What They Always Tell Us

Martin Wilson

Aug 2008 · Sold by Delacorte Press

About this ebook

JAMES AND ALEX have barely anything in common anymore—least of all their experiences in high school, where James is a popular senior and Alex is suddenly an outcast. But at home, there is Henry, the precocious 10-year-old across the street, who eagerly befriends them both. And when Alex takes up running, there is James’s friend Nathen, who unites the brothers in moving and unexpected ways.

Ratings and reviews

While I can agree that this book relates incredibly to the strength of brotherhood as well as the acknowledgement of distinct homosocial roles between men, I really think the true power of this novel can be seen in the psychological development of Alex as both a literary character and a young man. I think we can all see a little bit of both Alex and James in ourselves: the desire to always seek out perfection in both ourselves and those around us and the devastating blow we must face when these expectations are shattered due to the limitations of humanity. More importantly though, I feel that this book is particularly moving due to how much energy it addresses to the turmoil felt not only by teenagers but also to those within the LGBT community. Alex's pain and confusion is shared with the readers since we are bonded with him in the quest for his self-discovery and psychological development. The character never makes the giant leap of discovery to "I'm gay!" which is quite revolutionary within the young adult queer literature movement. We are often too bombarded with pressure to relate gay characters to a specific role of homosexuality that we forget that, at least in this case, the character is still just a young man going through personal traumas in addition to sexual discovery. While I cannot say this discovery is similar to the traditional adolescent sexual awakening (as seen in his actions before the start of the novel), I will admit that Wilson cleverly represents this awakening of a person that borders on Chopin. Regardless, without this direct personal inquiry, the reader is left with the almost devout confusion experienced by Alex since the passages are saturated with sensual information that transcends the sexual act between two people and shapes it into a metaphysical representation of self-discovery. Reading this novel as one that matches the psychological prowess of "the greats", I would highly recommend this book to any and will be shocked and dismayed if its beauty is not truly appreciated in the years to come.

I feel the author did his best to portray the characters the best that he can. Creating a character is no easy task. Although there are some parts in the book the character(s) in the book dont add up or feel out of place and context. I feel this story was brilliant. The emotional connection between brothers and the effects of highschool drama, friends, peer pressure and personal problems were clearly described at best. I didnt want this book to end! Hoping to see more of this authors work in the future!!! Great novel i give it a 4.5 / 5

I Absolutely Loved This Book From Beginning To End!Very Interesting!Great Read!

About the author

Martin Wilson received a BA from Vanderbilt University, and an MFA from the University of Florida, where one of his short stories won a Henfield Award. This is his first novel. He lives in New York City