I'm not even really sure where to start. I loved that it went back and forth between present and past. You get the true sense of it being a bildungsroman that way, by connecting events in Rick's childhood or adolescence reflecting the guy he is now, and it all comes together in this great characterization. I like that he's not in any one category or another, and can't really be pigeonholed. Sometimes he's really gay, other times not so much. It's a great mix.
Even the whole too-mature-for-his-own-good thing is only one facet of his personality. Internally he still has those fearful, hesitant moments, and those were probably my favorite parts of this thing -- when Rick bolts after Ryan kisses him, for example, or the whole scene with Bobby Crosby and him starting to figure things out but he doesn't have all the pieces. I love how he has to almost allow himself to be happy with where he is in life and his career.
And as much as this is about Rick, you surround him with a brilliant supporting cast. Verlander and Zumaya! Galarraga with his weird wisdom and random Spanish, oh man he might be my secret favorite. Perry is so much Rick's other half (WILBUR! ♥), and I think Jake might have stolen my heart. He accepts who Rick is without question, but he still gets to be a dick little brother about it, and I really love the the scene in the treehouse where they have their talk. (In fact, I sort of want to change my harden tag to "harder! harden" just because I laughed so retardedly hard at it, ugh.)
This works so well, also, because your prose is super solid. The humor is great, and you don't force the sentimentality of growing up, if that makes sense. It's not just a series of heartbreaking moments that make him into who he becomes, it's just Rick, growing up one step at a time.
Sorry this comment is almost as long as the story itself, and also disjointed because I watched three hockey games and two baseball games over the course of reading it, hah. I think this might be the first time I've commented on one of your pieces, please don't be alarmed by my rambling. (I did read the Perry/Porcello genderswap thing a couple days ago, but didn't have time to comment on that one, sorry.) I really, really, really loved it. :)
I'm not even really sure where to start. I loved that it went back and forth between present and past. You get the true sense of it being a bildungsroman that way, by connecting events in Rick's childhood or adolescence reflecting the guy he is now, and it all comes together in this great characterization. I like that he's not in any one category or another, and can't really be pigeonholed. Sometimes he's really gay, other times not so much. It's a great mix.
Even the whole too-mature-for-his-own-good thing is only one facet of his personality. Internally he still has those fearful, hesitant moments, and those were probably my favorite parts of this thing -- when Rick bolts after Ryan kisses him, for example, or the whole scene with Bobby Crosby and him starting to figure things out but he doesn't have all the pieces. I love how he has to almost allow himself to be happy with where he is in life and his career.
And as much as this is about Rick, you surround him with a brilliant supporting cast. Verlander and Zumaya! Galarraga with his weird wisdom and random Spanish, oh man he might be my secret favorite. Perry is so much Rick's other half (WILBUR! ♥), and I think Jake might have stolen my heart. He accepts who Rick is without question, but he still gets to be a dick little brother about it, and I really love the the scene in the treehouse where they have their talk. (In fact, I sort of want to change my harden tag to "harder! harden" just because I laughed so retardedly hard at it, ugh.)
This works so well, also, because your prose is super solid. The humor is great, and you don't force the sentimentality of growing up, if that makes sense. It's not just a series of heartbreaking moments that make him into who he becomes, it's just Rick, growing up one step at a time.
Sorry this comment is almost as long as the story itself, and also disjointed because I watched three hockey games and two baseball games over the course of reading it, hah. I think this might be the first time I've commented on one of your pieces, please don't be alarmed by my rambling. (I did read the Perry/Porcello genderswap thing a couple days ago, but didn't have time to comment on that one, sorry.) I really, really, really loved it. :)
Reply
Anyway, I forgot to mention --
kissing him so hard he isn'tt not sure that he's not tasting blood.
Think there may be an extra word or two in that sentence?
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment