too "specialized" in its reader audience. Yes, ONE of the struggles that the main character, Robin, encounters is his fear and coming to grips with nascent homosexuality. But Soehnlein handles this so adroitly that it should ring bells in everyone's psyche; sexual ambivalence is a normal step toward sexual identity, gene theory or no. Accompanying this odyssey of a highschool freshman is an incident which changes everything in his milieu of maturing. And with this incident we are allowed to observe the disintegration of a "normal" family unit, the inception of alcoholism, parental abuse of children as they seek escape from their own frustration about life choices, the obsessive need to feel loved/needed/to exist, the imbalance between juvenile naivete and adult "sophistication." Yet the author sweeps us along with a storytelling technique which is incredibly fine. If you wonder early in the book why he is taking such detail to describe a playground and especially an almost architecturally rendered view of a play slide, then you only realize in a few pages further why that little bit of apparent "diversion" was so important and why there is a replay of the same theme at book's end when our now beloved main character unveils the place the universe has fashioned for him in this life. If there were more than 5 stars to rate this book I would go to the maximum number. This is a brilliant book by an enormously gifted author who has not only given us a new Stephen Daedalus, Holden Caulfield, Eugene Gant...he has documented a decade (the 1970's) better than almost anyone writing today. Yes this book deals with gay issues (very well) and that can only be another reason for everyone to read it. Highly recommended!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Very Good Book
Review: I was a little up for grabs about getting this book. But I got it while I was in San Francisco and the first thing the cashier told me was it was a fantastic book. He was right. I enjoyed every bit of it!
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: This is, without doubt, one of the best gay-themed novels I've ever read. I find it incredible that anyone could NOT like this book. Extremely well written, the dialog is absolutely dead on. As a gay man who went through high school at the same time as the protagonist, Robin, I identified with his every thought. For me, it was like a grand trip down memory lane. I truly couldn't put it down. Here's hoping that Soehnlein is busy writing a sequel.
Rating:
Summary: The most unbelievable book
Review: This is absolutely the most incredible work of "fiction" ever. I have never been so involved in a book before in my life. I identified with Robin so much it was scary. When I finished I felt like I was saying goodbye to a friend. The ending is the most exciting and disturbing endings that I have ever read and I hope that KM Soehnlein elaborates on this ending by giving us a sequel. I cannot stress how much I think that anyone growing up gay, parenting a gay child, or deems themself a normal boy should read this. Anyone who either has been there or is putting someone through the emotionial turmoil Robin undergoes should read this book. Absolutely fabulous.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This book is perfect for a rainy afternoon read. I could not put it down. Excellent.
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