Peter

I thought this was a great little book. It was a very quick read (I read it in one setting). Although it was short, I was suprised at how wonderfully it described what Peter was going through. I found myself identifying with a lot of the emotions. Is this book perfect, no. But, very few are. However, I have to give it five stars for all of the feelings it made me remember and how it handled a too often written about subject so well.

One of the glories of Kate Walker's "Peter" is the distinctive, realistic voice of its 15-year-old narrator. Peter is every bit the teenaged firecracker, making the kind of observations that anyone who has ever been that age can relate to. There is humor and poignancy in his musings about others and their perceptions of him. It doesn't matter if you're from Australia, the U.S., or elsewhere -- this kid has the same wariness of adults, tussles with his older brother, and struggles over friendship, sex, and love. Those struggles come powerfully to the forefront as Peter gets to know David, the charismatic 20-year-old gay friend of his older brother.American readers will have to adjust a bit to the Aussie references and lingo, but Walker's writing is such that even without firsthand experience with the particulars you know what she's referring to. Similarly with all the descriptions of dirtbike riding -- Walker's prose lets you smell the smoky exhaust and hear the high-pitched buzz of the engines as they strain to climb a steep hill. You don't need to be a rider yourself to get drawn into this well-imagined world. The most important part of the book, of course, is the story it tells of Peter and his reaction to David. What starts as curiosity about what it means to be gay gradually grows into fascination and finally a keen, trembling infatuation. Peter's toughguy friends seem to sense that something is going on with him (or maybe he's just imagining that they do?), and his attempts to cope with all the confusion lead Peter into some awkward encounters with girls. Eventually he is on the outs with his longtime best friend and contemplating every kind of escape -- Should he become a priest? Run away? He attempts to disguise his vulnerability with posturing and fist-fights, but as he begins to accept at least the possibility that he and David might have something in common, he slowly comes to grips with who he is.The last section of the book, where Peter tries to take control of the situation and approaches David to act on his attraction to him, packs a tremendous emotional wallop. By this point, events in the story have created dramatic tension on levels aside from the merely sexual. Wisely, rather than turn the scene into one based solely on physical desire, Walker makes it about what matters even more -- Peter's confusion, his sense of isolation, his desperate need for compassion, love, and understanding. His ultimate emotional breakthrough and David's reaction are very moving. The resolution of the story has nothing to do with sexual goings-on, so a reader looking for that kind of payoff is going to be disappointed. I think that the ending is just what it needs to be. Peter's story is about self-discovery. He learns that he must accept who he is before he can have a truly meaningful connection with another person. The final pages of the book leave you knowing that what he shared with David has made them closer. David will remain in his life, for no

Peter was an excellent read. I couldn't stop reading it once I picked it up. David and Peter are both well defined characters and by adding Peter's biking peers in, Kate Walker really shows how real life is.

I was glad to see that "Peter" was back in print. When I first read it, I was very impressed. It explores coming out without sentimentality, gay bashing without getting too violent, and feelings without getting maudlin.Peter Dawson is a typical boy. He likes dirt-biking, fast cars, and photography. (He has his own darkroom.) Then one day he notices that he is very attracted to his older brother's best friend. Only, his brother's best friend is gay. He begins to wonder what this says about him. He tries to get advice from a youth hotline. When he finds that there is no straight answer forthcoming, he tests himself by looking at pictures in a gay magazine. In short, he does everything that a boy, alone, without suport, can do to find out about himself. The only thing of which he is really sure is that he can't share his doubts with his parents or his friends.The story is told with sensitivity and compassion. Kate Walker must have had a friend go through all of this. She captures the picture almost perfectly.