Able Was I

I read into the wee hours of the morning today because I could not put down this book. Mr. Banks's writing is so engrossing; I ditched the idea to describe it as captivating, as that evokes a frivilous quality found so often in gay fiction, but which is refreshingly absent in "Able Was I". There was none of the cynical underbelly found in Stephen McCauley's work, none of the bitchy repartee reminiscent of the movie Priscilla, and no gratuitous graphic sex scenes to keep the reader titillated. In their place was an amazingly profound journey of a man searching for his path in life. Grey is a character with a sense of direction and purpose, but his compass is spinning wildly out of control. It was amazing to read his interactions with the other characters in the book, and to really, really experience those emotions as well. The tenuousness of innuendo, the mystery of truncated bits of information, the tenderness and passion - rather than animal sex - infused a credibility in the story that is rare in writing. Lest I seem a bit too complimentary, I did have a couple small problems with some conversational language near the end, and the cover photo far too closely resembled cover shots on recently released books "At Swim, Two Boys" and "Back Where He Started". It made me erroeously think that perhaps this wasn't as original as it was. But it IS original, and wonderfully written.

"Able Was I" presented a whole new world for me. It gave me insight into a world I am not familiar with, which is what books are supposed to do. It really had a human touch. And you just feel his innate kindness through his characters. I always thought I was detail-oriented until I read Mr. Bank's "Able Was I." He has a knack for analyzing people and what makes them tick. He gets inside his characters and reveals their inner emotions to the reader. But, can we ever really know anybody? I liked the way this author tries. I felt a little disappointment with some of his characters' choices, and after getting so attached to the main character and wanting some things to be different for him through his life's experiences, I think I wanted a different ending. Then again, I am a mom. I'm 79-years-old. If I tried to count the number of books I've read, I'd need another 79 to just count. But if I could count which ones made me think and reached me in a new way, this would be one. It's a thoroughly enjoyable read.

In Able Was I's early writing stage, author Drew Banks pitched his story to a well-known literary agent, touting it as mainstream literary fiction. The agent was doubtful. "Is the main character gay?" he asked. The answer was yes. "Is there gay sex in it?" he demanded. Again, Banks answered yes. "Then it's gay fiction, period," the agent declared. But Able Was I challenges the notion that novels with gay central characters and gay sex can only be marketed to a gay fiction audience. Grey Tigrett's psychological journey is more Everyman than Ellen; the characters that guide and hinder him along the way feel like people we all know: devoted but goofy Miriam, tall, dark, and handsome Antonio, petty and annoying Scott, desperate and downtrodden Jimmy, young and vibrant John, and Paolo, who finally tells Grey what he needs to hear. Each character is intriguing and well developed enough to deserve novels of their own. Having worked closely with Banks on his word choice and sentence structure, I'm hesitant to comment on the writing except to say that I'm proud to have been involved with this project and that Banks is a writer who cares about every single word he puts down. I loved this novel when I first read it, and I look forward to reading it again. A longtime fan of the music and story of the off-Broadway smash, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, I identified with Grey's intense and sorrowful experience of that show, which happens to premiere in the building next door to the main character's trendy flat. Travelers of Europe and lovers of Manhattan will feel a similar familiarity with the settings and narrative of Grey's experience. And anybody-gay, straight, bisexual, or otherwise-will relate to Grey's struggle to know himself.

In his first foray into fiction, Drew Banks tells a rich and compelling story about a young man grappling with the dissatisfaction and restlessness of his middle age. His juxtaposition of New York City and the isle of Elba provide interesting contrasts and a cadence that propels the reader through the storyline. Through Able Was I, the reader gets a first-hand glimpse of the author's fascination with psychology and the motivations that underpin people's behaviors and world views. We also get to experience his joy of language. His word choice is exquisite yet not overdone. The overall structure of this novel remains quite simple, which aids its quick pace. Having lived abroad, I particularly like Drew Banks' European scenes. His vivid descriptions of people and place make me nostalgic for the cities I've visited and yearn to explore Elba itself. If I had one concern, early on, it was my ability to keep track of the various secondary characters in the book and the jumping back and forth between venues and time frames to establish the story. That said, the author finds his equilibrium before long and uses these "cuts" to support his plot. His characters build in such a way, that you get to know the principals deeply and wish there were more time to share a bottle of wine with some of the supporting cast. All in all, I enjoyed Able Was I very much. Paolo's monologue towards the end of the book hit home for me and gave me much to ponder long after the story's end.

This is such an elegantly written book. It moves so easily between the inner and outer world of a man who is seeking to grow up the hard way, by trying to avoid the implications of the events of his life. But there are so many unexpected people ( really interesting characters) who confront his view of what is reality and events which redirect his neatly intended life design, that he has to question himself and find himself. And of course he is changed by facing himself squarely in the end. Banks is so visual in his writing that sometimes there is a poetic to the descriptions that have a quality of lifting you into the scene that Grey, the protagonist is seeing, and you are asked to question whether you need to look deeper at what you take for granted every day as does Grey. It has the quality of a love story,but really more about the finding how to love oneself. Grey's questions makes you ask questions about your self and how you have made choices to ignore experiences in your own life, that if examined could open up whole new worlds as they did for Grey. But surprisingly, it feels more like you are in the story, never detracting from it, and you are just walking a few steps behind Grey as you relax into the beautiful life rediscovered. I love reflective fiction where you can walk into the story and see things you should ask. And although Grey is exploring his sexuality, and I am a women reader, I found the questions were universal and something we all as humans face. Do the choices I make tell me who I am, or make me who I am?