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The View From a Rusty Train Car
“No one talks about what happens when you fall in love with the boy next door -- not when you’re the boy living beside the boy next door.”
Jared didn’t want to do it, but it had to be done. Someone had to sit before the government hearing to explain why a gay man was nothing to be vilified, nothing to be hated or feared... that he was just a man. That is what Jared Montgomery is determined to do. He does so by sharing his story – his and Luke’s story – in the hopes that perhaps even just one more person could understand.
Luke and Jared were battling the odds from the beginning. Growing up beside each other, being best friends, they soon learned that if they wanted to share each other’s company, it had to be done in secret, in the confines of the old train car behind the junkyard. There, they were free of the taunts and jibes, the ridicule and hatred... or were they?
Unable to embrace who he is, unable to deal with the tactics used by his family to ‘cure’ him, Luke forces himself into a traditional marriage that is doomed from the start. His true, self-denied love for Jared, and the hatred surrounding it, is killing him. The question is, can Jared get to him before it is too late?
Jared didn’t want to do it, but it had to be done. Someone had to sit before the government hearing to explain why a gay man was nothing to be vilified, nothing to be hated or feared... that he was just a man. That is what Jared Montgomery is determined to do. He does so by sharing his story – his and Luke’s story – in the hopes that perhaps even just one more person could understand.
Luke and Jared were battling the odds from the beginning. Growing up beside each other, being best friends, they soon learned that if they wanted to share each other’s company, it had to be done in secret, in the confines of the old train car behind the junkyard. There, they were free of the taunts and jibes, the ridicule and hatred... or were they?
Unable to embrace who he is, unable to deal with the tactics used by his family to ‘cure’ him, Luke forces himself into a traditional marriage that is doomed from the start. His true, self-denied love for Jared, and the hatred surrounding it, is killing him. The question is, can Jared get to him before it is too late?
- GenresM M RomanceLGBTAbuse
322 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2012
2 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
About the author
DeeJay Arens
3 books13 followers2013 Next Generation Indie Book of the Year Award Winner ~ GLBT
2012 ForeWord Book of the Year Award Finalist ~ GLBT
2012 ForeWord Book of the Year Award Finalist ~ GLBT
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 16, 2013
A coming of age and coming out story spanning decades, continents and emotions. Highly recommended for readers looking for a reality check. The sweet moments are contrasted well with overwhelming tragedy in very real moments that really hit home.
THE CHARACTERS
As the blade sliced into his skin he screamed. “God, forgive me!”
Jared - Shy, honest, innocent. He narrates part of the story. I love his outlook and his growth and I feel his pain. His strength is apparent in the way he is able to carry on.
”I wish I could be who you want me to be.”
Luke - From fresh and cheeky to confused and remorseful he really got under my skin.
”…I’m not saying ‘no’. I’m saying ‘not yet’.”
Derrick - A dream man. Or is he? Wow, I've never been so unsure of a character before. I thought I loved him, then I absolutely hated him. Then.....
THE STORY
There are two timelines going on in this book. One is current, the other relives the past.
”L Loves J – Forever”
Eleven year old Jared is new in town. Luckily, Luke is bold enough to make fast friends. Growing up, they very innocently learn about life, friends, family and love and they overcome youthful challenges together. As the two boys discover their world, and each other, they are inseparable, until they are, indeed, separated. Luke is sent away to "camp" to be straightened out, while leaving Jared behind completely unaware. This is just the beginning to an uplifting yet tragic story.
”It’s just that simple. I love you!”
Be prepared to care about these boys, to get angry at the world and find hope in an unabashed message.
THE WRITING
I was impressed with the way the author was able to age the voice of the characters as they matured and the story became more complex. I felt like I was really watching two young boys grow into men and that gave me a connection I didn’t expect.
Some editing issues caused me moments of pause, for instance, some italics were omitted in thought dialog. Overall, I found the writing to move forward quickly.
____
I ran the gamut of emotions. Everything from adoring sighs to heart-wrenching sobs. I was left with a feeling of completeness but also resolve in my conviction that love is love and there is progress to be made.
Unfortunately real life interfered with my review of this book. I read it and then wasn't able to get to the review for a few weeks. So, I reread the book to make a fresh attempt. I'm so glad that I did. This book really benefits from a bit of a reread. It begins at the end, which is another beginning.
--My thanks to DeeJay Arens for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
September 10, 2012
I was thinking about something the other day. Never has my family screamed at me or shunned me because of who I dated. Plus, I've never been harassed or taken a punch because of who I kissed or held hands with. Not only that, but when I got married, I did so in the pinko commie state of Massachusetts; however, I could have gotten married in whatever part of the country I wanted. It's truly amazing.
Wait. No, it isn't amazing. That's how it's supposed to be.
I read DeeJay Arens' debut novel The View From a Rusty Train Car from Writers AMuse Me Publishing in three days on breaks during a conference in San Francisco, of all places. I could hardly put it down. While also being touching and well-written, this book reminds us that all of these things I mentioned earlier should not be taken for granted. It's a story of two men in love, and the consequences of that love.
In a time of angry pro and anti Chick-Fil-A arguments, Arens presents a normal love story. Well, it should be a normal love story; it's really anything but. Not because of the same-sex nature of the love, but rather the reaction to it. It's a tale that everyone - whether strongly for gay marriage, decidedly against it, or somewhere in between - should read.
It is a love story. Not a rant, as it could be. And if you think the things that happen in it are far-fetched, do some Googling. For that, other than the writing itself, is the amazing thing about Arens' novel. It all happens. We'll all be ashamed of it one day, but it happens. But to Arens' credit, the numerous antagonists are never presented as hateful bigots, but rather - as they often are in real life - childish thugs, disapproving family members, or the overly-religious.
There's been a lot said and written about gay rights over the years. Do yourself a favor, especially if you're more likely to be in opposition, and read The View From a Rusty Train Car. If it doesn't get you thinking, I don't know what will.
Wait. No, it isn't amazing. That's how it's supposed to be.
I read DeeJay Arens' debut novel The View From a Rusty Train Car from Writers AMuse Me Publishing in three days on breaks during a conference in San Francisco, of all places. I could hardly put it down. While also being touching and well-written, this book reminds us that all of these things I mentioned earlier should not be taken for granted. It's a story of two men in love, and the consequences of that love.
In a time of angry pro and anti Chick-Fil-A arguments, Arens presents a normal love story. Well, it should be a normal love story; it's really anything but. Not because of the same-sex nature of the love, but rather the reaction to it. It's a tale that everyone - whether strongly for gay marriage, decidedly against it, or somewhere in between - should read.
It is a love story. Not a rant, as it could be. And if you think the things that happen in it are far-fetched, do some Googling. For that, other than the writing itself, is the amazing thing about Arens' novel. It all happens. We'll all be ashamed of it one day, but it happens. But to Arens' credit, the numerous antagonists are never presented as hateful bigots, but rather - as they often are in real life - childish thugs, disapproving family members, or the overly-religious.
There's been a lot said and written about gay rights over the years. Do yourself a favor, especially if you're more likely to be in opposition, and read The View From a Rusty Train Car. If it doesn't get you thinking, I don't know what will.
September 4, 2014
DeeJay Arens has written a thoughtful love story. Jared and Luke were two innocent boys that became friends and happened to fall in love. It deepened as they grew up together, and the ugly prejudice in our society made life difficult. It's an intimate inside look on how it might feel to be victimized by this type of homophobic behavior. Bullying. Preachers saying gays and lesbians will have the wrath of God. Family disapproval. Camps to “fix” them - all over their sexual orientation. Something we are born with.
The author is wonderful at pulling the reader into the story and making them feel the emotions the characters are experiencing. This book kept me up turning pages until late in the night all the way to it's satisfying conclusion. It's a love story mixed with social and political issues, all wrapped up into one entertaining read. Highly recommended!
The author is wonderful at pulling the reader into the story and making them feel the emotions the characters are experiencing. This book kept me up turning pages until late in the night all the way to it's satisfying conclusion. It's a love story mixed with social and political issues, all wrapped up into one entertaining read. Highly recommended!
November 25, 2012
4.5
An overwhelming story of friendship, love and the unfairness of the society we live in.
Jared is the new kid in town who instantly finds himself befriended by Luke. They are as different as night and day, but perfect together. While Jared is a shy loner who prefers to keep to himself, Luke is the friendly next door neighbor who welcomes him with opens his arms. They are inseparable and their bond is strong enough to withstand anything. Or so they hope.
From their younger days as friends, through their adolescence as lovers until their lives as adults, Jared and Luke's story is one of love and of hate, of new found love and devastating loss, of new discoveries and repeated let downs. This is their story.
As young boys they find the joy of friendship and brotherhood but also experience the pain of what it means to be themselves in a society that looks down upon the ones that are 'different'. Their innocence and the beauty of their love is tainted by this and Luke never rebounds from that. He questions himself and his feelings for Jared. He has no one to turn to ask for guidance and he loses his way. His confusion and pain, so very palpable throughout the page, is overwhelming. From the beginning he wins a piece of my heart and I want to shelter him from it all - from the hurt and the pain, from the confusion and the fear. His inner struggles frustrate me and his self-hatred infuriates me because he shouldn't be made to feel this way, but it is his unending love for Jared and his acceptance of that love in the end what does me in. It was beautiful. It truly was.
Jared, what can I say about him? From an insecure, shy boy whose whole world revolves around Luke and his love for him, he grows to be an assertive young man who stands for what he believes in and for what he feels. He is dealt some horrible cards and some may say that he runs away from his problems, but I see it as him doing the best he can in unbearable situations. His development is a joy to read, but it is not an easy feat. I am with him every step of the way so I see how much he is broken and how deep his pain is. He encounters horrible events and circumstances that are way beyond his control but he pulls himself together and eventually learns to stand on his on.
As you can probably tell by now, this book touched me deeply.
This coming of age story is filled with complex characters, both main and secondary, who grew throughout the story and who were real to me. Of course, most of all I enjoyed Jared and Luke. I enjoyed their interactions, their development and their connection. The writing was amazing, from the range of emotions to the overwhelming series of events presented in the page, the author, DeeJay Arens, gives us a great debut novel. From beginning to end, everything the author expressed on the page came beautifully together to make a great read. It is not light read, but it is a beautiful story of love lost and new beginnings.
An overwhelming story of friendship, love and the unfairness of the society we live in.
Jared is the new kid in town who instantly finds himself befriended by Luke. They are as different as night and day, but perfect together. While Jared is a shy loner who prefers to keep to himself, Luke is the friendly next door neighbor who welcomes him with opens his arms. They are inseparable and their bond is strong enough to withstand anything. Or so they hope.
From their younger days as friends, through their adolescence as lovers until their lives as adults, Jared and Luke's story is one of love and of hate, of new found love and devastating loss, of new discoveries and repeated let downs. This is their story.
As young boys they find the joy of friendship and brotherhood but also experience the pain of what it means to be themselves in a society that looks down upon the ones that are 'different'. Their innocence and the beauty of their love is tainted by this and Luke never rebounds from that. He questions himself and his feelings for Jared. He has no one to turn to ask for guidance and he loses his way. His confusion and pain, so very palpable throughout the page, is overwhelming. From the beginning he wins a piece of my heart and I want to shelter him from it all - from the hurt and the pain, from the confusion and the fear. His inner struggles frustrate me and his self-hatred infuriates me because he shouldn't be made to feel this way, but it is his unending love for Jared and his acceptance of that love in the end what does me in. It was beautiful. It truly was.
Jared, what can I say about him? From an insecure, shy boy whose whole world revolves around Luke and his love for him, he grows to be an assertive young man who stands for what he believes in and for what he feels. He is dealt some horrible cards and some may say that he runs away from his problems, but I see it as him doing the best he can in unbearable situations. His development is a joy to read, but it is not an easy feat. I am with him every step of the way so I see how much he is broken and how deep his pain is. He encounters horrible events and circumstances that are way beyond his control but he pulls himself together and eventually learns to stand on his on.
As you can probably tell by now, this book touched me deeply.
This coming of age story is filled with complex characters, both main and secondary, who grew throughout the story and who were real to me. Of course, most of all I enjoyed Jared and Luke. I enjoyed their interactions, their development and their connection. The writing was amazing, from the range of emotions to the overwhelming series of events presented in the page, the author, DeeJay Arens, gives us a great debut novel. From beginning to end, everything the author expressed on the page came beautifully together to make a great read. It is not light read, but it is a beautiful story of love lost and new beginnings.
January 18, 2013
This book is one of these books I'll always remember and I will re-read for sure.
It's the life and love story of Jared and Luke. Both of them are very likeable characters, but sometimes during this book I had the urge to grab them and shake them for all it's worth.
There was love, passion, trust, longing, but also weakness, cowardice, stubbornness and pain.
People around them stood in their way, prevented Jed and Luke from happiness and their love for each other, they were violent, ignorant and heartless. If you have family members like that, you don't need any enemies, sad, but true in this story.
Though, Jed's family has been a little better than Luke's, but still they did nothing to support both men and chose to ignore everything about their relationship (come on, it's a cheap excuse to pretend they didn't had a clue...Jed's mother confessed it at last, that deep in her heart she knew what was really going on between Jed and Luke)
The development of this book was heartbreaking and I couldn't stop a few tears, it was so sad what happened to this young men.
The Author did a very good job to describe their feelings, the phrasing was wonderful and the story had fine flow. I loved this book even though it left me very sad at the end.
Sometimes you realize what you've lost when it's too late.
It's the life and love story of Jared and Luke. Both of them are very likeable characters, but sometimes during this book I had the urge to grab them and shake them for all it's worth.
There was love, passion, trust, longing, but also weakness, cowardice, stubbornness and pain.
People around them stood in their way, prevented Jed and Luke from happiness and their love for each other, they were violent, ignorant and heartless. If you have family members like that, you don't need any enemies, sad, but true in this story.
Though, Jed's family has been a little better than Luke's, but still they did nothing to support both men and chose to ignore everything about their relationship (come on, it's a cheap excuse to pretend they didn't had a clue...Jed's mother confessed it at last, that deep in her heart she knew what was really going on between Jed and Luke)
The development of this book was heartbreaking and I couldn't stop a few tears, it was so sad what happened to this young men.
The Author did a very good job to describe their feelings, the phrasing was wonderful and the story had fine flow. I loved this book even though it left me very sad at the end.
Sometimes you realize what you've lost when it's too late.
November 17, 2014
Reviewed for THC Reviews
The View from a Rusty Train Car is a very moving and emotional story of two young boys who became inseparable best friends, and in doing so, discovered a love for one another of which their families and society did not approve. It ended up being a heart-wrenching, tearjerker of a read that I was not expecting when I started it. Perhaps because a few GoodReads users had this book shelved as M/M romance, I began reading it under the mistaken impression that it was a romance, but it really isn't. It's a coming of age story. It's a dramatic story about friendship and family connections. It's a story about why it's so important to be true to ourselves. Most of all, I saw it as a story about how the choices we make in life can adversely affect not only ourselves, but also everyone we care about and sometimes even those we love the most. It does have a romantic element to it, and it is a story about undying love, but at its heart, this is definitely not a romance. Why, you may ask? Well, simply because it doesn't follow the typical romance formula of readers getting to know the two main characters as they are getting to know each other, watching them as they go through the stages of courtship and falling in love, and eventually ending with marriage or a permanent commitment that leads to an HEA ending. The View from a Rusty Train Car follows the two main protagonists through more than a decade of their lives from childhood well into adulthood. It follows them through the ups and downs of their relationship and the choices they make that ultimately keep them apart for several years. And while it has an optimistic ending for one of them, there was no future for them together, which left me feeling depressed and heartbroken.
Jared moved into Luke's neighborhood when they were only eleven years old. They became fast friends who were inseparable and did nearly everything together. They built a tree fort, but their special, secret hideout was inside the old rusty train car behind the junkyard. There, they spent hours playing, and it became a place where they could escape the world around them and just be with each other. Having this secret spot became increasingly important as they grew older and realized they were falling in love. From a very early age, Jared knew what he wanted and that was to marry Luke, although of course, in his young innocence, he didn't understand that his dream would be impossible in the era in which they lived (the late 1980's and 1990's). As his understanding increased with age, Jared kept his sexual identity to himself, but he pretty much always accepted the fact that he was gay. Luke, on the other hand, knew he loved Jared and a part of him wanted the same thing Jared did, but he struggled more with his sexuality and with feelings that his desires weren't right. This only got worse when his strict mother discovered Luke's love for Jared and forced him into a boy's camp that was designed to “fix” him. He was in the camp for a year, during which Jared believed Luke had abandoned him and their love. After that, they saw each other in person only once within the next five years, and it was a disastrous meeting that ended in heartbreak for both of them. By then, Jared had moved to Seattle to attend college and had begun a relationship with another man, while Luke had returned from the camp, believing that the only right thing for him to do was to enter into a traditional marriage with a woman. The next few years were difficult ones for both of them, especially Luke, whose health went into a steep decline. His ailment is never named, but given that his heart is failing, I think the author was using it as a metaphor for a broken heart. Reading about Luke in that state, broke my own heart into a million pieces, and while I understood Jared's anger, I felt like he held a grudge for too long. That ends up being one of those many choices I mentioned that he has to learn to live with.
I was very moved by Jared and Luke's story, and I liked them both very much. However, I still couldn't help feeling like the author could have deepened their characterizations a little more. We know that they love with their whole being, which is something I can admire. We also understand how much of a strain their relationship and Luke's inability to embrace it affects them, on both a physical and emotional level, but we learn precious little about each of them as individuals outside of their relationship to one another. We learn a little about their outside interests as the story progresses, but what I really wanted to know was what their temperaments were like and what their hopes and dreams for the future were. Their individual personalities didn't quite come to life for me in the way the characters in some other stories have. In fact, I don't even recall the author giving any physical description of either young man at any point in the story, so I had to envision them in my own way. Then toward the very end, he finally mentions that Luke is blonde when I'd been imagining him as having dark hair.
The main reason, however, that I gave this book four stars instead of the full five is that I thought the writing itself could have been stronger in places. First, the blocking (showing where a character is and what they're doing) during dialog often felt choppy and inconsistent. One minute the character might be standing in one place and the next they're clear across the room, or in one paragraph, they're sitting down and two paragraphs later, they're sitting down again. More action details and more attention to continuity were sorely needed to clearly envision these scenes. My next issue is that the author frequently has the characters talking out loud to themselves. In these instances, I think it would have been more beneficial to deepen their internal introspection instead, which probably would have also taken care of my earlier problem with feeling like I didn't get to know the characters as well as I would have liked. Another small problem is some repetition in the form of pretty much all the characters who have any significant page time crying a lot, and everyone doing way too much “sneering.” My final minor complaint is that Jared is basically telling his and Luke's story before a Senate hearing, so there are a few passages throughout written in first person POV to denote the present day. However, there is virtually nothing to indicate exactly what he's doing until the final chapter. If I hadn't read the cover blurb before reading the book, I wouldn't have had a clue what was going on in those scenes, so actually stating what he was doing earlier would have been helpful. Better editing overall would have cleared up most of these problems and shaped the book into one that I easily could have said was a perfect read.
Otherwise, as I've already mentioned, The View from a Rusty Train Car is a poignant story that makes some very powerful statements about society's views of GLBT people. Even though we've come a long way since the time in which this story was set, there is still much progress yet to be made. One can't help wondering if the climate for gay men had been more friendly, whether Jared and Luke's story would have turned out much differently. As I read this book, I couldn't help feeling like these two men and what they went through was quite real, like this same story of “forbidden love” had probably played out in some form or another all down through the ages. It's also a potent reminder that we must always be vigilant in our choices, because they can affect so many different people in our lives. It also reminds us of the need for forgiveness and not holding grudges, because someday we may find it's too late to make things right. As an aside, I need to mention that I really love the title of this book. It's very creative and fitting, as that old rusty train car became an iconic symbol of Jared and Luke's love for each other. I'm not entirely sure if I would read The View from a Rusty Train Car again, because of how sad it made me feel. However, for all the reasons I mentioned, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind more realistic, tearjerker stories, as well as anyone who might be interested in GLBT issues or who might be willing to challenge themselves to view GLBT people in a different way. It is my fervent belief that everyone should be treated equally and given the same rights, that they should be allowed to be who they are and love who they love, and this book makes a very strong case for that.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author via Book Review Buzz in exchange for an honest review.
The View from a Rusty Train Car is a very moving and emotional story of two young boys who became inseparable best friends, and in doing so, discovered a love for one another of which their families and society did not approve. It ended up being a heart-wrenching, tearjerker of a read that I was not expecting when I started it. Perhaps because a few GoodReads users had this book shelved as M/M romance, I began reading it under the mistaken impression that it was a romance, but it really isn't. It's a coming of age story. It's a dramatic story about friendship and family connections. It's a story about why it's so important to be true to ourselves. Most of all, I saw it as a story about how the choices we make in life can adversely affect not only ourselves, but also everyone we care about and sometimes even those we love the most. It does have a romantic element to it, and it is a story about undying love, but at its heart, this is definitely not a romance. Why, you may ask? Well, simply because it doesn't follow the typical romance formula of readers getting to know the two main characters as they are getting to know each other, watching them as they go through the stages of courtship and falling in love, and eventually ending with marriage or a permanent commitment that leads to an HEA ending. The View from a Rusty Train Car follows the two main protagonists through more than a decade of their lives from childhood well into adulthood. It follows them through the ups and downs of their relationship and the choices they make that ultimately keep them apart for several years. And while it has an optimistic ending for one of them, there was no future for them together, which left me feeling depressed and heartbroken.
Jared moved into Luke's neighborhood when they were only eleven years old. They became fast friends who were inseparable and did nearly everything together. They built a tree fort, but their special, secret hideout was inside the old rusty train car behind the junkyard. There, they spent hours playing, and it became a place where they could escape the world around them and just be with each other. Having this secret spot became increasingly important as they grew older and realized they were falling in love. From a very early age, Jared knew what he wanted and that was to marry Luke, although of course, in his young innocence, he didn't understand that his dream would be impossible in the era in which they lived (the late 1980's and 1990's). As his understanding increased with age, Jared kept his sexual identity to himself, but he pretty much always accepted the fact that he was gay. Luke, on the other hand, knew he loved Jared and a part of him wanted the same thing Jared did, but he struggled more with his sexuality and with feelings that his desires weren't right. This only got worse when his strict mother discovered Luke's love for Jared and forced him into a boy's camp that was designed to “fix” him. He was in the camp for a year, during which Jared believed Luke had abandoned him and their love. After that, they saw each other in person only once within the next five years, and it was a disastrous meeting that ended in heartbreak for both of them. By then, Jared had moved to Seattle to attend college and had begun a relationship with another man, while Luke had returned from the camp, believing that the only right thing for him to do was to enter into a traditional marriage with a woman. The next few years were difficult ones for both of them, especially Luke, whose health went into a steep decline. His ailment is never named, but given that his heart is failing, I think the author was using it as a metaphor for a broken heart. Reading about Luke in that state, broke my own heart into a million pieces, and while I understood Jared's anger, I felt like he held a grudge for too long. That ends up being one of those many choices I mentioned that he has to learn to live with.
I was very moved by Jared and Luke's story, and I liked them both very much. However, I still couldn't help feeling like the author could have deepened their characterizations a little more. We know that they love with their whole being, which is something I can admire. We also understand how much of a strain their relationship and Luke's inability to embrace it affects them, on both a physical and emotional level, but we learn precious little about each of them as individuals outside of their relationship to one another. We learn a little about their outside interests as the story progresses, but what I really wanted to know was what their temperaments were like and what their hopes and dreams for the future were. Their individual personalities didn't quite come to life for me in the way the characters in some other stories have. In fact, I don't even recall the author giving any physical description of either young man at any point in the story, so I had to envision them in my own way. Then toward the very end, he finally mentions that Luke is blonde when I'd been imagining him as having dark hair.
The main reason, however, that I gave this book four stars instead of the full five is that I thought the writing itself could have been stronger in places. First, the blocking (showing where a character is and what they're doing) during dialog often felt choppy and inconsistent. One minute the character might be standing in one place and the next they're clear across the room, or in one paragraph, they're sitting down and two paragraphs later, they're sitting down again. More action details and more attention to continuity were sorely needed to clearly envision these scenes. My next issue is that the author frequently has the characters talking out loud to themselves. In these instances, I think it would have been more beneficial to deepen their internal introspection instead, which probably would have also taken care of my earlier problem with feeling like I didn't get to know the characters as well as I would have liked. Another small problem is some repetition in the form of pretty much all the characters who have any significant page time crying a lot, and everyone doing way too much “sneering.” My final minor complaint is that Jared is basically telling his and Luke's story before a Senate hearing, so there are a few passages throughout written in first person POV to denote the present day. However, there is virtually nothing to indicate exactly what he's doing until the final chapter. If I hadn't read the cover blurb before reading the book, I wouldn't have had a clue what was going on in those scenes, so actually stating what he was doing earlier would have been helpful. Better editing overall would have cleared up most of these problems and shaped the book into one that I easily could have said was a perfect read.
Otherwise, as I've already mentioned, The View from a Rusty Train Car is a poignant story that makes some very powerful statements about society's views of GLBT people. Even though we've come a long way since the time in which this story was set, there is still much progress yet to be made. One can't help wondering if the climate for gay men had been more friendly, whether Jared and Luke's story would have turned out much differently. As I read this book, I couldn't help feeling like these two men and what they went through was quite real, like this same story of “forbidden love” had probably played out in some form or another all down through the ages. It's also a potent reminder that we must always be vigilant in our choices, because they can affect so many different people in our lives. It also reminds us of the need for forgiveness and not holding grudges, because someday we may find it's too late to make things right. As an aside, I need to mention that I really love the title of this book. It's very creative and fitting, as that old rusty train car became an iconic symbol of Jared and Luke's love for each other. I'm not entirely sure if I would read The View from a Rusty Train Car again, because of how sad it made me feel. However, for all the reasons I mentioned, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind more realistic, tearjerker stories, as well as anyone who might be interested in GLBT issues or who might be willing to challenge themselves to view GLBT people in a different way. It is my fervent belief that everyone should be treated equally and given the same rights, that they should be allowed to be who they are and love who they love, and this book makes a very strong case for that.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author via Book Review Buzz in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2014
5 star review by Dan
I’m not even sure where to start on this review. This book really played with my emotions, from the heights of happiness to one point in the book where I actually had water leaking from my eyes! Having grown up gay in the United States, I empathized with the plight of the characters. Little things that straight people take for granted, like who to take to the prom, how to talk about your love interests to your family, and even day to day life events like holding hands or your first kiss, are much different for the LGBT community while we’re growing up, and very well portrayed in this book.
The first line of the blurb is one of my favorite lines of the book. “No one talks about what happens when you fall in love with the boy next door — not when you’re the boy living beside the boy next door.” That line, and the other lines that go with it in the book are unfortunately still a truthism in the majority of the United States, even in 2014. Parents really aren’t prepared for their son to come home and introduce them to the “man” they are in love with.
The book is written as a series of flashbacks. It begins with Jared speaking in front of a group of people, although we don’t find out who they are until the last chapter of the book. Jared is recounting the story of Luke and their complicated on again / off again relationship which is caused by society’s lack of acceptance of the love of two men.
In the book, Jared and Luke meet the day Jared and his family move into their new house in 1987. They are instantly inseparable. They go on to share everything over the next few years, including their first kiss in the confines of a rusty old train car in a junkyard behind their homes. They figure they are safe there, away from prying eyes.
Unfortunately someone sees them near the end of high school and their lives are forever changed. Luke’s mother deals with it in the worst way possible, placing Luke in forced conversion therapy. Jared has no idea where Luke is gone. Nor does anyone else. There begins a series of miscommunications, homophobia, and separation.
These two characters go through a lot in the book. Sickness, war, college, even falling in love with other people, but they still first and foremost love each other, even when they aren’t communicating. There is a happy ending of sorts and reconciliations, but there is also some pretty hefty sadness.
I’m not going to say much else, because I don’t want to do any further spoilers. If you’re looking for one of those sex on every other page romance novels, this isn’t it, because it doesn’t have any sex scenes. In fact, I’m not sure this book qualifies as a romance novel. In my opinion it is more of a tragedy, but a tragedy you need to read. The subject matter is pulled from the headlines over the last 20 years and even today. If you are a gay man, or a friend or family member of a gay man, you should read the book. Just this week, the U.N. Committee Against Torture questioned U.S. officials about conversion therapy still being legal in 48 states. Who Jared is speaking to is revealed at the end of the book and it is as relevant today as it was when the book was written two year ago.
I very highly recommend the book. The characters, both main and supporting, and the story are very well written. The story instills true emotions of happiness, joy, anger, sadness and acceptance as you’re reading the book. I finished reading it last night, but this morning I’m still heavily in book hangover status from this one. I’ve already added this book to my must re-read list.
Take my advice, consider a break from the light fluff pieces and read Mr. Arens’ book. You won’t be sorry!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
I’m not even sure where to start on this review. This book really played with my emotions, from the heights of happiness to one point in the book where I actually had water leaking from my eyes! Having grown up gay in the United States, I empathized with the plight of the characters. Little things that straight people take for granted, like who to take to the prom, how to talk about your love interests to your family, and even day to day life events like holding hands or your first kiss, are much different for the LGBT community while we’re growing up, and very well portrayed in this book.
The first line of the blurb is one of my favorite lines of the book. “No one talks about what happens when you fall in love with the boy next door — not when you’re the boy living beside the boy next door.” That line, and the other lines that go with it in the book are unfortunately still a truthism in the majority of the United States, even in 2014. Parents really aren’t prepared for their son to come home and introduce them to the “man” they are in love with.
The book is written as a series of flashbacks. It begins with Jared speaking in front of a group of people, although we don’t find out who they are until the last chapter of the book. Jared is recounting the story of Luke and their complicated on again / off again relationship which is caused by society’s lack of acceptance of the love of two men.
In the book, Jared and Luke meet the day Jared and his family move into their new house in 1987. They are instantly inseparable. They go on to share everything over the next few years, including their first kiss in the confines of a rusty old train car in a junkyard behind their homes. They figure they are safe there, away from prying eyes.
Unfortunately someone sees them near the end of high school and their lives are forever changed. Luke’s mother deals with it in the worst way possible, placing Luke in forced conversion therapy. Jared has no idea where Luke is gone. Nor does anyone else. There begins a series of miscommunications, homophobia, and separation.
These two characters go through a lot in the book. Sickness, war, college, even falling in love with other people, but they still first and foremost love each other, even when they aren’t communicating. There is a happy ending of sorts and reconciliations, but there is also some pretty hefty sadness.
I’m not going to say much else, because I don’t want to do any further spoilers. If you’re looking for one of those sex on every other page romance novels, this isn’t it, because it doesn’t have any sex scenes. In fact, I’m not sure this book qualifies as a romance novel. In my opinion it is more of a tragedy, but a tragedy you need to read. The subject matter is pulled from the headlines over the last 20 years and even today. If you are a gay man, or a friend or family member of a gay man, you should read the book. Just this week, the U.N. Committee Against Torture questioned U.S. officials about conversion therapy still being legal in 48 states. Who Jared is speaking to is revealed at the end of the book and it is as relevant today as it was when the book was written two year ago.
I very highly recommend the book. The characters, both main and supporting, and the story are very well written. The story instills true emotions of happiness, joy, anger, sadness and acceptance as you’re reading the book. I finished reading it last night, but this morning I’m still heavily in book hangover status from this one. I’ve already added this book to my must re-read list.
Take my advice, consider a break from the light fluff pieces and read Mr. Arens’ book. You won’t be sorry!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
January 27, 2013
I loved this 59 chapter book. It took me on an emotional rollercoaster with the ups and downs, highs and lows, heartache, devotion, and secrets that happened during Jared and Luke’s relationship. It was sweet how the story started off with them as kids; Jared’s family had just moved to the neighborhood. By the way Luke was very protective of him, I could sense that he liked Jared in a romantic sense, even though they called themselves “best friends.” The setting was through the 1990′s.
My favorite lines: 1) “One would think I’d be used to it, but it was disconcerting not knowing who was a friend or foe.” 2) “He’s not a husband. He’s a roommate.” 3) “Loving him wasn’t difficult. It was trying to create a life together that proved complicated.”
It broke my heart that their parents didn’t approve. As teenagers, they tried to hide their romance. Out of depression and trying to fit in with the norm, they avoided each other for a while. Luke even decided to date girls from their school, crushing Jared even more. I was disgusted with their parents’ behavior, with how they attempted to change their sons.
You can’t help who you love. I don’t understand why some people think being gay is wrong or shameful. Love isn’t wrong. Who cares if it’s between two men, two women instead of a man and a woman. They aren’t hurting anyone. They just want to live their lives in peace and have a choice to marry, like straight couples. It boggles my mind that some people are so against it. I hate the way minorities are mistreated in this world…maybe that’s why I sympathized so much with this book.
The entire time I read, I thought of Jared as Carrie and Luke as Mr. Big. No matter how many times Luke broke his heart due to his confusion and self-denial, Jared would come back for more once Luke brought on the charm. It was sad when Luke’s mom sent him to one of those camps that deprogram gay males. No wonder Luke had issues-he was away for a year, never even got a chance to say goodbye.
I shed a tear of joy when Jared went to college in Seattle where he found Derek with the help of his friends. Finally, he was accepted and treated with respect.
I don’t know, I guess this section of the book touched me because I thought of all those bullied kids/teens. Since they have no one to turn to, they commit suicide. I wish they could hold on a little longer because things eventually get better. And this scene was proof of that.
It threw me for a loop who Luke ended up marrying. I thought it was very disrespectful to Jared and his family. I understood how that was the last straw for Jared. I liked that their classmate Phillip was the one who figured out their secret in high school ( he was another gay teen who hid in the closet because of fear). He had talked to Luke, convincing him to spend prom night with Jared. Then Phillip saw Jared on college campus, convincing him to talk to Luke again.
The author had an amazing talent with dialogue. The conversations intertwined with body language helped make all the scenes stand out. I loved all the arguments, self-discoveries, heart to heart talks; the dialogue was very realistic.
My favorite scenes: 1) prom night 2) when Jared tried to stop the wedding 3) the first time Luke gave Jared the nickname “Jed” 4) when Luke bought the train car for the memories 5) when everything came to light between Jared and his sister 6) the ending (I cried during this part; it was very touching).
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
My favorite lines: 1) “One would think I’d be used to it, but it was disconcerting not knowing who was a friend or foe.” 2) “He’s not a husband. He’s a roommate.” 3) “Loving him wasn’t difficult. It was trying to create a life together that proved complicated.”
It broke my heart that their parents didn’t approve. As teenagers, they tried to hide their romance. Out of depression and trying to fit in with the norm, they avoided each other for a while. Luke even decided to date girls from their school, crushing Jared even more. I was disgusted with their parents’ behavior, with how they attempted to change their sons.
You can’t help who you love. I don’t understand why some people think being gay is wrong or shameful. Love isn’t wrong. Who cares if it’s between two men, two women instead of a man and a woman. They aren’t hurting anyone. They just want to live their lives in peace and have a choice to marry, like straight couples. It boggles my mind that some people are so against it. I hate the way minorities are mistreated in this world…maybe that’s why I sympathized so much with this book.
The entire time I read, I thought of Jared as Carrie and Luke as Mr. Big. No matter how many times Luke broke his heart due to his confusion and self-denial, Jared would come back for more once Luke brought on the charm. It was sad when Luke’s mom sent him to one of those camps that deprogram gay males. No wonder Luke had issues-he was away for a year, never even got a chance to say goodbye.
I shed a tear of joy when Jared went to college in Seattle where he found Derek with the help of his friends. Finally, he was accepted and treated with respect.
I don’t know, I guess this section of the book touched me because I thought of all those bullied kids/teens. Since they have no one to turn to, they commit suicide. I wish they could hold on a little longer because things eventually get better. And this scene was proof of that.
It threw me for a loop who Luke ended up marrying. I thought it was very disrespectful to Jared and his family. I understood how that was the last straw for Jared. I liked that their classmate Phillip was the one who figured out their secret in high school ( he was another gay teen who hid in the closet because of fear). He had talked to Luke, convincing him to spend prom night with Jared. Then Phillip saw Jared on college campus, convincing him to talk to Luke again.
The author had an amazing talent with dialogue. The conversations intertwined with body language helped make all the scenes stand out. I loved all the arguments, self-discoveries, heart to heart talks; the dialogue was very realistic.
My favorite scenes: 1) prom night 2) when Jared tried to stop the wedding 3) the first time Luke gave Jared the nickname “Jed” 4) when Luke bought the train car for the memories 5) when everything came to light between Jared and his sister 6) the ending (I cried during this part; it was very touching).
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
February 10, 2020
There are a couple of things I appreciated about this book and quite a few others that I did not like.
Let's start with the positive:
There were some nice tear-jerker moments between our two MCs, sweet declarations and romantic gestures that tugged at the heart-strings. These mostly occurred in the first half of the book when Luke and Jared were growing up and discovering aspects about themselves and their sexuality, all the while living next-door to each other and being 'besties'. A couple of high emotion 'showdown' scenes were tear-jerkers for me.
OK - now the not so positive:
After the boys have their cute-meet, then comes the high drama and angst, once puberty and hormones kick in. Amy Lane and Con Riley are writers who write angst and drama well. For Luke and Jared however, their attraction/tensions/pulling away hi-jinks started to annoy me midway through the book and after all manner of roadblocks to their relationship , I tell you I was exhausted and really 'over it' with these guys.
By the end of the book, I was ready to throw both of them to the wolves. I know they had a lot of baggage from their background and upbringing to deal with, but I've experienced other tortured / broken / wounded characters and not felt so 'meh' towards their predicament as I did these guys. I wanted to smack Jared for his emotinal tantrums and whininess. Likewise for Luke - his indecisions and barely believable GFY stance regarding Jared. To top it all off, even though I could anticipate where these two would end up (in relation to each other), the less than romantic HEA ending left me with a sour taste in my mouth; not that I need a HEA ending to like a book - Kergan Edwards-Stout has a book Songs for the New Depression which definitely has a downer of an ending but that book ending stayed with me for days.
Final complaint here - some gay-rights/equality 'preachiness' are inserted in various places throughout the book (especially at the end) which jarred me out from my reading immediacy.
There are plot elements similar to those from movies such as The Object Of My Affection, The Way We Were and Kiss The Bride; lots of fodder for a really engaging read. But by the time my perseverance took me to the end of this book, I had little emotional investment in any of the characters. I appreciated the secondary character of Derek the most, but even then I have things to gripe him. Personally, a much better job of this sort of tale can be found in A Map of the Harbor Islands.
I realise there are lots of glowing reviews of this book out there and I'm glad they found enjoyment and satisfaction from it; the book just didn't do much for me. Final rating - two and half stars (rounded down to two stars in the end).
Let's start with the positive:
There were some nice tear-jerker moments between our two MCs, sweet declarations and romantic gestures that tugged at the heart-strings. These mostly occurred in the first half of the book when Luke and Jared were growing up and discovering aspects about themselves and their sexuality, all the while living next-door to each other and being 'besties'. A couple of high emotion 'showdown' scenes were tear-jerkers for me.
OK - now the not so positive:
After the boys have their cute-meet, then comes the high drama and angst, once puberty and hormones kick in. Amy Lane and Con Riley are writers who write angst and drama well. For Luke and Jared however, their attraction/tensions/pulling away hi-jinks started to annoy me midway through the book and after all manner of roadblocks to their relationship , I tell you I was exhausted and really 'over it' with these guys.
By the end of the book, I was ready to throw both of them to the wolves. I know they had a lot of baggage from their background and upbringing to deal with, but I've experienced other tortured / broken / wounded characters and not felt so 'meh' towards their predicament as I did these guys. I wanted to smack Jared for his emotinal tantrums and whininess. Likewise for Luke - his indecisions and barely believable GFY stance regarding Jared. To top it all off, even though I could anticipate where these two would end up (in relation to each other), the less than romantic HEA ending left me with a sour taste in my mouth; not that I need a HEA ending to like a book - Kergan Edwards-Stout has a book Songs for the New Depression which definitely has a downer of an ending but that book ending stayed with me for days.
Final complaint here - some gay-rights/equality 'preachiness' are inserted in various places throughout the book (especially at the end) which jarred me out from my reading immediacy.
There are plot elements similar to those from movies such as The Object Of My Affection, The Way We Were and Kiss The Bride; lots of fodder for a really engaging read. But by the time my perseverance took me to the end of this book, I had little emotional investment in any of the characters. I appreciated the secondary character of Derek the most, but even then I have things to gripe him. Personally, a much better job of this sort of tale can be found in A Map of the Harbor Islands.
I realise there are lots of glowing reviews of this book out there and I'm glad they found enjoyment and satisfaction from it; the book just didn't do much for me. Final rating - two and half stars (rounded down to two stars in the end).
November 3, 2016
I DNF @ around 35%. I was ignoring formatting errors and plot holes. I was ok with their relationship being on a back and forth - on again, off again routine. It made sense. When Luke was forced to go to a Gay Camp, pray away the gay, and Jared didn't know where Luke went, never heard from him for a year, I could understand that he lost hope, and then started to hate Luke.
Jared moves on eventually and goes to college. Then Luke gets out of the camp and is confused (who wouldn't be; they mess with your head), and he goes to Jared's house but of course Jared is away at college. He starts to hang out with the family again, and then starts dating Jared's sister, Meagan. Umm, ok. Not weird at all.
Jared learns that Luke has moved back to town but he doesn't know where he went for that year he was missing. He doesn't know what he is doing with his sister, either. That was a well kept secret. When Jared flies home for school break (and I was confused because it seems that Luke has now been home for 2 years and Jared has stayed away all that time, huh?) he gets off the plane to find Luke waiting to drive him home. There is no anger, there are no dirty looks. No nothing, just: hey, how are you, gee I'm tired. Yep, I rented us a hotel room because it's a three hour drive back home, and boy I didn't want to drive that tonight. Oh, boy it's good to see you, I love you, kiss, kiss, tongue, tongue, hump, hump, food, one bed, kiss, WAIT! I didn't want this to happen, I have to tell you I AM MARRYING YOUR SISTER!!!! Holy shit on a stick! How is it possible that Luke didn't intend for them to kiss and whatever when HE GOT THEM A HOTEL ROOM WITH ONE BED! There was no previous hesitance, no hmm, should I. It was all go, go, go. They didn't have sex, Luke broke the news in time. I guess.
I couldn't keep reading after that. I just had had enough with spoken out loud self recriminations (which I assume were meant to be an internal dialogue, but they were not, so...error). I don't know if I am explaining this well. It just kept getting worse, and the errors were too many. I can't recommend this, which is a shame because the overall subject matter is important. Growing up gay in the 80's/90's, gay camps, and overcoming hatred. This book needed help with several Beta readers who could point out where the plot and storyline fell apart.
Jared moves on eventually and goes to college. Then Luke gets out of the camp and is confused (who wouldn't be; they mess with your head), and he goes to Jared's house but of course Jared is away at college. He starts to hang out with the family again, and then starts dating Jared's sister, Meagan. Umm, ok. Not weird at all.
Jared learns that Luke has moved back to town but he doesn't know where he went for that year he was missing. He doesn't know what he is doing with his sister, either. That was a well kept secret. When Jared flies home for school break (and I was confused because it seems that Luke has now been home for 2 years and Jared has stayed away all that time, huh?) he gets off the plane to find Luke waiting to drive him home. There is no anger, there are no dirty looks. No nothing, just: hey, how are you, gee I'm tired. Yep, I rented us a hotel room because it's a three hour drive back home, and boy I didn't want to drive that tonight. Oh, boy it's good to see you, I love you, kiss, kiss, tongue, tongue, hump, hump, food, one bed, kiss, WAIT! I didn't want this to happen, I have to tell you I AM MARRYING YOUR SISTER!!!! Holy shit on a stick! How is it possible that Luke didn't intend for them to kiss and whatever when HE GOT THEM A HOTEL ROOM WITH ONE BED! There was no previous hesitance, no hmm, should I. It was all go, go, go. They didn't have sex, Luke broke the news in time. I guess.
I couldn't keep reading after that. I just had had enough with spoken out loud self recriminations (which I assume were meant to be an internal dialogue, but they were not, so...error). I don't know if I am explaining this well. It just kept getting worse, and the errors were too many. I can't recommend this, which is a shame because the overall subject matter is important. Growing up gay in the 80's/90's, gay camps, and overcoming hatred. This book needed help with several Beta readers who could point out where the plot and storyline fell apart.
September 4, 2012
The View From A Rusty Train Car By DeeJay Arens
Vicki L. Stenerson
A couple meet. They date, fall in love, meet the families, make plans for the future....
But what if both members of the couple are male?
"The View From A Rusty Train Car" is the story of two such men, boys when they fell in love, with all the confusion, terror, and excitement that time brings to us all. They are Luke and Jared, growing up in a climate that does not welcome such revelations. Jared is sure of his sexuality and afraid he will be discovered. Luke knows he loves Jared, but cannot admit he is gay. They have been taught that homosexuality is wrong, evil and a sin. What they feel is real and true and must be kept hidden. Their meeting place is a rusty train car, where they can be themselves.
But life moves on and secrets don't stay secrets forever. Luke is taken away and can't reach Jared to explain. Jared is heartbroken, believing Luke abandoned him. Jared goes to college and tries to build a new life; but Luke is never far from his thoughts. Luke gets married and tries to live his life the way everyone expects, but he continues to keep Jared in his heart.
I love a good romance, and this book has it all; love, tears, regrets, tragedy, reconciliation. I had a difficult time putting it down, because I wanted things to be all sunshine and roses. But life doesn't always work that way, at least not the way we envision it. This is the story of two people in love, who, sadly, cannot share that love with the world. In the end, it is about renewal and self-realization. I know you will enjoy the read as much as I did. Brava, DeeJay; and thank you.
Vicki L. Stenerson
A couple meet. They date, fall in love, meet the families, make plans for the future....
But what if both members of the couple are male?
"The View From A Rusty Train Car" is the story of two such men, boys when they fell in love, with all the confusion, terror, and excitement that time brings to us all. They are Luke and Jared, growing up in a climate that does not welcome such revelations. Jared is sure of his sexuality and afraid he will be discovered. Luke knows he loves Jared, but cannot admit he is gay. They have been taught that homosexuality is wrong, evil and a sin. What they feel is real and true and must be kept hidden. Their meeting place is a rusty train car, where they can be themselves.
But life moves on and secrets don't stay secrets forever. Luke is taken away and can't reach Jared to explain. Jared is heartbroken, believing Luke abandoned him. Jared goes to college and tries to build a new life; but Luke is never far from his thoughts. Luke gets married and tries to live his life the way everyone expects, but he continues to keep Jared in his heart.
I love a good romance, and this book has it all; love, tears, regrets, tragedy, reconciliation. I had a difficult time putting it down, because I wanted things to be all sunshine and roses. But life doesn't always work that way, at least not the way we envision it. This is the story of two people in love, who, sadly, cannot share that love with the world. In the end, it is about renewal and self-realization. I know you will enjoy the read as much as I did. Brava, DeeJay; and thank you.
August 22, 2012
DeeJay Arens, in my opinion, really hits this one out of the park for me. View from a Rusty Train Car is a tumultuous tale, a tragic yet powerful hybrid love story that makes you feel every emotion rolled into one.
Jared and Luke are best friends and they are also in love. But unfortunately, their love isn't easy and most can't or won't understand. This novel plunges into the tangled world of a forbidden love and confused feelings that have been influenced by closed minded family and peers. Jared is convinced that their love can work and survive anything anybody has to throw at it. Luke tries but has a constant string of underlying influences that convinces him otherwise. Both are fighting for their love but can it really survive the actions of the other?
From the very first chapter to the end, DeeJay Arens has you on a wonderfully amazing emotional roller coaster ride. This book has a powerful message behind it. To me, this isn't just a novel but a life lesson about the choices we make and the people it may affect. In my opinion, this book is a must read and I highly recommend it to anyone who may be struggling with a similar situation or may know someone who is. I give The View From a Rusty Train Car two enthusiastic thumbs up!!
Jared and Luke are best friends and they are also in love. But unfortunately, their love isn't easy and most can't or won't understand. This novel plunges into the tangled world of a forbidden love and confused feelings that have been influenced by closed minded family and peers. Jared is convinced that their love can work and survive anything anybody has to throw at it. Luke tries but has a constant string of underlying influences that convinces him otherwise. Both are fighting for their love but can it really survive the actions of the other?
From the very first chapter to the end, DeeJay Arens has you on a wonderfully amazing emotional roller coaster ride. This book has a powerful message behind it. To me, this isn't just a novel but a life lesson about the choices we make and the people it may affect. In my opinion, this book is a must read and I highly recommend it to anyone who may be struggling with a similar situation or may know someone who is. I give The View From a Rusty Train Car two enthusiastic thumbs up!!
November 11, 2012
Love that Dares
The View from a Rust Train Car follows two boys, Luke and Jared who become best friends. They find a pure true love in each other--agape, not eros. Watching tv and playing video games together, a simple hug--that lasts too long--sets their relationship in the cross-hairs of a paranoid society.
Their parents refuse to listen, let alone understand. Amidst beatings from school bullies, Luke's forced internment at a religious camp, and miscommunication on both sides, the love they once shared is ripped aside.
Jared leaves to find himself still in love with Luke--even when Luke marries his sister. Jared returns on the wedding day and their worlds fall apart once more. From that day on, Luke has a broken heart, not something the doctors can categorize or easily treat.
The laughter, the sharing, the dreams, vs. the hiding, the lies, and the abuse are an uneven match for Jared and Luke.
I found myself crying and saying, "No--it's not supposed to happen this way!"
Love is never lost, when the heart is full.
The View from a Rust Train Car follows two boys, Luke and Jared who become best friends. They find a pure true love in each other--agape, not eros. Watching tv and playing video games together, a simple hug--that lasts too long--sets their relationship in the cross-hairs of a paranoid society.
Their parents refuse to listen, let alone understand. Amidst beatings from school bullies, Luke's forced internment at a religious camp, and miscommunication on both sides, the love they once shared is ripped aside.
Jared leaves to find himself still in love with Luke--even when Luke marries his sister. Jared returns on the wedding day and their worlds fall apart once more. From that day on, Luke has a broken heart, not something the doctors can categorize or easily treat.
The laughter, the sharing, the dreams, vs. the hiding, the lies, and the abuse are an uneven match for Jared and Luke.
I found myself crying and saying, "No--it's not supposed to happen this way!"
Love is never lost, when the heart is full.
August 22, 2012
I am not sure if anyone else has written a 'coming of age' book about two gay characters or not, but I am certainly glad that DeeJay Arens did. The things we take for granted, like simply going to the store for candy, and the things we stress over, like prom dates, all take on a new meaning, thanks to this book. Jared wants to set the record straight... so to speak... explaining that there is no crime in being gay, that gays and lesbians are people as well, but people with a much heavier burden in society because of the shackles placed upon them because of hatred and fear. This is a hard book to read, because it cuts deep, to the bone, revealing the unnecessary pain inflicted on the homosexual community. This book is poignant, sweet, horrible, loving and frustrating as we travel through life with Jared and Luke. Not many books can deliver that sort of emotion; this one definitely does.
August 22, 2012
This was one of the most amazing books I have read. The love the 2 boys shared was absolutely heart wrenching. It's so sad to realize the kind of ignorance by some people portrayed in this book is real. I don't know that there was an emotion I didn't have while reading it. It was one I couldn't put down, begging for things to go the way I wanted them to. I made notes to tell the author "I $#@&ing hate you" then "I $#@%ing love you" for the twists and turns it took. If you read one book this year, make this book it - then give it to a friend. Awesome job, Dee Jay Arens. I look forward to more from you.
April 30, 2014
This book is possibly one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. The story is so captivating I couldn't put it down. Arens is an excellent writer and his style made it easy to get absorbed in this book. I was captivated from the beginning and at the end I found myself wanting more.
I don't want to give anything away, but you have to read this book. It's uplifting, it's hopeful, it's sad, it's devastating even, but all of it is beautiful. The emotion in it is real and Arens makes you feel every last ounce of anger, hate, love, fear, hope, sadness, grief, disappointment (I could go on for hours) that his characters feel.
I highly recommend it.
I don't want to give anything away, but you have to read this book. It's uplifting, it's hopeful, it's sad, it's devastating even, but all of it is beautiful. The emotion in it is real and Arens makes you feel every last ounce of anger, hate, love, fear, hope, sadness, grief, disappointment (I could go on for hours) that his characters feel.
I highly recommend it.
August 21, 2012
Not an easy read but hell it is a good one! A fine book-well written and edited-those that do not understand it will never change-those that do will understand-simply said-poignant book-five stars all day
September 21, 2013
A beautiful and poignant coming-of-age LGBTQ novel. This is the type of book that ought to be included in all high school libraries. Highly recommended.
January 23, 2025
A tale of two boys who grew up together and fell in love. Unfortunately, their love was not accepted. Trying to "fix" them resulted in so much tragedy and pain, not just for the boys but for the family and others. Discrimination is not an action that affects just one person. DeeJay does an excellent job of writing that.
April 17, 2016
This is a complex, layered, far-reaching story that covers time and distance really well. It's beautifully written and evocative with compelling imagery. I felt I knew the characters.
I don't tend to like stories that have a lot of bleakness to them or that involve protagonists making a lot of counterproductive choices when what they want is right in front of them, so that was a bit difficult for me, but I can't criticize the book or its author for this, as he wrote about desperate struggles in an all-too-real circle of bigotry and lack of support and confusion in which choices often seemed out of reach and terrible experiences made them feel even further out of reach.
These are situations I can't possibly understand as a straight person. My sexuality is irrelevant. No one thinks of my sexuality as meaning "has sex with men." No one is offended or weirded out that I have only gone out with men. This story illustrates a difference that I can't relate to but can deeply sympathize with, and I'm glad I read it. It was so compelling that I read until 8 a.m. because I had to reach the end.
I don't tend to like stories that have a lot of bleakness to them or that involve protagonists making a lot of counterproductive choices when what they want is right in front of them, so that was a bit difficult for me, but I can't criticize the book or its author for this, as he wrote about desperate struggles in an all-too-real circle of bigotry and lack of support and confusion in which choices often seemed out of reach and terrible experiences made them feel even further out of reach.
These are situations I can't possibly understand as a straight person. My sexuality is irrelevant. No one thinks of my sexuality as meaning "has sex with men." No one is offended or weirded out that I have only gone out with men. This story illustrates a difference that I can't relate to but can deeply sympathize with, and I'm glad I read it. It was so compelling that I read until 8 a.m. because I had to reach the end.
May 4, 2013
I cannot understand how people could rate this book nearly a 5. I was very disappointed at the pace of the story as it unfolded. It reminded me more of a daily soap opera, constant drama and so unrealistic.
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