What do you think?
Rate this book
Slant
James, an Asian boy who likes video games and romantic comedies, realizes he’s gay while attending college in Boston. He begins a whirlwind exploration of the gay world, negotiating its many pitfalls, including the first kiss, his first love and the first drugs. At the same time, he has to manage his insecurities and the constant pressure from his tiger mom. After Stan, a charismatic young man, dumps him, James schemes with his calculating MIT brain to get Stan back, but loses himself along the way. Will he get what he’s after?
220 pages, ebook
First published June 12, 2011
1 person is currently reading
187 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 19, 2019
Okay, this book brought out a lot of feels for me. Slant follows James, a gay Asian guy who goes to a prestigious college in Boston and experiments more with his sexuality. He starts to date a hot guy named Stan, which leads to his first kiss, his first foray into sex and drugs, and his first heartbreak when Stan dumps him. James devises a scheme to get Stan back, all while dating another man named Michael, a doctor, and while figuring out his relationship with his parents who do not 100% accept his sexuality. Through all of these relationships James learns a little more about who he is and what he actually wants in life.
I loved this book for how it sheds light on the racism in the gay community. I am Vietnamese American – so not Chinese American like James – yet I related so much to the anti-Asian prejudice and discrimination he experienced. Whether someone mistook him for a service worker, fetishized or exotified him, or rejected him on a dating site, James shares how these experiences affect him with an honest and distinct voice. From the first few chapters I felt hooked by James’s brazen, kinda petty, yet authentic way of describing the world and himself, and this authentic voice made reading about his experiences of racism even more affecting. When James worked out to make his body hotter for other men, when he colored his hair lighter to meet white beauty standards, and when he considers getting plastic surgery to look less Asian, I felt so sad for him and angry on his behalf. When James develops a bit more self-love and anger at these white supremacist standards later in the book, I cheered for him and felt so happy for him.
I also appreciated this book’s portrayal of the gay community and experience in general – or at least a certain type of gay experience. I feel like I’m a super boring gay guy a lot of times: I read books and write blog posts (like this one on not caring about what gay white men think of me, #relevant), I hang out with friends, I provide therapy and play tennis, blah whatever. I never really felt the desire to or had the experience of partying or having tons of casual sex – though I have been there to an extent – so I almost felt like I got to have that experience through James. I’m not implying that we should stereotype all queer men as individuals who just party and have sex, rather, I liked how Wang openly wrote about queer sex and other activities in a way that felt real and raw, not just written to appease straight readers. He writes about what it feels like to have gay sex for the first time (e.g., what anal sex feels like), the mindlessness yet alluring nature of cruising gay dating apps, and again, the racism in the gay community, and more.
My main constructive critique of this book stems from how much it focuses on James’s relationships with Stan and Michael. On one hand, I like how Wang uses these relationships to examine racial power dynamics in relationships, how we feel lust for people or use people to cover up our own insecurities, and more. Yet, so much of Slant - almost all of it – is dedicated to James’s relationships with these two men. I wish there had been more room to examine James’s relationship with his family, or to have had other scenes that involved friends or hobbies or other aspects of his character. Even the ending, which I appreciated for its open-endedness yet clear portrayal of James’s increased self-compassion, still involved Stan and Michael more than I would have liked. To be honest, I find Stan and Michael’s prominence in the book ironic given how neither of them are actually that impressive as men (lol I’m writing this at 1:17AM, cut me some slack). Like, Stan has awful communication skills and Michael has a problematic Asian fetish that he never actually exhibits self-awareness around? No thank you, next.
Overall, I really liked this book for its representation of the queer Asian American experience. Though it doesn’t flesh out the racial dynamics as much as say, Picture Us in the Light , another fabulous queer Asian book, its representation of the gay community and James’s experience within it won me over. From Googling it doesn’t look like Timothy Wang has been active as a writer since this book’s publication, which makes me sad because I would love to read more from him. Also, to be overly self-disclosing in this 1:21AM review, I found this book through looking at my crush’s Goodreads a while ago – and yet, beautifully, Wang’s overarching message in Slant reminds me that getting a guy’s affection is not the answer, rather, the answer resides within continuing to love and work on my relationship with myself. Woo!
I loved this book for how it sheds light on the racism in the gay community. I am Vietnamese American – so not Chinese American like James – yet I related so much to the anti-Asian prejudice and discrimination he experienced. Whether someone mistook him for a service worker, fetishized or exotified him, or rejected him on a dating site, James shares how these experiences affect him with an honest and distinct voice. From the first few chapters I felt hooked by James’s brazen, kinda petty, yet authentic way of describing the world and himself, and this authentic voice made reading about his experiences of racism even more affecting. When James worked out to make his body hotter for other men, when he colored his hair lighter to meet white beauty standards, and when he considers getting plastic surgery to look less Asian, I felt so sad for him and angry on his behalf. When James develops a bit more self-love and anger at these white supremacist standards later in the book, I cheered for him and felt so happy for him.
I also appreciated this book’s portrayal of the gay community and experience in general – or at least a certain type of gay experience. I feel like I’m a super boring gay guy a lot of times: I read books and write blog posts (like this one on not caring about what gay white men think of me, #relevant), I hang out with friends, I provide therapy and play tennis, blah whatever. I never really felt the desire to or had the experience of partying or having tons of casual sex – though I have been there to an extent – so I almost felt like I got to have that experience through James. I’m not implying that we should stereotype all queer men as individuals who just party and have sex, rather, I liked how Wang openly wrote about queer sex and other activities in a way that felt real and raw, not just written to appease straight readers. He writes about what it feels like to have gay sex for the first time (e.g., what anal sex feels like), the mindlessness yet alluring nature of cruising gay dating apps, and again, the racism in the gay community, and more.
My main constructive critique of this book stems from how much it focuses on James’s relationships with Stan and Michael. On one hand, I like how Wang uses these relationships to examine racial power dynamics in relationships, how we feel lust for people or use people to cover up our own insecurities, and more. Yet, so much of Slant - almost all of it – is dedicated to James’s relationships with these two men. I wish there had been more room to examine James’s relationship with his family, or to have had other scenes that involved friends or hobbies or other aspects of his character. Even the ending, which I appreciated for its open-endedness yet clear portrayal of James’s increased self-compassion, still involved Stan and Michael more than I would have liked. To be honest, I find Stan and Michael’s prominence in the book ironic given how neither of them are actually that impressive as men (lol I’m writing this at 1:17AM, cut me some slack). Like, Stan has awful communication skills and Michael has a problematic Asian fetish that he never actually exhibits self-awareness around? No thank you, next.
Overall, I really liked this book for its representation of the queer Asian American experience. Though it doesn’t flesh out the racial dynamics as much as say, Picture Us in the Light , another fabulous queer Asian book, its representation of the gay community and James’s experience within it won me over. From Googling it doesn’t look like Timothy Wang has been active as a writer since this book’s publication, which makes me sad because I would love to read more from him. Also, to be overly self-disclosing in this 1:21AM review, I found this book through looking at my crush’s Goodreads a while ago – and yet, beautifully, Wang’s overarching message in Slant reminds me that getting a guy’s affection is not the answer, rather, the answer resides within continuing to love and work on my relationship with myself. Woo!
May 14, 2012
As I was going through the book, there were so many emotions and feelings aroused by the writing that I was determined to write a good review for the book. Now I doubt that I am able to produce a proper review to show my admiration for Timothy Wang's work. This book stands among one of the best books I have picked up for reading.
I am not an American Chinese. Still, Timothy was able to make me feel his feelings of being an Asian and also gay, as in being a second class American citizen in the gay or non-gay community. The things he said through James felt so real. Discrimination exists no matter how much we try to deny. Even when people try to tip-toe around the obvious, it is clear that race is an issue when the minority stands out in parties, dinner or any other social events. And it felt true that no matter how the other reacts, Asians would be picking up whatever tones that would be felt as racism.
The ending to the novel left much to be admired. I wanted a happy ending, but I was willing to accept the way Timothy had chosen to draw the line.
This is such a good book that I have to scream out aloud, to let people know. Can't wait for his next book.
I am not an American Chinese. Still, Timothy was able to make me feel his feelings of being an Asian and also gay, as in being a second class American citizen in the gay or non-gay community. The things he said through James felt so real. Discrimination exists no matter how much we try to deny. Even when people try to tip-toe around the obvious, it is clear that race is an issue when the minority stands out in parties, dinner or any other social events. And it felt true that no matter how the other reacts, Asians would be picking up whatever tones that would be felt as racism.
The ending to the novel left much to be admired. I wanted a happy ending, but I was willing to accept the way Timothy had chosen to draw the line.
This is such a good book that I have to scream out aloud, to let people know. Can't wait for his next book.
December 27, 2021
Slant is a coming of age/coming out novel about a college student trying to figure out who he is and where he belongs. The main character James goes through a lot of experiences common to any young gay man, or really any young person of any sexuality. He struggles to match what he's learned about sex and love with what he feels. Where this novel really shines is in James' honest thoughts and feelings on race in the gay community and in the world at large.
December 9, 2011
Slant: A Novel was a wonderful yet painful read and it's a novel that should be required reading not just for the M/M romance crowd, but for the gay community which has never dealt openly and honestly with its own institutionalized/internalized racism (which I have experienced firsthand). It can be rather eye-opening to come across personal ads in which being a member of a racial minority may limit one's dating choices or when a certain bar or club makes it known that members of those groups are not welcome.
James is young, Chinese and gay. He's at MIT, he's out and has literally thrown himself into his new reality with sometimes comic, sometimes painful, sometimes angry results. Add to this volatile mix his traditional parents who basically shove education and excellence down his throat and let the rebellion begin. He learns about love, himself, and his parents but nothing is wrapped at the end in a nice pink bow. Slant ends of a note of youthful hope tempered with wiser knowledge. It's a multilayered coming-out novel that presents no easy answers.
From being constantly rebuffed in the dating scene to being mistaken for a Chinese restaurant delivery boy, James' years of feeling inadequate began to factor prominently in his life to the point where he hates himselfand everything Asian. I found this passage incredibly telling: In the American media, the dominating stereotype creator for the entire world, Asian males were either absent or portrayed as kung fu kicking Confucius spewing drones, comic relief sidekicks with accents, or Fu Manchu styled villains, and all of them asexual characters. Asian females were portrayed as evil dragon ladies to be fucked then killed by the white protagonist or submissive China dolls to be rescued, often from the Asian male villain, and then fucked by the white protagonist. Albeit the typecast, the women at least have a sex appeal that doesn’t extend to the male half of the race. In all Hollywood movies and TV shows, there was never a sex scene involving an Asian male. Even in Asia, “almond shaped eyes” that were extolled in books like The Dream of Red Chamber were now replaced by “large double lidded eyes with curled lashes” in the latest local editions of Vogue magazine. In Magazines and on Billboards in Tokyo, Seoul or Bangkok, more than half of the advertising features blond and blue eyed Caucasians rather than Asians.
James' self-hate begins to extend to everything Asian, which he starts to criticize or denigrate, from his feelings about the "smell" of Boston's Chinatown to his parents' fresh-off-the-boat appearance and attitudes. His relationship with Michael, a gay man who finds him attractive for more than just his looks, is clouded by the need to be more "Caucasian" to the extent of placing a partial payment for plastic surgery to give his eyelids more of a "Western" look.
There were times I wanted to slap James for being so whiny and self-loathing; other times his narrative hit a little too close to home, that sense of being a minority within a minority and still being invisible. The only huge quibble I had was the book was too short and I would havwe liked to have seen James have the long talk with his family before tragedy struck. It seemed as an easy way out, especially in regards to his mother, who ends up as the resident "tiger mom".
My only WTF moment came with the fact that I found another black character named "Tyrone". Can I please extract a pledge from ALL authors to not ever commit such horrible FAIL again? Seriously.
James is young, Chinese and gay. He's at MIT, he's out and has literally thrown himself into his new reality with sometimes comic, sometimes painful, sometimes angry results. Add to this volatile mix his traditional parents who basically shove education and excellence down his throat and let the rebellion begin. He learns about love, himself, and his parents but nothing is wrapped at the end in a nice pink bow. Slant ends of a note of youthful hope tempered with wiser knowledge. It's a multilayered coming-out novel that presents no easy answers.
From being constantly rebuffed in the dating scene to being mistaken for a Chinese restaurant delivery boy, James' years of feeling inadequate began to factor prominently in his life to the point where he hates himselfand everything Asian. I found this passage incredibly telling: In the American media, the dominating stereotype creator for the entire world, Asian males were either absent or portrayed as kung fu kicking Confucius spewing drones, comic relief sidekicks with accents, or Fu Manchu styled villains, and all of them asexual characters. Asian females were portrayed as evil dragon ladies to be fucked then killed by the white protagonist or submissive China dolls to be rescued, often from the Asian male villain, and then fucked by the white protagonist. Albeit the typecast, the women at least have a sex appeal that doesn’t extend to the male half of the race. In all Hollywood movies and TV shows, there was never a sex scene involving an Asian male. Even in Asia, “almond shaped eyes” that were extolled in books like The Dream of Red Chamber were now replaced by “large double lidded eyes with curled lashes” in the latest local editions of Vogue magazine. In Magazines and on Billboards in Tokyo, Seoul or Bangkok, more than half of the advertising features blond and blue eyed Caucasians rather than Asians.
James' self-hate begins to extend to everything Asian, which he starts to criticize or denigrate, from his feelings about the "smell" of Boston's Chinatown to his parents' fresh-off-the-boat appearance and attitudes. His relationship with Michael, a gay man who finds him attractive for more than just his looks, is clouded by the need to be more "Caucasian" to the extent of placing a partial payment for plastic surgery to give his eyelids more of a "Western" look.
There were times I wanted to slap James for being so whiny and self-loathing; other times his narrative hit a little too close to home, that sense of being a minority within a minority and still being invisible. The only huge quibble I had was the book was too short and I would havwe liked to have seen James have the long talk with his family before tragedy struck. It seemed as an easy way out, especially in regards to his mother, who ends up as the resident "tiger mom".
My only WTF moment came with the fact that I found another black character named "Tyrone". Can I please extract a pledge from ALL authors to not ever commit such horrible FAIL again? Seriously.
June 21, 2011
4.5 stars
Slant is Timothy Wang's debut novel. I could say that this is a coming out story because in a way it is, but that would be deceiving and simplistic to say the least. Instead, Wang places the main focus of this novel on racism experienced by Asian men within the gay community. He maintains that focus through excellent writing and by using the strong narrative voice of the main character James, a young man whose initial confusion about sexual identity is compounded by ethnicity.
As the only son of overprotective Chinese immigrant parents who migrated to the Midwest, James finds himself out of his depth, isolated and lost, while attempting to navigate Boston's gay community during his sophomore year at MIT. After meeting and losing his first 'boyfriend' Stan, a gorgeous bad boy who becomes an obsession, James changes.
James hates everything about himself, from his Asian features to his upbringing. The fact that he is often rejected for being Asian in the mostly preppy-oriented Boston gay community reinforces his self-loathing. After losing Stan, he embarks in an obsessive and self-destructive path filled with humiliations, sexual exploits, drugs, and eventually ends up cynically and emotionally manipulating a lover for money.
During this downward spiral into self-degradation, cultural and ethnic shame, Wang strongly conveys the anger and resentment James feels toward himself, his parents, the gay community, and mainstream society. Thankfully during James' raw tirade of 'hates,' Wang doesn't spare his main character from this malady or makes him out to be a victim. On the contrary, sadly through his self-loathing and frustrations James becomes a part of the whole as he exposes his own prejudices with more than a few judgmental statements of his own.
I hated older white men. They somehow thought that, even though they were in their sixties, they could still date an eighteen year old Asian boy. Much to my disgust, some Asian boys would date them.
The characters are strong and compelling in the almost real way in which they're rendered by the author. James as the Asian young man who goes from being awkwardly naive to cynically self-destructive while grasping for an identity; Stan as the charismatic, self-absorbed, reckless 'bad boy' who discards men like yesterday's news; and Michael, the preppy, wealthy young doctor who is portrayed as a good, if somewhat weak man, and is seen as an almost superficial, social snob, easily and ultimately willingly manipulated by James.
In Slant, Wang uses short chapters with a narrative voice that eases the reader into the story and gains strength and momentum as the full scope of the novel is revealed. The story flows as it maintains a quick, excellent pace with a strong plot and compelling characters that draw the reader from beginning to end, ending on a rather ambiguous note.
On a personal note I'll say that I devoured Mr. Wang's debut novel. After closing the last page, those last few ambiguous chapters left me thinking about his characters and their journey. I'm still thinking about James... and that's what it's all about, right? Timothy Wang is working on his second novel, I can't wait to see where he goes from here.
Original, full review at Impressions of a Reader
Slant is Timothy Wang's debut novel. I could say that this is a coming out story because in a way it is, but that would be deceiving and simplistic to say the least. Instead, Wang places the main focus of this novel on racism experienced by Asian men within the gay community. He maintains that focus through excellent writing and by using the strong narrative voice of the main character James, a young man whose initial confusion about sexual identity is compounded by ethnicity.
As the only son of overprotective Chinese immigrant parents who migrated to the Midwest, James finds himself out of his depth, isolated and lost, while attempting to navigate Boston's gay community during his sophomore year at MIT. After meeting and losing his first 'boyfriend' Stan, a gorgeous bad boy who becomes an obsession, James changes.
James hates everything about himself, from his Asian features to his upbringing. The fact that he is often rejected for being Asian in the mostly preppy-oriented Boston gay community reinforces his self-loathing. After losing Stan, he embarks in an obsessive and self-destructive path filled with humiliations, sexual exploits, drugs, and eventually ends up cynically and emotionally manipulating a lover for money.
During this downward spiral into self-degradation, cultural and ethnic shame, Wang strongly conveys the anger and resentment James feels toward himself, his parents, the gay community, and mainstream society. Thankfully during James' raw tirade of 'hates,' Wang doesn't spare his main character from this malady or makes him out to be a victim. On the contrary, sadly through his self-loathing and frustrations James becomes a part of the whole as he exposes his own prejudices with more than a few judgmental statements of his own.
I hated older white men. They somehow thought that, even though they were in their sixties, they could still date an eighteen year old Asian boy. Much to my disgust, some Asian boys would date them.
The characters are strong and compelling in the almost real way in which they're rendered by the author. James as the Asian young man who goes from being awkwardly naive to cynically self-destructive while grasping for an identity; Stan as the charismatic, self-absorbed, reckless 'bad boy' who discards men like yesterday's news; and Michael, the preppy, wealthy young doctor who is portrayed as a good, if somewhat weak man, and is seen as an almost superficial, social snob, easily and ultimately willingly manipulated by James.
In Slant, Wang uses short chapters with a narrative voice that eases the reader into the story and gains strength and momentum as the full scope of the novel is revealed. The story flows as it maintains a quick, excellent pace with a strong plot and compelling characters that draw the reader from beginning to end, ending on a rather ambiguous note.
On a personal note I'll say that I devoured Mr. Wang's debut novel. After closing the last page, those last few ambiguous chapters left me thinking about his characters and their journey. I'm still thinking about James... and that's what it's all about, right? Timothy Wang is working on his second novel, I can't wait to see where he goes from here.
Original, full review at Impressions of a Reader
April 16, 2014
This book was not quite what I expected. From the blurb and the first few chapters, I made the (incorrect) assumption that this was going to be a light romance novel. I was wrong! This novel tackles race, racism (especially in the queer scene), familial issues, safer-sex, drugs and more. I was pleasantly surprised by the novel's depth. Not exactly a heavy-read, but not something light and breezy either. I really enjoyed it.
I must admit, I was not really sold on the main character's love interest. I personally couldn't understand why what there was to like. However, I do like the way the book ended.
I must admit, I was not really sold on the main character's love interest. I personally couldn't understand why what there was to like. However, I do like the way the book ended.
January 26, 2012
Gay? Asian? Nerdy college in Cambridge? So promising! But in execution so terrible. "He was hot. Would he look at me? I stumbled and dropped my coffee. How embarrassing! But then another hot guy helpd me, so it was okay"-type tweener diary writing. The description of the first time the protagonist has sex with a man is at once overshare and not enough detail to be interesting. It takes extra effort to make sex UNINTERESTING to read about!
I really wanted to like this book more but it ended up being one of those that I threw across the room in disgust because of the writing.
I really wanted to like this book more but it ended up being one of those that I threw across the room in disgust because of the writing.
August 11, 2011
Publisher: Tincture (an imprint of Lethe Press)
Pages: 211
James, an Asian college student, thought coming out of the closet would be his toughest task. What he couldn’t foresee, but experienced head on, was the discrimination inside Boston’s gay community. The road to love is never easy, especially for a geeky Asian inside a sea of white, round-eyed faces.
After months of failures, James catches the guy of his dreams, Stan, but can only hang on to him for a few precious months. Stan is a man who lives on the edge and goes through boyfriends as fast as he goes through clean socks. Once the relationship slides from lovers to friends, James begins dating a doctor who has it all – hot car, glamorous flat, money to burn – in order to make Stan jealous and lure him back. But as I said, the road to love is never easy, or what you expect.
A wonderful debut novel… I must confess that I’ve grown tired of coming out stories, but this is not your typical coming out story. It has true depth, grace, and vividly drawn characters that entice the reader into this beautifully crafted yarn. It delves into the racism that is rampant in the gay community, and also of one person’s struggle to assimilate. The emotions and concerns are genuine, and carry the reader along.
The first half of the story focused more on discrimination Asians experience within the gay community. For James, this leads to self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy, and then grows into self-hate. The second half deals more with relationships and the needs of partners with a relationship.
What struck me even more than the insightful observations was the superlative writing. Timothy Wang tells a simple yarn with an unrivaled voice. Wang writes with the refinement of a seasoned professional.
I did have two minor issues with this story. The first came when James, after complaining bitterly about the discrimination directed at him for being Asian, shows that he is equally prejudice against rice queens – older men dating young Asians. As a gentleman of some years, I found James’s age discrimination a bit distasteful and thoroughly hypocritical.
My second issue is that I felt the ending fizzled. Wang kept both the tension and my interest high until the last ten pages, and then I closed the book feeling slightly let down. I’m not sure I would have preferred a different ending, but perhaps a bit more thought into what was gained and what was lost would have made the ending more satisfying.
Those two minor issues aside, I can highly recommend Slant.
Pages: 211
James, an Asian college student, thought coming out of the closet would be his toughest task. What he couldn’t foresee, but experienced head on, was the discrimination inside Boston’s gay community. The road to love is never easy, especially for a geeky Asian inside a sea of white, round-eyed faces.
After months of failures, James catches the guy of his dreams, Stan, but can only hang on to him for a few precious months. Stan is a man who lives on the edge and goes through boyfriends as fast as he goes through clean socks. Once the relationship slides from lovers to friends, James begins dating a doctor who has it all – hot car, glamorous flat, money to burn – in order to make Stan jealous and lure him back. But as I said, the road to love is never easy, or what you expect.
A wonderful debut novel… I must confess that I’ve grown tired of coming out stories, but this is not your typical coming out story. It has true depth, grace, and vividly drawn characters that entice the reader into this beautifully crafted yarn. It delves into the racism that is rampant in the gay community, and also of one person’s struggle to assimilate. The emotions and concerns are genuine, and carry the reader along.
The first half of the story focused more on discrimination Asians experience within the gay community. For James, this leads to self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy, and then grows into self-hate. The second half deals more with relationships and the needs of partners with a relationship.
What struck me even more than the insightful observations was the superlative writing. Timothy Wang tells a simple yarn with an unrivaled voice. Wang writes with the refinement of a seasoned professional.
I did have two minor issues with this story. The first came when James, after complaining bitterly about the discrimination directed at him for being Asian, shows that he is equally prejudice against rice queens – older men dating young Asians. As a gentleman of some years, I found James’s age discrimination a bit distasteful and thoroughly hypocritical.
My second issue is that I felt the ending fizzled. Wang kept both the tension and my interest high until the last ten pages, and then I closed the book feeling slightly let down. I’m not sure I would have preferred a different ending, but perhaps a bit more thought into what was gained and what was lost would have made the ending more satisfying.
Those two minor issues aside, I can highly recommend Slant.
Read
March 4, 2012Slant is a novel a novel that affirms and denies itself in one word: cute. Everything seems to make it cute, the main character, James, 19 years old, is young, virgin, cute. But James will try everything to deny the cuteness of this incipit, almost becoming a dirty angel, trying to destroy his innocence. He is Chinese-American but he has a complex about his heritage, a complex that unfortunately is not without reason. He goes to MIT, he is clever and pretty, but he is always comparing himself to the next guy, and most time than not he comes out as the looser in his mind. Doesn’t matter that apparently James has no problem to hook up, when he first decides he wants a boyfriend he meets Stan, an waiter wanna-be artist, young and beautiful, but dangerous. Stan is a party animal and he drags James in a perilous path towards unprotected sex and use of drugs as recreational activity. But Stan is like a drug himself, and James seems unable to renounce to him. When Stan dumps him, James uses Michael to rebound. Michael was James’s friend, obviously smitten by James, and even if at the time he had another boyfriend, Michael would have been more than willing to break-up with his boyfriend for James.
James, Stan and Michael are so full of faults since they are so true. If you pick them up one by one, considering them and their actions, they all come out as faulty; Stan is so vain and careless that you should hate him, but in the end he has never forced James to do anything he didn’t want; Michael is caring and generous, but truth be told, I felt like he wanted a boy-toy more than a boyfriend; James has an analytical mind, but when he arrives to the boyfriend material, he is really able to commit the worst mistakes. But the faultiness of its characters it’s not at all a fault of the novel, on the contrary, it’s probably what it makes the novel so good.
The novel doesn’t have a traditional happily ever after, but it has hope, James will manage to reconcile with his heritage and in that way he will be able to accept himself; accepting himself, he will be probably able to really start his life, something that, in Slant, he has not really yet done.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590211219/?...
James, Stan and Michael are so full of faults since they are so true. If you pick them up one by one, considering them and their actions, they all come out as faulty; Stan is so vain and careless that you should hate him, but in the end he has never forced James to do anything he didn’t want; Michael is caring and generous, but truth be told, I felt like he wanted a boy-toy more than a boyfriend; James has an analytical mind, but when he arrives to the boyfriend material, he is really able to commit the worst mistakes. But the faultiness of its characters it’s not at all a fault of the novel, on the contrary, it’s probably what it makes the novel so good.
The novel doesn’t have a traditional happily ever after, but it has hope, James will manage to reconcile with his heritage and in that way he will be able to accept himself; accepting himself, he will be probably able to really start his life, something that, in Slant, he has not really yet done.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590211219/?...
November 19, 2012
Rarely have I had a coming of age be such a page turner. The hero wrestles with his inner villain; you won't be disappointed by his quest
November 14, 2023
I found myself profoundly touched by Slant, admittedly due in large part to how much I could relate to the protagonist's inner turmoil regarding how to fit in with the "mainstream" (predominantly Caucasian) gay world as a gay Asian (or "gaysian" for short, a term I happen to like and will be using in this review.) Honestly, I picked up this book simply expecting a saccharine m/m romance and was surprised by how much this novel delved into deeper topics like racism in the gay community, having an ethnicity-based inferiority complex, going to morally dubious lengths in order to assimilate, etcetera. Despite my expectations of reading another light-hearted (and perhaps even comedic) love story being totally subverted, I did not at all mind ending up with something completely different than what I had anticipated. In fact, that Slant turned out to be so thought-provoking made the book all the more a compelling and memorable read for me.
The protagonist is James, a gay Asian MIT student, who begins dating Stan, a remarkably handsome white barista/aspiring artist. Stan is much more experienced than James is in regards to sex, drugs, and the whole gay scene in general. After Stan unceremoniously dumps James, the latter is left utterly devastated and completely hellbent on winning back the former. (And who can blame him? I've never been as sprung off of a literary character as I was with Stan while reading this book, sigh.) James resorts to some desperate measures, including getting into another relationship in an attempt to make Stan jealous of his new boyfriend Michael, but his efforts are all ultimately in vain and he never reconciles with his beloved Stan. Having had the misfortune of not meaning as much to someone as he did to me, one excerpt that filled my heart with a sense of painful familiarity was "The nonchalant way he spoke to me about his new guy was like our fling never happened. I wanted to confront him, but I feared his response, feared that the night we shared, that meant so much to me, meant so little to him."(p.158)
But as I mentioned, Slant is a novel whose appeal extends far beyond the plot. Not to say that the plot is uninteresting, though; for me, this book was a definite page turner and I found myself heavily invested in James's mission to get back with his smoking hot ex-beau. Honestly, I maintain that the plot alone makes it a worthwhile read. However, it is James's insecurities and his desperation to fit in, not to mention his ruminations about the experience of being a racial outsider in the gay world, that make Slant so riveting.
Any queer person of color learns early on that the term "gay community" is a misnomer, implying that we homosexuals are a unified and inclusive group that welcomes our gay brothers of all colors, shapes and sizes with open arms when nothing is further from the truth. There is just as much racism, if not even more so, found amongst gay men as there is amongst heterosexuals. Certain "gayborhoods" like West Hollywood are notorious for making queers of color feel unwelcome and ostracized. With such a hostile atmosphere towards non-Caucasians, gay minorities can either stick to gay ethnic environments (ie: gay Latino bars/clubs, black gay pride festivals, etcetera) or they can strive for acceptance in the predominantly white mainstream gay scene. James attempts to do the latter, for a while considering having cosmetic surgery done in order to make his facial features (even if only minimally) more Caucasian. He even goes so far as fabricating a lie about his mother having a terminal illness and needing five thousand dollars for an experimental medical treatment so that Michael would unknowingly loan him the money he needs for the aforementioned survey. Although I completely disapproved of James taking advantage of Michael's feelings for him to acquire that money, his desperation to look less Asian is one aspect of the plot that deeply resonated with me. The fact that I used to wear green contact lenses and even bleached my hair at one point is a huge hint of how eager I was to minimize the "Asianness" of my physical appearance as much as possible.
Altering one's face to look more white may seem (and indeed is) a drastic way of gaining acceptance in the gay scene, but it underscores the reality of the world's standards of beauty. Although quite a bit of progress has been made towards acknowledging attractiveness in people of all colors and ethnicities, Caucasian features like blond hair, blue eyes and fair skin continue to be what is universally recognized as a good-looking face. Throughout my life, I've often found myself wishing that I had been born with less of an Asian appearance. Even more so being gay, I've always been unable to help but thinking how much better my life would be and a happier person I'd be had I been born looking white. As James observes "Guys who said they didn't care about the race of the guy they dated were liars. Everyone has a preference. And white was the majority preference within all ethnicities" (p.86). I've always sincerely believed that I'd have more selection of guys and more opportunities for long term relationships if I was white; that I'd already be living with an adoring husband in a cozy suburban home somewhere, fulfilling my lifelong dream of meeting "Mr. Right" and finally having the happily ever after that I've yearned for my entire life. I'd like to say that at my age I've overcome those racial insecurities of mine, but it's still a work in progress. Hence my empathy with James' desire to surgically reconstruct his face to look at least a little less Asian for the sake of achieving the acceptance and desirability in the gay scene that he so desperately longs for.
With so few gaysian novels having been published, Slant helps fill a tremendously conspicuous void in the realm of queer fiction. It'd be nice to see more novels written by AAPI GLBT authors, but for the time being I'm so glad I read this title. It's one of those books that has truly touched my soul and will remain a part of me for the rest of my life.
The protagonist is James, a gay Asian MIT student, who begins dating Stan, a remarkably handsome white barista/aspiring artist. Stan is much more experienced than James is in regards to sex, drugs, and the whole gay scene in general. After Stan unceremoniously dumps James, the latter is left utterly devastated and completely hellbent on winning back the former. (And who can blame him? I've never been as sprung off of a literary character as I was with Stan while reading this book, sigh.) James resorts to some desperate measures, including getting into another relationship in an attempt to make Stan jealous of his new boyfriend Michael, but his efforts are all ultimately in vain and he never reconciles with his beloved Stan. Having had the misfortune of not meaning as much to someone as he did to me, one excerpt that filled my heart with a sense of painful familiarity was "The nonchalant way he spoke to me about his new guy was like our fling never happened. I wanted to confront him, but I feared his response, feared that the night we shared, that meant so much to me, meant so little to him."(p.158)
But as I mentioned, Slant is a novel whose appeal extends far beyond the plot. Not to say that the plot is uninteresting, though; for me, this book was a definite page turner and I found myself heavily invested in James's mission to get back with his smoking hot ex-beau. Honestly, I maintain that the plot alone makes it a worthwhile read. However, it is James's insecurities and his desperation to fit in, not to mention his ruminations about the experience of being a racial outsider in the gay world, that make Slant so riveting.
Any queer person of color learns early on that the term "gay community" is a misnomer, implying that we homosexuals are a unified and inclusive group that welcomes our gay brothers of all colors, shapes and sizes with open arms when nothing is further from the truth. There is just as much racism, if not even more so, found amongst gay men as there is amongst heterosexuals. Certain "gayborhoods" like West Hollywood are notorious for making queers of color feel unwelcome and ostracized. With such a hostile atmosphere towards non-Caucasians, gay minorities can either stick to gay ethnic environments (ie: gay Latino bars/clubs, black gay pride festivals, etcetera) or they can strive for acceptance in the predominantly white mainstream gay scene. James attempts to do the latter, for a while considering having cosmetic surgery done in order to make his facial features (even if only minimally) more Caucasian. He even goes so far as fabricating a lie about his mother having a terminal illness and needing five thousand dollars for an experimental medical treatment so that Michael would unknowingly loan him the money he needs for the aforementioned survey. Although I completely disapproved of James taking advantage of Michael's feelings for him to acquire that money, his desperation to look less Asian is one aspect of the plot that deeply resonated with me. The fact that I used to wear green contact lenses and even bleached my hair at one point is a huge hint of how eager I was to minimize the "Asianness" of my physical appearance as much as possible.
Altering one's face to look more white may seem (and indeed is) a drastic way of gaining acceptance in the gay scene, but it underscores the reality of the world's standards of beauty. Although quite a bit of progress has been made towards acknowledging attractiveness in people of all colors and ethnicities, Caucasian features like blond hair, blue eyes and fair skin continue to be what is universally recognized as a good-looking face. Throughout my life, I've often found myself wishing that I had been born with less of an Asian appearance. Even more so being gay, I've always been unable to help but thinking how much better my life would be and a happier person I'd be had I been born looking white. As James observes "Guys who said they didn't care about the race of the guy they dated were liars. Everyone has a preference. And white was the majority preference within all ethnicities" (p.86). I've always sincerely believed that I'd have more selection of guys and more opportunities for long term relationships if I was white; that I'd already be living with an adoring husband in a cozy suburban home somewhere, fulfilling my lifelong dream of meeting "Mr. Right" and finally having the happily ever after that I've yearned for my entire life. I'd like to say that at my age I've overcome those racial insecurities of mine, but it's still a work in progress. Hence my empathy with James' desire to surgically reconstruct his face to look at least a little less Asian for the sake of achieving the acceptance and desirability in the gay scene that he so desperately longs for.
With so few gaysian novels having been published, Slant helps fill a tremendously conspicuous void in the realm of queer fiction. It'd be nice to see more novels written by AAPI GLBT authors, but for the time being I'm so glad I read this title. It's one of those books that has truly touched my soul and will remain a part of me for the rest of my life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 13, 2011Because this is my book, I will post links to reviews from other media.
Edge Magazine (A widely distributed gay magazine with many local editions in USA):
http://www.edgesanfrancisco.com/index...
8asians: A popular Asian American website.
http://www.8asians.com/2011/07/12/sla...
Impressions of a Reader Blog:
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2...
Dorothyscloset Seattle:
http://www.dorothysclosetseattle.com/...
Examiner:
http://www.examiner.com/glbt-literary...
Edge Magazine (A widely distributed gay magazine with many local editions in USA):
http://www.edgesanfrancisco.com/index...
8asians: A popular Asian American website.
http://www.8asians.com/2011/07/12/sla...
Impressions of a Reader Blog:
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2...
Dorothyscloset Seattle:
http://www.dorothysclosetseattle.com/...
Examiner:
http://www.examiner.com/glbt-literary...
April 16, 2014
I really enjoyed Timothy Wang's book, James was a very interesting character and I really wanted the book to be longer.I look forward to his next book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews