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Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9780618111305
ISBN number: 0618111301
Label: Sandpiper
Manufacturer: Sandpiper
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 240
Printing Date: April 30, 2001
Publishing house: Sandpiper
Age index: Young Adult
Sale Popularity Level: 509334
Studio: Sandpiper
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Pressured by his peers and society to conform to the stereotyped macho image, fifteen-year-old Peter feels both confused and repelled. His confusion and his horror increase when he finds himself attracted to his brother's best friend, David, who is gay. Here is a daring, exceptionally honest novel about sexuality and the need to be true to oneself. Peter shares his every muddle and perception with us, and his candor just might help us find our own way.
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Rated by buyers -
Set in Australia, Peter is a fifteen year old boy, although he prefers "nearly sixteen"; he's a keen motor cyclist (a dirt bike) and a talented photographer. He has an older brother with whom communication is limited, and his father has separated from his mother. The main topic of talk amongst his friends is girls. This seems quite normal to Peter until a disastrous intimate moment with a pushy girls has him worried; he likes girls, but he begins to realises he does not feel that way about them. To add to his troubles he finds himself having thoughts about an older boy. Could he be the worse thing imaginable for a teenage boy, a poof? How will his friends react and his father, who expects a man to be a man and play sport (except tennis of course)?
Peter comes across as an ordinary decent lad, a typical boy in all respects; yet caring and thoughtful. The story handles his predicament as Peter himself tells it sensitively, positively, realistically and with touches of humour. The characters are well observed, Peters forbearing older brother is convincing, David the object of Peters dreams I perhaps almost too good to be true: gay, good looking, immaculate in his dress, sensitive and understanding, as at home stripping down a lawnmower as he is advising on shopping for groceries; but he provides a balance with the yobbish attitude of Peter's peers. It makes for a touching, at times moving, but always entertaining story.
Rated by buyers -
This story is more complex than it seems. A lot of coming of age books about gay teens have some pretty traumatic moments, but here we have a story about an average Australian boy dealing with a lot of new, confusing emotions. A short read, but a good one. I can see how some people would be disappointed with the ending, but it was appropriate given the circumstances and still finished on a hopeful, optimistic note.
Rated by buyers 
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Fair book with a coming out story of a teen. I was really disappointed that he did not even get at least a kiss out of the entire story especially near the end. Wish it had just a bit more.
Rated by buyers 
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Peter Dawson is an ordinary fifteen year old school boy and the holidays have just begun. Peter enjoys dirt-bike riding and photography. Life is OK but tuff as Peter struggles to prove himself "a man' in the cut-throat world of the motor-bike boys. Always the feared accusation "You poofter!" is close at hand.
One day Vince, Peter's university student brother, brings home David. By chance Peter and David become friends, but soon Peter hears from his brother that David is gay. David doesn't fit the stereotypes: he doesn't have a limp wrist, wobble when he walks or speak with a lisp: he fixes engines. Peter can't help still thinking that David is a nice guy. But what if the dirt-bike guys find out about David?
This is an excellently written book covering a social issue which is still so ignored in mainstream literature and especially teenage fiction. Despite years of social liberation still we must not talk about gay sexuality around juveniles. At last an author and publisher has dared to break the stultified unwritten 'rules.' Teenagers, who so often see the world in grey and white terms are here encouraged to think outside rigid categories and on a more human level.
This book is Australian and some of the language has a destinctly Aussie feel, although not so much that it cannot be understood by an international audience,
Rated by buyers -
Peter is living in a small Australian suburb with his mother and older brother. His father left a couple of years ago and doesn't visit often; he is mostly only around when he thinks there is a problem that he can swoop in and solve. Peter doesn't like him much, and doesn't like his brother, Vince, either. Vince treats him like a little kid.
The main interest in Peter's life is riding his dirt bike. He rides in a vacant lot with a group of other kids, who hang out with each other but aren't really friends. They try to act macho and they harass each other harshly at any sign of weakness. In order to belong in the group, each person has to prove himself and make sure he gives the others no opportunity to make his life miserable. Peter is very careful.
Peter's life changes when he meets David, a friend of Vince's. David is the very first of Vince's friends who has been nice to him and has treated him as a person. Peter feels drawn to him. Then he finds out that David is gay. Being accused of being gay by his dirt-bike group is the worst possible thing that could happen to Peter. But is he? Peter is forced to question himself and to come to terms with his own identity and sexuality as he examines how he feels about David's friendship and about all of the other relationships around him.
I thought Peter was a very realistic fifteen-year-old. He deals with his world in a realistic way, and the way he is treated by his peers isn't sugarcoated. I like how he deals with questions of his sexuality. His reactions make sense, considering who he is and how old he is. I was happy when he decided to explore his questions, rather than just ignoring them. I also thought David was a great character; he is calm and secure, and very likable.
Peter's parents were lousy characters, though, completely unable to relate to their sons. Vince's relationship with Peter bothered me, too. Vince seemed to harass Peter about everything, yet he then deals camly with Peter's questioning. It doesn't seem to fit with his character to be so tolerant in parts of the story.
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