Book Review: Closer by Dennis Cooper

I'm slowly working my way through Publishing Triangle's 100 Best Lesbian and Gay Novels. Though not in any particular order. Sometimes, it's more entertaining to randomly pick and choose from the list rather than start at the top (or bottom). Well.... Truth be told, finding some of the titles has turned into quite a task. Big chains tend to stay away from the Gay & Lesbian sections, and unless you know the author's name, you're out of luck. I'll carry the list with me to bookstores and the library, scour the shelves for any title from the list, and am almost ecstatic if I happen to find one. Like #89 on the list, Closer by Dennis Cooper.

Eye-opening and sometimes disturbing, Closer presents a vivid and dark glimpse into the life of a teenager trying to find his way in a harsh world. George Miles is a young and beautiful man, trying to maneuver his way through high school. He befriends those whom he also finds attractive: a punk artist, a self-involved singer, a teacher. They all use him -- either as a subject for art, a partner to get high with or to have sex with. Their perceived promise of relieving his frustration doesn't go as planned, leaving him more confused and empty of all feelings except for death. Then George meets Philippe, a man with unusual tastes, and he's finally given the opportunity to make a decision for himself.

The world in which Philippe and his "friend" Tom live is a dark, perverted space, and at times, I felt uncomfortable reading as George allowed himself to experience it. But I think that's what Closer was about: we yearn so much to experience everything -- good and bad -- just to make us feel like we're truly alive. George was looking for that to make him feel something other than the boredom and dullness of his daily life.

Not an easy story to get through at times, this is still tells a good story and is definitely worth a read.

Image from Fantastic Fiction.