Boy Culture by Matthew Rettenmund
Boy Culture: A Novel
by Matthew Rettenmund
I rented the movie based on this book and watched it twice in a row and then again one more time before sending it back to Blockbuster. I really enjoyed the story & the characters, especially as portrayed by a few actors I'm always thrilled to see. So when I came across this book at a used book sale, I snatched it up immediately.
I tend to prefer whatever version I first experience (be it movie or book) and this time is no exception. But I still greatly enjoyed this book. X is so honest and unapologetic, yet watching his gradual internal struggle with love is quite entertaining. He's also quite blunt about some of his exploits when he goes on dates (sex, for which he is paid by regular, chosen clients), which range from incredibly tame to somewhat less so. X is really such an interesting character to get to know that he easily propels the story along. It's hard not to feel for the guy. The other characters are nice and I like them, but I obviously didn't know them as deeply because the book is told from X's POV.
I was amused by the short index at the back of the book which lists sexual exploits by page so if you want to find out all the fetish or spanking references in the book, you can do so at a glance. LOL Apart from that, I really liked the frank mentions/discussions on safe sex (a must for anyone in X's profession) and sexually-transmitted diseases (which young roommate Joe discovers the reality of). It's a look at this culture through X's eyes, and X says enough for everyone. LOL
Very entertaining. I highly recommend the movie.