AUTHOR: Jendi Reiter
PUBLISHER: Saddle Road Press
WEBSITE: www.jendireiter.com
GENRE: Fiction (Gay/Lesbian)
ISBN: 978-0-9969074-2-2
REVIEWER: Tinky Weisblat
PUBLICATION: The Recorder (Greenfield, MA newspaper)
Reviewed by Tinky Weisblat originally for The Recorder in Greenfield, MA
REVIEW TEXT:
“Two Natures” is an unconventional but sweet romance set in an era that is
at once far from us and very near indeed.
This engrossing debut novel by poet Jendi Reiter of Northampton tells the
story of Julian Selkirk. A Georgia boy from a conservative, religious family,
Julian arrives in New York in the early 1990s. He hopes to break into two often
related worlds: fashion photography and gay culture.
He makes friends quickly, but it takes him years to find the true love for
whom he longs.
Julian enjoys the sense of belonging that being gay in New York in the
1990s gives him. Although his siblings have guessed at his sexual orientation
and his parents may know about it at a subliminal level, he was never able to
come out back home in Georgia. In the city he can at last be himself.
Nevertheless, life in New York is far from perfect. Added to the
difficulties all young people face in growing into their best selves and finding
romance, Julian must face the promiscuity that is part of gay culture at the
time.
He is thrilled to be able to enjoy sex at last and openly. Although he
longs for exclusivity, he fears asking for it, however — and fears mentioning
love to the object of his affection.
In addition, Julian and all of his friends must deal with the threat of
AIDS, then at its height in this country.
And although they live from day to day in a subculture in which their
sexuality is accepted and even often celebrated, they still come into contact
with the larger society. There, being gay is viewed as an aberration by most and
a sin by many.
When AIDS strikes close to home, they realize that the legal system offers
them few protections from discrimination.
Julian is an engaging protagonist. His friends are varied and often funny,
and Reiter’s careful, evocative prose brings the reader vividly into his life
and world.
Julian’s struggles to establish a career, find a home and connect with
someone with whom he can share his life will ring true to anyone who has ever
been a young person trying to become established in the big city.
Jendi Reiter will read from “Two Natures” and sign copies of her book on
Saturday, Oct. 22, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the World Eye Bookshop in Greenfield.
Food will be served. Reiter will also appear at the Broadside Bookshop in
Northampton on Wednesday, Oct. 19, beginning at 7 p.m.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
See the book trailer at http://bit.ly/twonaturestrailer
She is also an award-winning poet and editor of WinningWriters.com , named to Writer's Digest "101 Best Websites for Writers." Midwest Book Review says "Intense revelations about what it means to be both Christian and gay...a powerful saga,:
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