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Unbroken
My parents, unable to change me, had instead, silenced me. When they'd stilled my hands, they'd taken my words, made me lower my voice to a whisper. Later, I remained silent in defense, refusing to acknowledge the hateful words: Brainiac. Sissy. Antiman. Faggot.
Lincoln de Chabert's life is pretty unremarkable until he comes home from kindergarten and announces he will marry his best friend, Orlando, when he grows up.
His parents spring into immediate action, determined to fix him, igniting an epic battle of wills as Lincoln is determined to remain himself, and marry whom he chooses, at all costs.
Lincoln de Chabert's life is pretty unremarkable until he comes home from kindergarten and announces he will marry his best friend, Orlando, when he grows up.
His parents spring into immediate action, determined to fix him, igniting an epic battle of wills as Lincoln is determined to remain himself, and marry whom he chooses, at all costs.
266 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2013
16 people are currently reading
1306 people want to read
About the author
Larry Benjamin
11 books127 followersWriter. Wordsmith. Author.
Words, You See, are the Thing
Bronx-born wordsmith, Larry Benjamin is the author of Excellent Sons: A Love Story in Three Acts, a 2022 Lambda Literary Award winner in the Gay Romance category and a 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist; Unbroken, a 2014 Lambda Literary Award finalist and a 2014 IPPY (Independent Publishers Book Award) Gold medalist; The Sun, The Earth & The Moon; In His Eyes; Damaged Angels, a collection of short stories [out of print]; and Vampire Rising, an allegorical novella. His latest novel, He, will be published in October 2025.
His work has been published by Carina Press, a Harlequin imprint, Bold Strokes Books, and Beaten Track Publishing.
He lives in Philadelphia with his husband Stanley and their two rescue dogs, Atticus and Gatsby. He is at work on his next novel.
Words, You See, are the Thing
Bronx-born wordsmith, Larry Benjamin is the author of Excellent Sons: A Love Story in Three Acts, a 2022 Lambda Literary Award winner in the Gay Romance category and a 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist; Unbroken, a 2014 Lambda Literary Award finalist and a 2014 IPPY (Independent Publishers Book Award) Gold medalist; The Sun, The Earth & The Moon; In His Eyes; Damaged Angels, a collection of short stories [out of print]; and Vampire Rising, an allegorical novella. His latest novel, He, will be published in October 2025.
His work has been published by Carina Press, a Harlequin imprint, Bold Strokes Books, and Beaten Track Publishing.
He lives in Philadelphia with his husband Stanley and their two rescue dogs, Atticus and Gatsby. He is at work on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
March 20, 2017
5++++ Stars.
Full review posted 22/02/17
This is one of the best books I've read.Yes,it's a bold statement but it's that good.It's Lincoln's story and it's just beautiful,
Starting in 1964 and finishing in 2004,it's the story of a young boy who fought with everything he had to live his life,the way he wanted to.
I'm really struggling to put into words how much this book moved me so,for now,I'm just posting quotes and hopefully you might get it.
Firstly,I honestly don't know how this book hasn't received more reviews.I'm not joking when I say that if I could give it double the amount of stars i would.I only came across it after reading Jan's review( link to her review below) and to say it blew me away is an understatement.
It's Lincoln's story from Kindergarten to adulthood.Don't go into it thinking it's just YA, because it's so much more than that.It's one of the most beautiful love stories I've read.
Lincoln is pretty,really pretty -people notice,remarking that he looks like a girl.His parents notice he's different-of course they do,after all he came home from Kindergarten one day annoucing he was going to marry his friend Orlando.
They told him he would change,
They told him he would grow up and marry a girl,
They told him he would have a 'normal' life.
And in doing so,they silenced him.....until the day that a boy called Jose walked into his 12th grade class and Lincoln knew what he wanted.
This story touched me in so many ways because it felt real.Told only from Lincoln's pov,the reader can fully appreciate what it must have been like growing up gay in the 60's and 70's and in the 80's / 90's when Aids hit the headlines.
There is no unnecessary drama here,it's the story of two men and what they overcame and stood up for.
I'm finishing with my favourite quote because it's beautiful and hopefully conveys how special this story is,
-Jose to Lincoln.
Check out Jan's review
Cannot recommend highly enough.
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession
This is one of the best books I've read.Yes,it's a bold statement but it's that good.It's Lincoln's story and it's just beautiful,
Starting in 1964 and finishing in 2004,it's the story of a young boy who fought with everything he had to live his life,the way he wanted to.
I'm really struggling to put into words how much this book moved me so,for now,I'm just posting quotes and hopefully you might get it.
“You can’t marry another boy,” they told me. “Why not?” I asked, confused. “You said I could do anything. You said I could grow up to be President.” “You can’t marry another boy!” “But you said I’d grow up, and fall in love, and get married.” “You can’t fall in love with another boy!” They began to watch me closely.
“What’s wrong?” Willow finally asked me. “Why can’t boys kiss other boys?” I blurted, hoping for an answer I could understand. Willow knew everything—more than most grown-ups even. I waited anxiously for her answer. After thinking for a long time, she said, “I don’t know.”
I was twelve, and in seventh grade. He was the new kid. His name was Jose Calderon. He walked into fourth period music, smiled, and changed everything. Until that moment, I had believed their lies, had ignored my own truth. I would change they told me, just wait and see.
Firstly,I honestly don't know how this book hasn't received more reviews.I'm not joking when I say that if I could give it double the amount of stars i would.I only came across it after reading Jan's review( link to her review below) and to say it blew me away is an understatement.
It's Lincoln's story from Kindergarten to adulthood.Don't go into it thinking it's just YA, because it's so much more than that.It's one of the most beautiful love stories I've read.
Lincoln is pretty,really pretty -people notice,remarking that he looks like a girl.His parents notice he's different-of course they do,after all he came home from Kindergarten one day annoucing he was going to marry his friend Orlando.
They told him he would change,
They told him he would grow up and marry a girl,
They told him he would have a 'normal' life.
And in doing so,they silenced him.....until the day that a boy called Jose walked into his 12th grade class and Lincoln knew what he wanted.
They were wrong, I decided; I would marry him. We would adopt children and a dog. We would buy a farmhouse in Connecticut, just like Lucy Ricardo’s house in Westport, and we’d raise chickens. You can’t fall in love with another boy, they’d told me. But I had! How could I not fall in love with the wonder of him? This time I was smart enough to tell no one.
This story touched me in so many ways because it felt real.Told only from Lincoln's pov,the reader can fully appreciate what it must have been like growing up gay in the 60's and 70's and in the 80's / 90's when Aids hit the headlines.
There is no unnecessary drama here,it's the story of two men and what they overcame and stood up for.
I'm finishing with my favourite quote because it's beautiful and hopefully conveys how special this story is,
"Don’t you know there is no me without you? I promised you once I would never leave you, not because I felt I couldn’t, but because I never want to be without you.” He spoke quietly, his voice a low rumble. “I don’t pray often, but when I do, I pray that I die five minutes after you so I’ll always be here to look after you but not have to live without you.”
-Jose to Lincoln.
Check out Jan's review
Cannot recommend highly enough.
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession
July 16, 2018
2nd time read: 16/06/2018
A not so easy journey in the 80's, where Lincoln tries to find his voice which has been silenced by his family from childhood to puberty, demonstrating an admirable strength. He wasn't broken after all. Simply beautiful.
Original ramblings: 16/02/2017
****** 5 Stars +++++++******
It’s been a day since I’ve finished Unbroken. Initially I didn’t want to write my thoughts. But I can’t get over it, I can’t let this go, needless to say I can’t get into any other story. So hear me out because I need to get this off my chest.
There are stories that leave me speechless. Their impact is so big on me that I feel it’s not even worth attempting to make sense of my thoughts. Why should I try? I won’t be able to make it justice anyway. I feel too small in the face of such greatness. However, I’ll have to give this a shot though because I am desperate for closure.
There are stories that put your past readings to shame when you are faced with memorable ones.
There are stories that speak quietly to your heart, whispering secrets you listen to in awe and others that you just don’t want to listen to but by that time, you have to, because it’s already too late, you are already bonded and committed as a best friend. And so you do what best friends do best: you listen, the bad and the good. You listen to this voice who is taking you on this memorable journey, *don’t forget to put your big pants on* and face the tears, because if you have a heart, you will shed some.
This is Lincoln’s story, a boy as beautiful as a girl.
Lincoln from a very early age (kindergarten) announces he will marry his best friend, Orlando, when he grows up.
He believed in their lies until he was 12. He believed he would change and would want to marry a girl, have children, and a dog and other things boys wanted when they grew up. Time had passed and he was still broken. Lincoln then realised that he would have to just make it through the long night of his adolescence. This was the time he grasped the concept of hope.
Lincoln had to keep everything locked inside though because when his family made him sit on his hands or clasp them behind his back when he spoke, they stilled Lincoln’s hands and his words failed. He grew quiet.
Lincoln story spans for over 25 years. It goes in a steady consuming pace. You can’t stop reading it. I liked the first part the most because of the romance and Lincoln’s self-discovery. However, it’s not Romance what drives the second part of it. Life is.
Unbroken is a beautiful moving story in its purest essence. It’s a story about strength, integrity, loyalty, dreams, hope and love. It touched me deeply and left me tearful countless times.
I recommend Unbroken to everyone who loved Wolfsong.
Thank you, Truus <3
This review has been posted on: Dirty Books Obsession
February 28, 2017
5+++ The writing style was striking. I was caught immediately.
It had a yearning in it.
There were people who made me teeth grinding I wanted to scream, cry and throw chairs.
This book....the longing....my heart.....it almost flew out of my body....reaching the sky
Lincoln and Jose two beautiful boys omg I loved from the first line.
Lincoln was twelve and knew he wanted to marry Jose. They had a long way to go...
This story is told from the kind and beautiful mind of Lincoln, what a personality he has, so determined, firm. Bow to him.
Several time I had to cry it was so emotional. All those experiences in life they gone through.
And never ever did Lincoln's love temper...it was like a rock.
The story expend a long period. And not one moment should be missed. It starts in 1962 and ends in the now Their journey isn't easy at all, cobblestones as their path, but the most part of it they had each other and that was a reassurance. I can't go in details because it would take their journey away and it is so so worth reading.
Together they were growing out to loving and caring boyfriends, lovers, fathers and finally husbands.
There are beautiful beautiful lines, I'll put them in my heart and they will never leave.
The way this story is written is strong, kind, honest, convincing, very realistic and deeply touching, it made me very emotional.
I'm astonished by this author's brain, the few times I run into a writing style which is superior my heart swells.
“I don’t pray often, but when I do, I pray that I die five minutes after you so I’ll always be here to look after you but not have to live without you.”
"Sometimes the best mom is a dad."
Btw....I so so loved Lincoln's voice !! And "At Last" awesome choice!!
Highly recommended
"My parents, unable to change me, had instead, silenced me. When they’d stilled my hands, they’d taken my words, made me lower my voice to a whisper. Later, I remained silent in defense, refusing to acknowledge the hateful words: Brainiac. Sissy. Antiman. Faggot."
It had a yearning in it.
There were people who made me teeth grinding I wanted to scream, cry and throw chairs.
This book....the longing....my heart.....it almost flew out of my body....reaching the sky
Lincoln and Jose two beautiful boys omg I loved from the first line.
Lincoln was twelve and knew he wanted to marry Jose. They had a long way to go...
This story is told from the kind and beautiful mind of Lincoln, what a personality he has, so determined, firm. Bow to him.
Several time I had to cry it was so emotional. All those experiences in life they gone through.
And never ever did Lincoln's love temper...it was like a rock.
The story expend a long period. And not one moment should be missed. It starts in 1962 and ends in the now Their journey isn't easy at all, cobblestones as their path, but the most part of it they had each other and that was a reassurance. I can't go in details because it would take their journey away and it is so so worth reading.
Together they were growing out to loving and caring boyfriends, lovers, fathers and finally husbands.
There are beautiful beautiful lines, I'll put them in my heart and they will never leave.
The way this story is written is strong, kind, honest, convincing, very realistic and deeply touching, it made me very emotional.
I'm astonished by this author's brain, the few times I run into a writing style which is superior my heart swells.
“I don’t pray often, but when I do, I pray that I die five minutes after you so I’ll always be here to look after you but not have to live without you.”
"Sometimes the best mom is a dad."
Btw....I so so loved Lincoln's voice !! And "At Last" awesome choice!!
Highly recommended
"My parents, unable to change me, had instead, silenced me. When they’d stilled my hands, they’d taken my words, made me lower my voice to a whisper. Later, I remained silent in defense, refusing to acknowledge the hateful words: Brainiac. Sissy. Antiman. Faggot."
September 18, 2020
Oh man, this is just beautiful.
It's pure epic romance.
The kind that has you crying cleansing, joyful tears.
Lincoln meets Jose at 12 years old and falls in love.
This is their journey to each other.
It encompasses quite a large timeline 1964-2oo4.
They face many adversities, from society, family and themselves.
It's a journey of acceptance, love, compassion, kindness, patience and faith.
Carving out their lives in a world that struggles to accept them.
"I nodded, smiled, knowing that she would never know that what looked so effortless, what looked like luck, was actually a lot of hard work, sacrifice and tenacious effort. Just like my relationship with Jose; luck may have brought us together but it was sheer determination that had kept us together."
Beautiful.
Must Read.
Highly recommend.
It's pure epic romance.
The kind that has you crying cleansing, joyful tears.
Lincoln meets Jose at 12 years old and falls in love.
This is their journey to each other.
It encompasses quite a large timeline 1964-2oo4.
They face many adversities, from society, family and themselves.
It's a journey of acceptance, love, compassion, kindness, patience and faith.
Carving out their lives in a world that struggles to accept them.
"I nodded, smiled, knowing that she would never know that what looked so effortless, what looked like luck, was actually a lot of hard work, sacrifice and tenacious effort. Just like my relationship with Jose; luck may have brought us together but it was sheer determination that had kept us together."
Beautiful.
Must Read.
Highly recommend.
September 25, 2020
I just finished this, and it feels like Lincoln was sitting next to me on the sofa, recounting the story of his life. I have never read a book that felt so immediate, so personal and so genuinely real.
The diary-type style of Larry Benjamin's writing roped me in right from the beginning, and his references to the main events of each year through Lincoln's life set the scene and allowed me to get my bearings for each era.
I do wonder if or how much of Lincoln's story is based on the author's own life. It just feels intensely private, and I was deeply touched and moved by it.
I am in awe of Lincoln. His determination right from a very young age to be who he is against everything humbled me. His courage to stand up to those who try to change him, make him feel less and refuse to understand him is simply breath-taking. His quiet resilience to live life on his own terms and not bow to public opinion or the pressures of his family is exceptional.
The way he lives his life, finds love, loses it to reclaim it again and then make his dreams come true is truly wonderful.
In short - Lincoln is one of life's real heroes. A man I would be honoured to know. Reading his story was educational and incredibly inspirational. It is a story I will remember.
Highly recommended.
The diary-type style of Larry Benjamin's writing roped me in right from the beginning, and his references to the main events of each year through Lincoln's life set the scene and allowed me to get my bearings for each era.
I do wonder if or how much of Lincoln's story is based on the author's own life. It just feels intensely private, and I was deeply touched and moved by it.
I am in awe of Lincoln. His determination right from a very young age to be who he is against everything humbled me. His courage to stand up to those who try to change him, make him feel less and refuse to understand him is simply breath-taking. His quiet resilience to live life on his own terms and not bow to public opinion or the pressures of his family is exceptional.
The way he lives his life, finds love, loses it to reclaim it again and then make his dreams come true is truly wonderful.
In short - Lincoln is one of life's real heroes. A man I would be honoured to know. Reading his story was educational and incredibly inspirational. It is a story I will remember.
Highly recommended.
May 24, 2016
4.5 stars
This was beautiful and real and heartfelt. Unbroken is large in scope. It follows Lincoln from the early 1960s until the present day. It's about growing up gay and black in the 60s and 70s and about being gay when the AIDS crisis hits in the 80s and 90s. It's about family - the family that accepts you and the family that doesn't - and the dear friends you meet along the way. Like real life, there's some heartbreaking tragedies along the way, but there's lots of good things that happen too and a very beautiful romance. It's the forever kind of love story that everybody wishes for.
Highly recommended!
This was beautiful and real and heartfelt. Unbroken is large in scope. It follows Lincoln from the early 1960s until the present day. It's about growing up gay and black in the 60s and 70s and about being gay when the AIDS crisis hits in the 80s and 90s. It's about family - the family that accepts you and the family that doesn't - and the dear friends you meet along the way. Like real life, there's some heartbreaking tragedies along the way, but there's lots of good things that happen too and a very beautiful romance. It's the forever kind of love story that everybody wishes for.
Highly recommended!
March 19, 2017
There are some stories you read that will stay with you for a long time. For me, Unbroken is one of those stories.
It wasn’t a book I had on my shelf to read. And quite frankly, I don’t think I would have added it had I just read the blurb. But a friend reached out to me and gently recommended the book. She said she had been mulling it over as to whether she should recommend it to me and I am grateful she did.
Thank you, Jan, for sharing this book with me. I LOVED IT!
Unbroken is a beautifully written story of a boy, a man who is silenced by words spoken by those who were supposed to love and accept him unconditionally. Silenced by others who lived in a colorless world and see things only in black and white; those with a heavy hand.
Lincoln’s story spans for over 25 years. As the reader, you are taken on his emotional journey. It is one of strength and weakness, love and hate, hope and denial. It is about finally finding a voice.
I tend to be a very emotional person which of course makes me an emotional reader. Unbroken made me cry both sad and happy tears. It made me think about acceptance. It strengthened my belief in Love is love. It is such a wonderful story.
It wasn’t a book I had on my shelf to read. And quite frankly, I don’t think I would have added it had I just read the blurb. But a friend reached out to me and gently recommended the book. She said she had been mulling it over as to whether she should recommend it to me and I am grateful she did.
Thank you, Jan, for sharing this book with me. I LOVED IT!
Unbroken is a beautifully written story of a boy, a man who is silenced by words spoken by those who were supposed to love and accept him unconditionally. Silenced by others who lived in a colorless world and see things only in black and white; those with a heavy hand.
“Time, they said, would fix me, and I’d feel as other boys felt”. “Time had passed and I was still…broken.”
Lincoln’s story spans for over 25 years. As the reader, you are taken on his emotional journey. It is one of strength and weakness, love and hate, hope and denial. It is about finally finding a voice.
"You gave me words.
You gave me your heart.
You gave me a family."
I tend to be a very emotional person which of course makes me an emotional reader. Unbroken made me cry both sad and happy tears. It made me think about acceptance. It strengthened my belief in Love is love. It is such a wonderful story.
There’s got to be a morning after
If we can hold on through the night
We have a chance to find the sunshine…
March 22, 2017
~~~BR with my girls, Ele and Renee!~~~
When I first started reading this book, I really had no idea what to expect. I read a couple reviews a couple months ago, but didn't remember much beyond 'yeah, I want to read this book', so I just marked it in my head as 'to-read-soon' until a couple friends asked me if I wanted to join their buddy read. I gladly said yes!
From looking at the blurb, it did look like it had the potential to make me cry, and it did a couple times, but I really loved this story. I loved the journey through time. I loved that Lincoln always stayed true to himself. I loved the way the story was told. It felt honest. It felt genuine in a way that fiction rarely feels to me and it touched me in a way that few stories do. And I loved the ending, even though it made me cry again.
Unbroken is the story of Lincoln de Chabert. His life. His love. His experience. And it is told in his words.
We are taken through his life in snapshots from 1964, when Lincoln is five years old and declares that he will one day marry his best friend, Orlando and moves through his life until 2004. Each chapter sets the scene and gives perspective with a paragraph about the current events as well as the costs of gas and bread. It reads like a memoir, and I enjoyed it immensely.
Not everything is happy in this story, just as I suspected. But as I said, it is the story of Lincoln's life, and life is never entirely happy. Lincoln knew from a young age that he was gay and it wasn't something that he could hide. He was always different. Always singled out.
And Unbroken is more than just the story of Lincoln's life; it's also a love story and shows us his love for Jose Calderon, that boy he first met when he was 12 years old. The boy who always made him feel protected, who always made him feel like he wasn't broken after all.
"I had found my place in the world. Now I needed to find my voice, to raise it to be heard above the cacophony of conformity. I needed to shout: I am remade. I am unbroken. I needed to find my voice and use it to speak of my love for Jose and what he meant to me. I needed to tell our story—my story."
Would I recommend Unbroken? Unequivocally. It's beautifully written and poignant and is one of the best books I've read this year. I will definitely be checking out more of this author's work.
May 17, 2018
5+ stars.
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. And I am so happy right now. It's been months since I read a 5 star book and I could cry of happiness.
There are no words that come to my mind that can do this book justice. Except the fact that MY MIND IS BLOWN AWAY. Unbroken is hands down one of my favorite books written this year. It deserves every single star out there. I would gladly double it if I could.
I loved reading about Lincoln's journey and it was heartbreaking as it was beautiful. I cried, swooned, got angered and laughed right alongside him. This book spanned from 1964 to 2004 so you get an insight of how it was like living as a gay man during that time and what it was like to find love and just be happy.
There's no way I can tell you how much this book moved me. This is probably one of the most underrated books I've ever read and everyone needs to READ it. I enjoyed it so much and cannot recommend this book enough.
Some of my favorite quotes:
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. And I am so happy right now. It's been months since I read a 5 star book and I could cry of happiness.
There are no words that come to my mind that can do this book justice. Except the fact that MY MIND IS BLOWN AWAY. Unbroken is hands down one of my favorite books written this year. It deserves every single star out there. I would gladly double it if I could.
I loved reading about Lincoln's journey and it was heartbreaking as it was beautiful. I cried, swooned, got angered and laughed right alongside him. This book spanned from 1964 to 2004 so you get an insight of how it was like living as a gay man during that time and what it was like to find love and just be happy.
There's no way I can tell you how much this book moved me. This is probably one of the most underrated books I've ever read and everyone needs to READ it. I enjoyed it so much and cannot recommend this book enough.
Some of my favorite quotes:
You can’t fall in love with another boy, they’d told me. But I had! How could I not fall in love with the wonder of him? This time I was smart enough to tell no one.
I was captivated by The Poseidon Adventure. To me it wasn’t about a ship sinking; it was about having the courage to forge your own path, even when everyone was telling you your path was the wrong one.
I was twelve, and in seventh grade. He was the new kid. His name was Jose Calderon. He walked into fourth period music, smiled, and changed everything. Until that moment, I had believed their lies, had ignored my own truth. I would change they told me, just wait and see.
"Don’t you know there is no me without you? I promised you once I would never leave you, not because I felt I couldn’t, but because I never want to be without you.” He spoke quietly, his voice a low rumble. “I don’t pray often, but when I do, I pray that I die five minutes after you so I’ll always be here to look after you but not have to live without you.”
March 20, 2017
"I needed to shout: I am remade. I am unbroken."
Books like this one are why I'm a proud romance reader, and the reason I'm flipping off people that look down on the genre. Because it's only with the certainty of a HEA, that I allow my heart to break into million pieces, and immerse myself in these painful but important truths. And this book is important.
Read Jewel's review . She says it better.
July 16, 2018
Está claro que con este libro estoy en minoría, pero a mí no me ha parecido tan extraordinario como a la mayoría de mis contactos en GR. Está bien, me ha gustado, me ha entretenido, pero no me ha tirado del corazón.
Unbroken cuenta la historia de Lincoln, y dentro de esa historia, cómo se enamora. El libro abarca más de 30 años, con capítulos divididos en años cruciales para el protagonista, y luego para el protagonista y su pareja. En ese lapso de tiempo tan grande podéis imaginar que pueden pasar muchas cosas. Y para mí el problema de la lectura ha estribado fundamentalmente en eso. Son tantos años, tantas cosas las que pasan, que a veces se quedan en la simple mención. Yo habría preferido, y es una cuestión de gustos, que se hubiera profundizado más en la historia de amor, o en cómo Lincoln se enfrenta a algunos problemas, pero al final todo queda un poco en la superficialidad. Además, hacia el 70% del libro el autor introduce otra trama que borra prácticamente a la pareja protagonista, una trama en algunos momentos excesiva y dramática.
Como libro de ficción está bien, como historia romántica creo que cojea y que no es suficiente. Pero, hay un punto fundamental en la narración del autor que me ha molestado, y es esa idea que plasma una y otra vez en el libro sobre los roles que tiene cada género. La mujer es indefensa, el hombre es el que protege, el hombre es el valiente, esos son los atributos masculinos. Uno es la chica de la relación, el otro es el hombre, tanto en la cama como en el rol de protector. Y una última gema: dads thought, mums felt. Anda, no me jodas.
Y es fundamentalmente por esto último que le doy tres estrellas, y gracias que no lo haga a dos. Aunque con sinceridad es un libro entretenido, con una bonita pareja, que se lee en una tirada.
Unbroken cuenta la historia de Lincoln, y dentro de esa historia, cómo se enamora. El libro abarca más de 30 años, con capítulos divididos en años cruciales para el protagonista, y luego para el protagonista y su pareja. En ese lapso de tiempo tan grande podéis imaginar que pueden pasar muchas cosas. Y para mí el problema de la lectura ha estribado fundamentalmente en eso. Son tantos años, tantas cosas las que pasan, que a veces se quedan en la simple mención. Yo habría preferido, y es una cuestión de gustos, que se hubiera profundizado más en la historia de amor, o en cómo Lincoln se enfrenta a algunos problemas, pero al final todo queda un poco en la superficialidad. Además, hacia el 70% del libro el autor introduce otra trama que borra prácticamente a la pareja protagonista, una trama en algunos momentos excesiva y dramática.
Como libro de ficción está bien, como historia romántica creo que cojea y que no es suficiente. Pero, hay un punto fundamental en la narración del autor que me ha molestado, y es esa idea que plasma una y otra vez en el libro sobre los roles que tiene cada género. La mujer es indefensa, el hombre es el que protege, el hombre es el valiente, esos son los atributos masculinos. Uno es la chica de la relación, el otro es el hombre, tanto en la cama como en el rol de protector. Y una última gema: dads thought, mums felt. Anda, no me jodas.
Y es fundamentalmente por esto último que le doy tres estrellas, y gracias que no lo haga a dos. Aunque con sinceridad es un libro entretenido, con una bonita pareja, que se lee en una tirada.
March 20, 2017
~BR with my besties, Jewel and Ele. Let the party begin!~
This book was poignant. This book was relevant. This book told a story - a life - first and foremost. It's was heartbreakingly beautiful. I'm only deducting 0.5 stars because I like the main plot in my books to be the romance, which was definitely present, but not the star of the show.
Jewel said it better. Thank you, my awesome girls, for the BR.
This book was poignant. This book was relevant. This book told a story - a life - first and foremost. It's was heartbreakingly beautiful. I'm only deducting 0.5 stars because I like the main plot in my books to be the romance, which was definitely present, but not the star of the show.
Jewel said it better. Thank you, my awesome girls, for the BR.
December 27, 2018
One of the best books I've read, it blew my mind.
And now, I've no idea how I'm supposed to try and read something else after this, it was just that bloody good.
LOVED IT!!
And now, I've no idea how I'm supposed to try and read something else after this, it was just that bloody good.
LOVED IT!!
April 12, 2015
The triumph of the quiet hero with the quiet story. I like how this was written how it flows from one bit to another, how we grow with the characters and come to understand them. Without unnecessary overblown melodrama or buckets full of angst.
The first half of the story captivated me, I came to intimately know Lincoln. How he was silenced by looks, chides, jibes. How these chipped away at him trying to get him to believe that he was wrong, he was broken.
'Stop it with your hands, they said. They flutter like little birds. Boys' hands don't flutter like little birds, they said. They made me sit on my hands when I spoke. My hands stilled, my words failed. I grew quiet.'
And I loved how he stubbornly refused to believe this. He was not broken, he was himself totally UNBROKEN . And how he began to lift his head, finding his feet and allowing himself to feel loved.
The second half was somewhat less intimate as Lincoln was working on fulfilling his dream. Yes some might say he was lucky for having the dream but I can also say that he worked for it, made sacrifices, he persevered. So it was a good ending for him and for me as well.
Benjamin subtly intersperses his story with mentions of happenings, music and films and how these effect Lincoln. I can definitely related to how events, films, books can say something important to us, how they show me a step forward, help me see a truth. Sometimes the littlest of things have a great impact whilst on the other hand an earthquake happening just round the corner has little effect. And it is useless shaming ourselves for not caring more. It’s the things that touch us personally that leave their mark.
Thank you Ira for starting to read this, making me want to try it. Sorry for gulping it up instead of reading in tandem. And thank you Maya for making me notice it.
Read in the
Read
August 24, 2020A bildungsromance (yes I just made that up, sue me), or romance taking place over the span of decades, covering Lincoln's life over decades in episodic parts, charting his early awareness of being gay, his crush on a schoolmate, first relationships, friendships, family confrontations, the start of his major relationship etc, all in the context of US history including the AIDS crisis and the legalisation of gay marriage,
I'm always chary of books called things like 'unbroken' because it sounds very like 'massive trauma ahead, beware'. The absolute triumph of this book is, it acknowledges the many terrible things that so many queer men suffered in the period covered, doesn't dismiss them, but ultimately refuses them for this story. It's a rainbow flag planted in defiance of the 'queer tragedy' narrative, staking a claim to happiness and joy and family and friendship for the Black and Latinx MCs. Involving and uplifting; I glommed it in a sitting and blubbed at the end.
I'm always chary of books called things like 'unbroken' because it sounds very like 'massive trauma ahead, beware'. The absolute triumph of this book is, it acknowledges the many terrible things that so many queer men suffered in the period covered, doesn't dismiss them, but ultimately refuses them for this story. It's a rainbow flag planted in defiance of the 'queer tragedy' narrative, staking a claim to happiness and joy and family and friendship for the Black and Latinx MCs. Involving and uplifting; I glommed it in a sitting and blubbed at the end.
June 12, 2016
"But it wouldn't be legal here," I said.
"So? When it is, I'll marry you again."
"You'd do that?"
"Spaceman, don't you know? I would marry you one state at a time, over and over again if I had to."
Here I was, thinking my time with contemporary romance had passed, because I was so over it—over the same old, same old, the ever repeating romance arc. But as so often the case, I was wrong. 'Unbroken' is the most beautiful contemporary romance book, but also so much more.
'Unbroken' not simply is our typical tale of boy meets boy, they fall in love, have plenty of hot monkey sex, struggle and overcome, and live happily ever after. Well, all this kinda happens here, but also so much more.
'Unbroken' gives us 40 years of Lincoln: We see how he is growing up in his home and in high school, we witness how he finds the love of his life, and how they live together happily for many years.
From the very beginning, the author Larry Benjamin pulled me into the story with his engaging and unique writing style.
I love that every chapter begins with a short summary of what happened within the year I was gonna read about next:
1964
The nation is still reeling from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the sudden end of the American Camelot. The Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, kicking off "the British Invasion". Gas is thirty cents a gallon. A loaf of bread costs twenty-one cents.
Larry Benjamin marks the passing of time with snapshot-like descriptions of Lincoln's life. We get the events chronologically, but only the moments that are important. Never once did I feel, however, that anything was missing in between. The snapshots flow, one into the other.
Lincoln's and Jose's story is full of love and beauty, but it's also full of real life and sadness and sorrow. I cried happy and sad tears in this book—and I do not cry so easily.
Your love for them is unmistakable, but it's like the scent of an apple blossom before a rain—you have to know it's there before you can smell it; you have to discover it for yourself and once you do, you can always smell it. It's unforgettable yet quiet, easy to ignore.
The only thing I might want to criticise is that maybe the ending was a bit over the top sweet. Maybe... A bit.
I love this book—its story and characters, the writing, and every moment I could spent with Lincoln (and Jose). I am very happy that I found this new-to-me author and hope to read more books by him in the future.
***
ETA: Have a look at this interview with Larry
"So? When it is, I'll marry you again."
"You'd do that?"
"Spaceman, don't you know? I would marry you one state at a time, over and over again if I had to."
Here I was, thinking my time with contemporary romance had passed, because I was so over it—over the same old, same old, the ever repeating romance arc. But as so often the case, I was wrong. 'Unbroken' is the most beautiful contemporary romance book, but also so much more.
'Unbroken' not simply is our typical tale of boy meets boy, they fall in love, have plenty of hot monkey sex, struggle and overcome, and live happily ever after. Well, all this kinda happens here, but also so much more.
'Unbroken' gives us 40 years of Lincoln: We see how he is growing up in his home and in high school, we witness how he finds the love of his life, and how they live together happily for many years.
From the very beginning, the author Larry Benjamin pulled me into the story with his engaging and unique writing style.
I love that every chapter begins with a short summary of what happened within the year I was gonna read about next:
1964
The nation is still reeling from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the sudden end of the American Camelot. The Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, kicking off "the British Invasion". Gas is thirty cents a gallon. A loaf of bread costs twenty-one cents.
Larry Benjamin marks the passing of time with snapshot-like descriptions of Lincoln's life. We get the events chronologically, but only the moments that are important. Never once did I feel, however, that anything was missing in between. The snapshots flow, one into the other.
Lincoln's and Jose's story is full of love and beauty, but it's also full of real life and sadness and sorrow. I cried happy and sad tears in this book—and I do not cry so easily.
Your love for them is unmistakable, but it's like the scent of an apple blossom before a rain—you have to know it's there before you can smell it; you have to discover it for yourself and once you do, you can always smell it. It's unforgettable yet quiet, easy to ignore.
The only thing I might want to criticise is that maybe the ending was a bit over the top sweet. Maybe... A bit.
I love this book—its story and characters, the writing, and every moment I could spent with Lincoln (and Jose). I am very happy that I found this new-to-me author and hope to read more books by him in the future.
***
ETA: Have a look at this interview with Larry
March 5, 2017
***3.5 Stars***
All the 4 and 5 star ratings cannot be wrong, so this is most certainly an amazing book. Just... not for me. I liked it, but did not love it. What the hell is wrong with me??? I did not really "feel" the story. For me, it was not the emotional rollercoaster I thought - no, wanted - it to be.
This seems to be another case of "it's not you, it's me" and too high expectations, so don't let yourself be deterred from reading this book! I'm sure you will love it. Please read the reviews of my friends
Jan https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Judith https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and Ariana https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and you will understand what you would miss...
All the 4 and 5 star ratings cannot be wrong, so this is most certainly an amazing book. Just... not for me. I liked it, but did not love it. What the hell is wrong with me??? I did not really "feel" the story. For me, it was not the emotional rollercoaster I thought - no, wanted - it to be.
This seems to be another case of "it's not you, it's me" and too high expectations, so don't let yourself be deterred from reading this book! I'm sure you will love it. Please read the reviews of my friends
Jan https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Judith https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and Ariana https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and you will understand what you would miss...
July 19, 2018
3.5 and rounding up because the first 70% of the book was a 5 stars read.
This is the story of a boy. A gay kid from the Bronx. In the sixties. A boy growing up misunderstood in a family who didn't love him (or not enough) in a era where being different wasn’t easy (it’s never easy. I know) A kid whose dream was simple: get married with another boy and raise a house and a family together.
This is the story of an era. A journey with this kid through the years. His first kiss, touches and first love. His first disappointment, fight and heartbreak. The first time he was bullied, the first time he stood up by himself, the first time he found out he wasn’t alone and the first time he became aware he was, too.
This is an absorbing, beautiful and well written story but it has also something that transcends all that and it is the author’s capacity to show us not just that huge love Lincoln —our MC— is gonna share with the man destined to be IT, the love of his life. No, the author manages to tell us about his first approach and flirt with sex and happiness and you buy it. You, as reader, are able to care and love this little part of the story, you even think about that part when you finish the book, that ephemeral lover starring just a few chapters. What he did, what he said... and that, I must say, it’s amazing and very very difficult to achieve. Caring about a love interest who’s not the other MC? HUGE.
So, as I’ve said, I loved (absolutely loved) the first 70% of this book. It made me feel a lot of things —love, anger, pain...— and I could say the same about the last 10% because I finished the story with a nostalgic feel so big I’d have started all over again just to read those first chapters. BUT there’s a part around 70% of the book where my investment and excitement went downhill and eclipsed everything around. Why? Pretty simple: secondary characters got too much attention and even if they were important for the story as a whole (vital, even) I wasn’t interested and it dragged a bit (a lot) slowing down my reading and level of excitement. A shame because the book is so good and perfect in some ways... special too, eclipse or not.
Jan, you are a patient beotch and I’m so thankful for this gift. It means a lot to me and having you there to talk about it has been a pleasure. ¡Gracias, amor!
Click here for more ramblings▶️
This is the story of a boy. A gay kid from the Bronx. In the sixties. A boy growing up misunderstood in a family who didn't love him (or not enough) in a era where being different wasn’t easy (it’s never easy. I know) A kid whose dream was simple: get married with another boy and raise a house and a family together.
This is the story of an era. A journey with this kid through the years. His first kiss, touches and first love. His first disappointment, fight and heartbreak. The first time he was bullied, the first time he stood up by himself, the first time he found out he wasn’t alone and the first time he became aware he was, too.
This is an absorbing, beautiful and well written story but it has also something that transcends all that and it is the author’s capacity to show us not just that huge love Lincoln —our MC— is gonna share with the man destined to be IT, the love of his life. No, the author manages to tell us about his first approach and flirt with sex and happiness and you buy it. You, as reader, are able to care and love this little part of the story, you even think about that part when you finish the book, that ephemeral lover starring just a few chapters. What he did, what he said... and that, I must say, it’s amazing and very very difficult to achieve. Caring about a love interest who’s not the other MC? HUGE.
So, as I’ve said, I loved (absolutely loved) the first 70% of this book. It made me feel a lot of things —love, anger, pain...— and I could say the same about the last 10% because I finished the story with a nostalgic feel so big I’d have started all over again just to read those first chapters. BUT there’s a part around 70% of the book where my investment and excitement went downhill and eclipsed everything around. Why? Pretty simple: secondary characters got too much attention and even if they were important for the story as a whole (vital, even) I wasn’t interested and it dragged a bit (a lot) slowing down my reading and level of excitement. A shame because the book is so good and perfect in some ways... special too, eclipse or not.
Jan, you are a patient beotch and I’m so thankful for this gift. It means a lot to me and having you there to talk about it has been a pleasure. ¡Gracias, amor!
Click here for more ramblings▶️
May 14, 2015
I was going to give this amazing book 10 stars, but GR only lets me give it 5, although this book deserves that and more. First of all I want to give you an advice...make sure you have a ton of tissues handy while reading this, because it's going to tear you apart in all the best ways.
I started this book this morning (8 hours ago) and I only stopped to cook dinner and bring the kid home from school...and I had a runny nose the whole time. Not to mention my red, tearing eyes that I explained away with a severe bout of allergy.
I was sitting there at the end of the book, with a lump in my throat the size of New York, tears in my eyes, snot aplenty and a big stupid smile on my face. My 8 year old takes a look at me and freaks out.
"Mom, what happened? Who died?"
"No one hon, I'm smiling, can't you see?"
He gives me a narrowed eyed look, shrugs and says "You're weird."
2 minutes later he asks "Mom, are you sick???"
"No darling I'm not sick" I said still smiling and crying.
"Ok...are you drunk?????"
" No, I just read such a fabulous book!"
He rolled his eyes and walked away.
This book is told in 1st person from Lincoln's pov. The story spans over a period of 33+ years and we get a throughout account of what it was like to be black and gay, or a minority and gay, we learn about the struggles and successes Lincoln and Jose experience.
Lincoln is somewhat feminine, very beautiful but in no way weak. He deals with bullying and other life challenges in a very courageous way, and I couldn't help but love him. In a way I got the impression this was an autobiography of some sort, even though that's not specifically mentioned anywhere in this book. The story was told in such a fashion that either this shows a writer with more talent I've ever seen, or a great writer who's telling his own story in an emotional, touching fashion. Either way, this was beautiful!
Lincoln and Jose's journey starts when they are 12 years old, when Lincoln knows he loves Jose and will marry him some day. It takes them more than a decade to find their way to a relationship, and while Lincoln has had other boyfriends, he always knew his heart belongs with Jose.
This book doesn't have any unnecessary drama, it just deals with life, the good parts and the bad, and happiness and the tragedy. It deals with family and what it means to different people, it deals with acceptance or lack of it, with questioning who you are and finding yourself. Things changed from one decade to the next, but the only thing that remained constant were the feeling, the love between Jose and Lincoln. Each chapter starts with a different year, and we get a brief idea of important events, or people at the time. I also enjoyed the information about the gas and bread prices though the years, I thought it was interesting!
This book isn't necessarily angsty, but it shows life in a very true, honest way, and the talent this author has to pull at your heartstrings is amazing. I laughed and I cried and most of the time I was reading through my tears, whether they were tears of happiness or sadness ceased to matter at some point. This journey is beautiful and raw, and unlike any other I've ever read. I loved some characters and hated others, but in the end, I was happy as could be even though I was crying like a baby.
The end is beautiful, a HEA unlike any other. Sooo much love for this book! Recommended!
I started this book this morning (8 hours ago) and I only stopped to cook dinner and bring the kid home from school...and I had a runny nose the whole time. Not to mention my red, tearing eyes that I explained away with a severe bout of allergy.
I was sitting there at the end of the book, with a lump in my throat the size of New York, tears in my eyes, snot aplenty and a big stupid smile on my face. My 8 year old takes a look at me and freaks out.
"Mom, what happened? Who died?"
"No one hon, I'm smiling, can't you see?"
He gives me a narrowed eyed look, shrugs and says "You're weird."
2 minutes later he asks "Mom, are you sick???"
"No darling I'm not sick" I said still smiling and crying.
"Ok...are you drunk?????"
" No, I just read such a fabulous book!"
He rolled his eyes and walked away.
This book is told in 1st person from Lincoln's pov. The story spans over a period of 33+ years and we get a throughout account of what it was like to be black and gay, or a minority and gay, we learn about the struggles and successes Lincoln and Jose experience.
Lincoln is somewhat feminine, very beautiful but in no way weak. He deals with bullying and other life challenges in a very courageous way, and I couldn't help but love him. In a way I got the impression this was an autobiography of some sort, even though that's not specifically mentioned anywhere in this book. The story was told in such a fashion that either this shows a writer with more talent I've ever seen, or a great writer who's telling his own story in an emotional, touching fashion. Either way, this was beautiful!
Lincoln and Jose's journey starts when they are 12 years old, when Lincoln knows he loves Jose and will marry him some day. It takes them more than a decade to find their way to a relationship, and while Lincoln has had other boyfriends, he always knew his heart belongs with Jose.
This book doesn't have any unnecessary drama, it just deals with life, the good parts and the bad, and happiness and the tragedy. It deals with family and what it means to different people, it deals with acceptance or lack of it, with questioning who you are and finding yourself. Things changed from one decade to the next, but the only thing that remained constant were the feeling, the love between Jose and Lincoln. Each chapter starts with a different year, and we get a brief idea of important events, or people at the time. I also enjoyed the information about the gas and bread prices though the years, I thought it was interesting!
This book isn't necessarily angsty, but it shows life in a very true, honest way, and the talent this author has to pull at your heartstrings is amazing. I laughed and I cried and most of the time I was reading through my tears, whether they were tears of happiness or sadness ceased to matter at some point. This journey is beautiful and raw, and unlike any other I've ever read. I loved some characters and hated others, but in the end, I was happy as could be even though I was crying like a baby.
The end is beautiful, a HEA unlike any other. Sooo much love for this book! Recommended!
May 27, 2019
3.75 stars. This book is a twofer, y'all.
In my opinion, the first 54% is the real story, and I recommend it unreservedly. It's the portrait of Lincoln's coming of age and the romance evolution. I adored the narrative voice; it hooked me in from the first page.
Since I prefer to go in blind, I didn't even realize who Lincoln's love interest would be, and I was actually pretty surprised at that development. I couldn't put the book down during this first half. It made me have EMOTIONS and I was on the edge of my seat.
Then.
The remainder of the book felt like a memoir… and that might be being generous, in terms of the structure. It was more like a collection of anecdotes — events in the life of the couple set against the backdrop of goings-on in the US at the time, especially for queer people. That historical connection was interesting, as were most of the fictional events, but there was no real story arc here. It was sort of like an extended epilogue, and unfortunately it felt anticlimactic.
However, it maintained the same compelling narrative voice throughout, so I wasn't tempted to set it down despite the issues. That voice made this novel a really good read and it's the reason I'm rounding up. I think with a little more developmental editing applied to the last half, it could have been just as amazing as the first.
In my opinion, the first 54% is the real story, and I recommend it unreservedly. It's the portrait of Lincoln's coming of age and the romance evolution. I adored the narrative voice; it hooked me in from the first page.
Since I prefer to go in blind, I didn't even realize who Lincoln's love interest would be, and I was actually pretty surprised at that development. I couldn't put the book down during this first half. It made me have EMOTIONS and I was on the edge of my seat.
Then.
The remainder of the book felt like a memoir… and that might be being generous, in terms of the structure. It was more like a collection of anecdotes — events in the life of the couple set against the backdrop of goings-on in the US at the time, especially for queer people. That historical connection was interesting, as were most of the fictional events, but there was no real story arc here. It was sort of like an extended epilogue, and unfortunately it felt anticlimactic.
However, it maintained the same compelling narrative voice throughout, so I wasn't tempted to set it down despite the issues. That voice made this novel a really good read and it's the reason I'm rounding up. I think with a little more developmental editing applied to the last half, it could have been just as amazing as the first.
May 15, 2015
Unbroken is a truly compelling story with well-developed characters that captured my attention from the beginning and held it to the end. I loved Lincoln from the first page and hoped for his dream to come true as much as he did.
Unbroken covers a period of 40 years (from 1964 to 2004) of Lincoln’s life and every chapter is a different year of his journey. Often, the events in one chapter don’t follow the previous one immediately and there’s more than one time gap. However, not once did I feel disconnected with the story. Mr. Benjamin had chosen to describe mainly events that marked significant changes in Lincoln’s life and he’d done it in such way that I did not need to fill in blanks or wonder how things got there. I followed the narrative effortlessly page after page and moreover I loved how the characters evolved as the story progressed.
The first half of the book - Lincoln’s early years and coming of age - was simply amazing.
“I thought about naming it Diary of an Antiman or just Antiman. Instead, I wrote “Me” in capital letters on the first page and underlined the word.”
Lincoln is effeminate and for that reason is subjected to a lot of bullying the cruelest of which, I thought, was his parents calling him Antiman. Lincoln chooses silence as his weapon and although his heart never waives who he really is, it takes him years to find his voice and to gain the confidence to stand up for himself. And what a brave young man Lincoln grows to be and how determined he is to pursue the life he wants no matter the obstacles.
This part of the book also portrays one of the most beautiful and touching love stories I’ve read. It’s a friends to lovers story, the emotional connection that Lincoln and Jose share is undeniable but it’s not an easy journey for them, there are insecurities and doubts to be overcome and heartbreak to be forgiven.
“There’s got to be a morning after, if we can hold on through the night.”
The second half of the book doesn’t concentrate so much on the romance but takes on many serious themes – prejudices and lack of acceptance by family, intolerance and kids with two dads being called bastards, drug addiction, AIDS - “the gay men plague” in 80s. All these affect Lincoln and Jose’s life greatly.
I must say, for me, some of the events that take place in this part of the book were a bit too sugar coated but I understand that this had to be how Lincoln’s journey ends. The dream of the five years old boy had to come true.
So, while I enjoyed the second half of Unbroken, the first half was my favourite.
I don’t know why this novel is not more popular here on GR. I would recommend Unbroken to everyone who reads the M/M genre.
June 16, 2020
This is Lincoln's story - the story of the life of a gay black boy and man, who refused to live in the closet, and who sought a way to feel unbroken about his gayness, when much of the world considered it a defect. Starting in 1964, in kindergarten, his story skips through the years, sharing important times in Lincoln's life, from his first childhood crush on a boy, to the romantic happy ending of a mature man. There is loss and affection, rejection and discovery and love, all portrayed in a clear-eyed, matter-of-fact voice that brings real emotions with it.
The realism of the main character is the book's greatest charm. From the start, Lincoln feels like someone I might know- someone whose integrity and strength and clear-eyed view of the world make him worth knowing. He's femme enough to be unable to hide in the closet, and strong enough to refuse to do so if he could. From the moment he sees Jose Calderon smile, when they're twelve, he vows to marry him. Lincoln has a vision of a life with a house and a garden and a husband and chickens and maybe children. And although the world, including his parents, tell him he can't have it, Lincoln is going to fight for that dream. Toward the end, the hard work and hard times are occasionally glossed over with a fairytale sweetness, but I still believed in this story because Lincoln is such a real character.
Each chapter opens with a few seminal moments in the news that year, to ground the reader in time and place. For someone like me who lived through all those years, it works very well - a small hit of nostalgia and resonance, that sets the era. And in each, we watch Lincoln grow and learn, want and feel, lose and win. Despite skipping like a stone across the years, after a few slightly-sketchy childhood moments, each segment becomes long and dense enough to be fully satisfying. The last section is as sweet and beautifully written as one could want, and Lincoln deserves his happy ending.
The realism of the main character is the book's greatest charm. From the start, Lincoln feels like someone I might know- someone whose integrity and strength and clear-eyed view of the world make him worth knowing. He's femme enough to be unable to hide in the closet, and strong enough to refuse to do so if he could. From the moment he sees Jose Calderon smile, when they're twelve, he vows to marry him. Lincoln has a vision of a life with a house and a garden and a husband and chickens and maybe children. And although the world, including his parents, tell him he can't have it, Lincoln is going to fight for that dream. Toward the end, the hard work and hard times are occasionally glossed over with a fairytale sweetness, but I still believed in this story because Lincoln is such a real character.
Each chapter opens with a few seminal moments in the news that year, to ground the reader in time and place. For someone like me who lived through all those years, it works very well - a small hit of nostalgia and resonance, that sets the era. And in each, we watch Lincoln grow and learn, want and feel, lose and win. Despite skipping like a stone across the years, after a few slightly-sketchy childhood moments, each segment becomes long and dense enough to be fully satisfying. The last section is as sweet and beautifully written as one could want, and Lincoln deserves his happy ending.
May 2, 2017
He disfrutado mucho con esta lectura, tiene escenas realmente preciosas y momentos muy emotivos, de esos que te llegan al corazoncito. Me gusta mucho cómo está escrito, se lee sólo y el autor consigue meterte de lleno en la historia y los personajes.
Pero cosas como esta me hacen enfadar:
“Lincoln,” he said, “look at me. I can’t believe I’m about to admit this. In fact, I can’t believe you don’t know it—I find your effeminacy ridiculously sexy.”
“You do?”
“I do. I love that you’re kind of a girl, but you have a dick and in your own way you’re pretty masculine.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you, Spaceman. You have so much courage. You have always stood up for yourself, for us. I’ll never forget when you got into that fight in high school. You kicked both their asses. You were so fierce and determined. But, when they finally got you off that kid and they let you go, you started to fall and I caught you and you hung onto me so tightly, like you needed me to save you. You were so strong one minute and so defenseless the next. I love that dichotomy in you.”
¿En serio?
Repito, ¿En serio?
Por desgracia estamos acostumbrados a estereotipos sexistas en la romántica (bueno, y en todos los demás géneros LOL), y yo misma le he dado cinco estrellas a libros con peores faltas. Soy consciente de que estoy siendo injusta, pero qué puedo decir, de este libro no lo esperaba y me ha sorprendido para mal. Lo que en otra novela me habría hecho poner los ojos en blanco y nada más, aquí me ha sentado como una patada en el culo.
Y es que a pesar de que me iba encontrando con cosas que no me convencían, como el tratamiento de los secundarios y el personaje de José (no le veo mucha solidez, y si encima el muchacho suelta perlas como las arriba transcritas…), estaba disfrutando mucho con la lectura y la cosa iba para cuatro estrellas... Pero cuando tengo que leer que el coraje y la determinación son rasgos masculinos, pues como a Mari Trini, se me cae una estrella :(
Pero cosas como esta me hacen enfadar:
“Lincoln,” he said, “look at me. I can’t believe I’m about to admit this. In fact, I can’t believe you don’t know it—I find your effeminacy ridiculously sexy.”
“You do?”
“I do. I love that you’re kind of a girl, but you have a dick and in your own way you’re pretty masculine.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you, Spaceman. You have so much courage. You have always stood up for yourself, for us. I’ll never forget when you got into that fight in high school. You kicked both their asses. You were so fierce and determined. But, when they finally got you off that kid and they let you go, you started to fall and I caught you and you hung onto me so tightly, like you needed me to save you. You were so strong one minute and so defenseless the next. I love that dichotomy in you.”
¿En serio?
Repito, ¿En serio?
Por desgracia estamos acostumbrados a estereotipos sexistas en la romántica (bueno, y en todos los demás géneros LOL), y yo misma le he dado cinco estrellas a libros con peores faltas. Soy consciente de que estoy siendo injusta, pero qué puedo decir, de este libro no lo esperaba y me ha sorprendido para mal. Lo que en otra novela me habría hecho poner los ojos en blanco y nada más, aquí me ha sentado como una patada en el culo.
Y es que a pesar de que me iba encontrando con cosas que no me convencían, como el tratamiento de los secundarios y el personaje de José (no le veo mucha solidez, y si encima el muchacho suelta perlas como las arriba transcritas…), estaba disfrutando mucho con la lectura y la cosa iba para cuatro estrellas... Pero cuando tengo que leer que el coraje y la determinación son rasgos masculinos, pues como a Mari Trini, se me cae una estrella :(
February 24, 2017
So beautiful I don't have words.
This book touched my soul and this story will stay with me forever. I saw reviews that compared Unbroken to Wolfsong by TJ Klune and I would absolutely agree. If you loved Wolfsong then you will adore Unbroken.
I loved this book. I don't think there is more I can say other than I was ugly crying for about the last 20% of the book at my desk at work. The emotion in this book is so strong that you can't help but feel everything so deeply.
Jose and Lincoln had such a tough journey. Their love was epic and I wish everyone could read Unbroken so that they can see the beauty in the love that two people share. Whether that love is shared between two men, two women, or a man and a woman, love is love and should be respected.
If you want an emotional, fulfilling and epic love story about two boys who meet in the 7th grade and know that they are destined to be together - then read Unbroken.
On to the next!
December 9, 2018
4,5 stars
This was such a beautiful story. And it was extremely well written. I suffered with the characters. I saw them growing and experiencing life with all the good but also with all the bad. Their families didn't accept them and their choices. It broke my heart every time. But their wounds were healed and that's all that matters. It's really a beautiful story of love and I absolutely loved the connection between the main characters. I highlighted a lot and I simply would have wanted to be there for them. The ending was sweet and hopeful. I just wished the secondary characters didn't take so much part of the book. Some scenes dragged a little too much for me. I understand why they were important to the story but at times I wanted more of Spaceman and Jose.
This was such a beautiful story. And it was extremely well written. I suffered with the characters. I saw them growing and experiencing life with all the good but also with all the bad. Their families didn't accept them and their choices. It broke my heart every time. But their wounds were healed and that's all that matters. It's really a beautiful story of love and I absolutely loved the connection between the main characters. I highlighted a lot and I simply would have wanted to be there for them. The ending was sweet and hopeful. I just wished the secondary characters didn't take so much part of the book. Some scenes dragged a little too much for me. I understand why they were important to the story but at times I wanted more of Spaceman and Jose.
April 14, 2015
Beautifully written, emotional and deeply satisfying.
This heartwarming story left me with a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes and a huge smile on my face.
Highly recommend!
Thank you, Maya, for bringing this book to my attention, and thank you, Sofia, for reading it with me!
***4.5 stars***
This heartwarming story left me with a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes and a huge smile on my face.
Highly recommend!
Thank you, Maya, for bringing this book to my attention, and thank you, Sofia, for reading it with me!
***4.5 stars***
February 26, 2017
Now I've waited and am just not feeling like doing justice to this in a review, not that I think I could anyway.
I saw this description for another book, and it fits here so well. "Actually, nothing happens, and everything happens." At its heart, this is a story about a life well lived by a man who refuses to let anyone make him be anything or anyone other than who and what he is. And it was everything. <3
I saw this description for another book, and it fits here so well. "Actually, nothing happens, and everything happens." At its heart, this is a story about a life well lived by a man who refuses to let anyone make him be anything or anyone other than who and what he is. And it was everything. <3
March 4, 2017
This book is magnificent!! One of the best m/m books I have ever read. I'm so sorry it's over! Amazing. Highly recommended!
July 10, 2018
I read this in one sitting... okaaaaaaaay maybe not in one but you get what I mean, right?
I lurrrrrrrrrrrved the main characters and their story BUT some secondary characters were waaaaaaaaay too annoying and I rolled my eyes more than once. Despite this and the fact that the whole story moved into sugarville the last 10%, I still loved the main story, the way it's told and the amazing writing style.
Obrigado, Jan!!! For this book and for the halloumi. Let's NOT forget the halloumi ;)
August 3, 2018
***** 20 STARS !***** This is a glorious tale of a boy growing up, from Kindergarten on, knowing he's different and trying to get through the tough path of childhood and puberty. He's an amazing person, who knows who and what he is, while waiting for a chance to be himself freely.
We get to follow his lonely childhood, troubled high school, questioning college days, his interactions, plus the distance he puts between himself and his nonsupportive family. We span Kindergarten, 1964 - age 45, 2004. Each chapter is prefaced with the current history and events of that year.
* Jose is Puerto Rican, Spanish/English speaking, big and tall, with a large family.
* Lincoln is white, femme featured, with a bigoted home life.
Jose becomes a teacher, and Lincoln ventures into writing. An interracial couple as well as being gay was a tougher road back then.
This story is magnificently told by author Larry Benjamin. It has extensive depth, fabulous flow and meaningful issues. In addition to being a life long romance, it gives us the feeling of the decades as they pass. The social changes explode onto the pages, and how society and our men deal with each one is profound.
This gripping tale will take you by surprise, and hang on to you while you watch a fantastic life - well lived.
It's a beautifully written story; a tremendous time capsule of incredible historic times.
Larry Benjamin has won the Lamda Literary Award and the IP, Independent Publisher Award.
The ending and epilogue are stupendous.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.
ENJOY !
=====
Thank you Susan Bella for the recommendation.
=====
We get to follow his lonely childhood, troubled high school, questioning college days, his interactions, plus the distance he puts between himself and his nonsupportive family. We span Kindergarten, 1964 - age 45, 2004. Each chapter is prefaced with the current history and events of that year.
* Jose is Puerto Rican, Spanish/English speaking, big and tall, with a large family.
* Lincoln is white, femme featured, with a bigoted home life.
Jose becomes a teacher, and Lincoln ventures into writing. An interracial couple as well as being gay was a tougher road back then.
This story is magnificently told by author Larry Benjamin. It has extensive depth, fabulous flow and meaningful issues. In addition to being a life long romance, it gives us the feeling of the decades as they pass. The social changes explode onto the pages, and how society and our men deal with each one is profound.
This gripping tale will take you by surprise, and hang on to you while you watch a fantastic life - well lived.
It's a beautifully written story; a tremendous time capsule of incredible historic times.
Larry Benjamin has won the Lamda Literary Award and the IP, Independent Publisher Award.
The ending and epilogue are stupendous.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.
ENJOY !
=====
Thank you Susan Bella for the recommendation.
=====
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