Box Hill: A Story of Low Self-Esteem

In Box Hill, a vivid coming-of-age novel, a young man suddenly wakes up to his gay selfon his eighteenth birthday, when he receives the best gift ever: love and sex. In the woodsy cruising grounds of Box Hill, chubby Colin literally stumbles over glamorous Rayten years older, leather-clad, cool, handsome, a biker, and a top. (Colin, if largely unformed, is nevertheless decidedly a bottom.) Colin narrates his loveconveying how mind-blowing being with Ray isin comically humble-pie terms. If there are leaders then there must be followers, and I had followership skills in plenty just waiting to be tapped. To this day I cant see a fat kid in shorts without wanting to rush over and give him what comfort I can. To tell him it wont always be like this.
       Mars-Jones uses Colins naivete to give a fresh view of the world and of love. Before long, however, homophobia, class, family strife, and loss rear their ugly heads. Yet in the end, it seems Colins modest view oddly takes in the widest horizon: he learns that people can care about anything. A surprise and a pleasure, Box Hill is an intensely moving short novel. See more