, another recommendation from Jessica. Girfriend's got taste. I was a little worried that whatever I read after The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake would be a disappointment, but I was wrong. I tend to get a little irritated by books that are written by men and are solely about men, but there are definite exceptions and this is one of them. There are so many struggles going on in this book. Though the heroes of this novel inhabit a posh New England prep school shrouded in comfort and safety, they are plagued by personal demons, all except Phineas, that is.
Phineas is the proverbial golden boy. He's a gifted athlete. He's handsome. He's everyone's friend, and he sees the world through rose-colored glasses. His best friend Gene is talented in his own right. He's an excellent student and an accomplished athlete. But he always seems to be in Phineas' shadow.
As these boys are maturing, World War II is being waged and former classmates are being shipped overseas to fight, but the boys at Devon are free to enjoy their last days of freedom and peace before being drafted themselves. The threat looming before them affects them all in strange ways.
Gene in particular harbors a competitive streak that turns out to be deadly. His relationship with Phineas is compromised and Gene is forced to examine an instinct he'd rather forget. Even under the guise of peace at home, these boys are profoundly affected by the war and grow up far more quickly than any young man should. Though it was written over fifty years ago, the novel is as timely as ever. It's haunting and beautiful and tragic and poetic. I'll be on the lookout for more Knowles material and let you know what I come up with.
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