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Puppet Boy
A school in turmoil over its senior play, a sly career as a teenage gigolo, an unpredictable girlfriend with damage of her own, and a dangerous housebreaker tied up downstairs. Any of these would make a great plot for budding filmmaker Eric's first movie. Unfortunately, they're his real life. When Julien, a handsome wannabe actor, transfers to Eric's class, he's a distraction, a rival, and one complication too many. Yet Eric can't stop thinking about him. Helped by Eric's girlfriend, Mary, they embark on a project that dangerously crosses the line between filmmaking and reality. As the boys become close, Eric soon wants to cross other lines entirely. Does Julien feel the same way, or is Eric being used on the gleefully twisted path to fame?
- GenresContemporaryLGBTDark
314 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2015
4 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Christian Baines
17 books151 followersWriting quirky queer horror and dark fantasy, Christian Baines is an awkward nerd turned slightly less awkward author. Raised on dark humour and powered by New Zealand wine, he is the author of nine novels including gay paranormal series The Arcadia Trust, Puppet Boy, Skin, and My Cat’s Guide to Online Dating. Born in Australia, he now travels the world whenever possible, living and writing in Toronto, Canada between trips.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 20, 2016
Cross-posted at Outlaw Reviews and at Shelf Inflicted
Right from the start, I was gripped by this story. 18-year-old Eric’s mom has a busy career, leaving him alone for months at a time. All this freedom enables him to straddle multiple worlds – as a student producing one of Shakespeare’s more controversial plays, a boy toy to Margaret, an older female client, and as mate to Julien and Mary. Oh, and let’s not forget about the complicated relationship Eric has with the burglar tied up in his house and that godawful MP3 he keeps playing.
So even though there’s not a single likable character in this story, Eric’s conflicts, craziness and unpredictability kept me entirely enthralled, making me laugh, hold my breath, and shake my head in disbelief. I liked that Eric’s bisexuality is understated, yet unrepentant. I also appreciated the stellar writing which easily elevates this book into the literary realm.
This is the type of book best read without knowing any specifics, so I’m not going to spoil it for you. Just know that you’ll laugh your head off, be horrified, and question your sanity…or Eric’s.
A total mindfuck and one of the more creative books I’ve read in a while.
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Right from the start, I was gripped by this story. 18-year-old Eric’s mom has a busy career, leaving him alone for months at a time. All this freedom enables him to straddle multiple worlds – as a student producing one of Shakespeare’s more controversial plays, a boy toy to Margaret, an older female client, and as mate to Julien and Mary. Oh, and let’s not forget about the complicated relationship Eric has with the burglar tied up in his house and that godawful MP3 he keeps playing.
So even though there’s not a single likable character in this story, Eric’s conflicts, craziness and unpredictability kept me entirely enthralled, making me laugh, hold my breath, and shake my head in disbelief. I liked that Eric’s bisexuality is understated, yet unrepentant. I also appreciated the stellar writing which easily elevates this book into the literary realm.
This is the type of book best read without knowing any specifics, so I’m not going to spoil it for you. Just know that you’ll laugh your head off, be horrified, and question your sanity…or Eric’s.
A total mindfuck and one of the more creative books I’ve read in a while.
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2022
Review and summary at https://amanjareads.com/2022/01/25/pu...
I met the author of Puppet Boy over the summer at one of the Pride festivals I attended. He was selling his books at a booth and read me (ahem) like a book. I was wearing my bisexual colored Captain America shield shirt and he pitched me the story of this bisexual thriller that sounded incredibly interesting. So naturally I bought it and it sat in my TBR pile for 6 months. Well, once I picked it up I devoured it in under two days. It's one of the fastest page turners I've read all year.
It's the story of a 17 year old Australian high schooler, Eric, who attends a Christian school with an emphasis on drama and art. He wants to be a director with an edge when he finally gets to go to college in America.
He makes money to escape Australia by selling himself as an escort to the wealthy and allowing them to indulge some pretty risque fantasies. His secret life also includes a home intruder he has locked up in his basement and some pretty wild fantasies of his own that may tip from sexual to violent more often than not.
That is all set up within the first 10 pages and the rest of the book is a wild ride through this graphic coming of age tale that is definitely not YA safe. Eric experiments with sex, drugs, violence, and most of all power. The theme of the book centrals strongly around the forces of who's in charge shifting back and forth and when one allows power to be given up verses when it is taken by force.
The pacing and writing in the book are spot on. I was never bored, the book never lagged, but I was never lost. This is what it looks like when an author has a full plan from beginning to end and it all comes together coherently, twists and all.
The characters are complex but believable and well as diverse. Baines creates a world of depravity which is only restrained as much as our own, in that everyone can mostly manage to function at work and school during the day before getting to their secrets at home. The book is equal parts sexy and disturbing but wholly entertaining.
I strongly recommend this book to any erotic thriller fans out there. I personally don't read the genre very often but if this is how they all are I'd love to start. But I think this may have set the bar high for me to enter that world.
I met the author of Puppet Boy over the summer at one of the Pride festivals I attended. He was selling his books at a booth and read me (ahem) like a book. I was wearing my bisexual colored Captain America shield shirt and he pitched me the story of this bisexual thriller that sounded incredibly interesting. So naturally I bought it and it sat in my TBR pile for 6 months. Well, once I picked it up I devoured it in under two days. It's one of the fastest page turners I've read all year.
It's the story of a 17 year old Australian high schooler, Eric, who attends a Christian school with an emphasis on drama and art. He wants to be a director with an edge when he finally gets to go to college in America.
He makes money to escape Australia by selling himself as an escort to the wealthy and allowing them to indulge some pretty risque fantasies. His secret life also includes a home intruder he has locked up in his basement and some pretty wild fantasies of his own that may tip from sexual to violent more often than not.
That is all set up within the first 10 pages and the rest of the book is a wild ride through this graphic coming of age tale that is definitely not YA safe. Eric experiments with sex, drugs, violence, and most of all power. The theme of the book centrals strongly around the forces of who's in charge shifting back and forth and when one allows power to be given up verses when it is taken by force.
The pacing and writing in the book are spot on. I was never bored, the book never lagged, but I was never lost. This is what it looks like when an author has a full plan from beginning to end and it all comes together coherently, twists and all.
The characters are complex but believable and well as diverse. Baines creates a world of depravity which is only restrained as much as our own, in that everyone can mostly manage to function at work and school during the day before getting to their secrets at home. The book is equal parts sexy and disturbing but wholly entertaining.
I strongly recommend this book to any erotic thriller fans out there. I personally don't read the genre very often but if this is how they all are I'd love to start. But I think this may have set the bar high for me to enter that world.
April 2, 2016
4.5 ⭐️ Compellng Read
I am not quite sure how to sum this up, this was one hell of a story, twisted, strange, dark and not what I expected. The story was quite intriguing, really held my attention, it was so difficult to put this down. The story was really harsh at times, and I still felt for Eric, the writing & story was compelling.
I am not quite sure how to sum this up, this was one hell of a story, twisted, strange, dark and not what I expected. The story was quite intriguing, really held my attention, it was so difficult to put this down. The story was really harsh at times, and I still felt for Eric, the writing & story was compelling.
January 18, 2016
I just finished Puppet Boy and deeply enjoyed it, despite its having carved yet another hollow into my already pockmarked sense of well-being. Following the depraved storyline of the teenage Eric through his adventures in kidnapping, sex work, and planning his high school theatre production, it clawed at my interest like a middle-aged millionaire after their fifth cocktail (read the novel, that will make sense). At times dimming to a Brett Easton Ellis-style darkness, Puppet Boy features a heady mixture of plot twists, Christian fundamentalism, and leftist politics which seems custom-designed to leave readers like me gasping for more. Worth a read if you need your sense of misanthropy upped to dangerous levels.
September 8, 2016
Sometimes, when you read a book, things don't quite begin on a good note. However, you're optimistic that eventually the plot will click for you and you'll finish the book thinking of much you loved it. Sadly, that wasn't the case this time around.
Diving into this book was one of the most unpleasant reading experiences for me. :(
The majority of the reviews had people raving about it but, to me, the whole thing was a fourth-rate Brett Easton Ellis novel wannabe.
About the one positive I can say is that the prose is highly readable. There are no typos or grammatical errors of any kind. #ImreachingIknow
The plot turned more and more bizarre as the book progressed. Also, all of the characters were unlikable to such a degree that they stopped resembling anything close to human by the end of, like, the second chapter. *sigh*
Most of said characters are between 17 and 18 years old. They're rich, interested in partying and a v. specific Shakespeare play, and ultimately extremely boring. I'm not sure if the author's intention was to write a shocking story about a guy who is stretched too thin, but I'd say he failed at writing anything that was even remotely original. At one point, I began to wonder if this novel was supposed to be a satire.
The dialogue lacks anything similar to the way real people speak. This artificiality (and gods, all the lengthy and supposedly "deep" discussions about the role of Shakespeare's plays in modern society) made me roll my eyes many, many times.
For anyone who picks up this book based on the LGTB+ category, I'd point out that nearly all of the characters label themselves as straight...despite the constant bed-hopping with men and women. In addition, there is a lack of an HEA for the MC.
My disinterest in this book was so intense that, had I not been reading it for a challenge, I'd have DNF'd it. The main reason why I'm not giving 1 star is because in spite of all my grumbling and tired sighs, I can't deny that it's a fairly decently written book. But in the end, I'm #unimpressed.
Diving into this book was one of the most unpleasant reading experiences for me. :(
The majority of the reviews had people raving about it but, to me, the whole thing was a fourth-rate Brett Easton Ellis novel wannabe.
About the one positive I can say is that the prose is highly readable. There are no typos or grammatical errors of any kind. #ImreachingIknow
The plot turned more and more bizarre as the book progressed. Also, all of the characters were unlikable to such a degree that they stopped resembling anything close to human by the end of, like, the second chapter. *sigh*
Most of said characters are between 17 and 18 years old. They're rich, interested in partying and a v. specific Shakespeare play, and ultimately extremely boring. I'm not sure if the author's intention was to write a shocking story about a guy who is stretched too thin, but I'd say he failed at writing anything that was even remotely original. At one point, I began to wonder if this novel was supposed to be a satire.
The dialogue lacks anything similar to the way real people speak. This artificiality (and gods, all the lengthy and supposedly "deep" discussions about the role of Shakespeare's plays in modern society) made me roll my eyes many, many times.
For anyone who picks up this book based on the LGTB+ category, I'd point out that nearly all of the characters label themselves as straight...despite the constant bed-hopping with men and women. In addition, there is a lack of an HEA for the MC.
My disinterest in this book was so intense that, had I not been reading it for a challenge, I'd have DNF'd it. The main reason why I'm not giving 1 star is because in spite of all my grumbling and tired sighs, I can't deny that it's a fairly decently written book. But in the end, I'm #unimpressed.
April 29, 2016
So, this took me a long time to read and I don't want anyone to think that reflects upon the readability by any means. It's actually quite the opposite. These characters, who were in turns dark, empathetic, frightening, engrossing, and disturbing kept knocking me for a loop and—a quirk of mine—if I read tension thriller type books or horror books or dark psychological books and then go to sleep, I end up with bad dreams. So I measured this one out, read it when the sun was up, read it when I had something light and silly to do afterwards, and I really, really enjoyed it.
And only a few nightmares.
Kidnapping, rent-boys, Titus Andronicus, religious fundamentalism, exploration of sexuality, usury, dubious consent, there's so much going on here and yet Baines manages to get Eric under your skin even as he makes terrible choices and you'd like as much to slap him as help him.
Normally, when I write a review, I try to give some hint as to the narrative, and I have to be honest, I'm not going to expand much on what's listed on the back of the book, as I found myself enjoying peeling back the onion, as it were, and discovering each new layer. Much else would be a spoiler, and in this case, I'd say it matters.
Having already read The Prince and the Practitioner and The Beast Without and having enjoyed both, I have to say The Orchard of Flesh just jumped high up on my "as soon as I can get my hands on it" list.
And only a few nightmares.
Kidnapping, rent-boys, Titus Andronicus, religious fundamentalism, exploration of sexuality, usury, dubious consent, there's so much going on here and yet Baines manages to get Eric under your skin even as he makes terrible choices and you'd like as much to slap him as help him.
Normally, when I write a review, I try to give some hint as to the narrative, and I have to be honest, I'm not going to expand much on what's listed on the back of the book, as I found myself enjoying peeling back the onion, as it were, and discovering each new layer. Much else would be a spoiler, and in this case, I'd say it matters.
Having already read The Prince and the Practitioner and The Beast Without and having enjoyed both, I have to say The Orchard of Flesh just jumped high up on my "as soon as I can get my hands on it" list.
June 20, 2017
Couple things to keep in mind to really enjoy this story.
1) This is NOT a romance. It is queer literature, and in my opinion, at its finest.
2) Must appreciate dark humor and understand the darker side of life.
If the above suits your fancy you can see the rest of my review on my website: http://christinasbookshelf.net/2017/0...
1) This is NOT a romance. It is queer literature, and in my opinion, at its finest.
2) Must appreciate dark humor and understand the darker side of life.
If the above suits your fancy you can see the rest of my review on my website: http://christinasbookshelf.net/2017/0...
March 11, 2016
I'll come clean. I know the author, but that in no way has influenced my five star rating.
This was one book I found hard to put down, from its twisted opening, to the plot where everything may or may not be as it seems. The more left unsaid, the better.
You can tell this is a book that has taken time to write, through drafts and expert editing. For that very reason, it's worth taking the time to follow this right to the end. And even as someone who's finished it, I still feel I may need a reread just to see where careful hints were offered to the reader on what was actually going on. A little like re-watching The Sixth Sense after first viewing.
I was also pleased that this 'not your average gay tale' was published by this GLBTI publisher, which shows the quality of work they're interested in. As often I imagined this novel (in Australian English, thankfully) was printed by a larger publisher. That's how good it is.
This was one book I found hard to put down, from its twisted opening, to the plot where everything may or may not be as it seems. The more left unsaid, the better.
You can tell this is a book that has taken time to write, through drafts and expert editing. For that very reason, it's worth taking the time to follow this right to the end. And even as someone who's finished it, I still feel I may need a reread just to see where careful hints were offered to the reader on what was actually going on. A little like re-watching The Sixth Sense after first viewing.
I was also pleased that this 'not your average gay tale' was published by this GLBTI publisher, which shows the quality of work they're interested in. As often I imagined this novel (in Australian English, thankfully) was printed by a larger publisher. That's how good it is.
July 26, 2016
Baines made me take a plunge down the rabbit hole. It was dark, twisted, scary and mesmerizing. I made it out alive—barely.
Eric is, what my friend would say, a cirrus person. It’s not a clinical term for anything, but a word to describe those who do not think in the same way as most—individuals with too much passion burning inside their hearts to settle. They’re volatile, magnetic and potentially dangerous. They are the fire we seek, but oftentimes, they burn out or lose their grip of a world that doesn’t understand.
Perhaps strangely enough, Eric wasn’t alone. He had Julian and Mary, a pair that hovered close yet so far away. The lack of intimacy between the Eric and the two had me perplexed throughout most of the novel, and I’m not entirely sure I’ve wrapped my head around the why. There was obviously a reason. Baines left nothing to chance in this excellent piece.
Eric appeared to have driven himself half-way to insanity as this novel began, and he brought me along on the journey to wherever it was we were going. The twists and turns along the way, all the improbable events…don’t let it rile you.This is theatrics. The solid foundation for this story is the story within the story. This is a narrative built within, thus what appears to be real might be fiction, and perhaps, what appears to be fiction might be real. As a part of this concept, Eric and his friends attend drama classes, and they’re preparing for the last play. Shakespeare is a given, and it’s yet another pillar of this story. Titus. Othello. Revenge is bittersweet, or perhaps it’s less sweet than dangerous. Revenge is The End.
Although Eric is the center of gravity for a lot of people, he appears equally aware of it as unaware. And, after having read the novel, I wonder if he knew the script he was directing. Was he the puppeteer or the puppet? I won’t tell you, because that would be too much of a spoiler.
I know I’m not making a lot of sense, but this is because I’m trying to understand and analyze what the heck I just read. This is great fiction. It’s excellent even. It’s a story you should read and churn, analyze and think about again in a few weeks, maybe next year even.
The way this novel was woven together left me breathless. The amount of planning and attention to detail gave me something to strive for in the future. The characterization was astounding, the writing was so alive and vibrant that I was grateful for having the physical copy in my hand, and the story itself was a work of art. All in all, I loved it as much as I loathed the repugnant stench of vile human behavior.
One minor note, however. At one point or two, I wished for a voice of reason.
Read this novel!
Eric is, what my friend would say, a cirrus person. It’s not a clinical term for anything, but a word to describe those who do not think in the same way as most—individuals with too much passion burning inside their hearts to settle. They’re volatile, magnetic and potentially dangerous. They are the fire we seek, but oftentimes, they burn out or lose their grip of a world that doesn’t understand.
Perhaps strangely enough, Eric wasn’t alone. He had Julian and Mary, a pair that hovered close yet so far away. The lack of intimacy between the Eric and the two had me perplexed throughout most of the novel, and I’m not entirely sure I’ve wrapped my head around the why. There was obviously a reason. Baines left nothing to chance in this excellent piece.
Eric appeared to have driven himself half-way to insanity as this novel began, and he brought me along on the journey to wherever it was we were going. The twists and turns along the way, all the improbable events…don’t let it rile you.This is theatrics. The solid foundation for this story is the story within the story. This is a narrative built within, thus what appears to be real might be fiction, and perhaps, what appears to be fiction might be real. As a part of this concept, Eric and his friends attend drama classes, and they’re preparing for the last play. Shakespeare is a given, and it’s yet another pillar of this story. Titus. Othello. Revenge is bittersweet, or perhaps it’s less sweet than dangerous. Revenge is The End.
Although Eric is the center of gravity for a lot of people, he appears equally aware of it as unaware. And, after having read the novel, I wonder if he knew the script he was directing. Was he the puppeteer or the puppet? I won’t tell you, because that would be too much of a spoiler.
I know I’m not making a lot of sense, but this is because I’m trying to understand and analyze what the heck I just read. This is great fiction. It’s excellent even. It’s a story you should read and churn, analyze and think about again in a few weeks, maybe next year even.
The way this novel was woven together left me breathless. The amount of planning and attention to detail gave me something to strive for in the future. The characterization was astounding, the writing was so alive and vibrant that I was grateful for having the physical copy in my hand, and the story itself was a work of art. All in all, I loved it as much as I loathed the repugnant stench of vile human behavior.
One minor note, however. At one point or two, I wished for a voice of reason.
Read this novel!
Read
November 27, 2016Seriously, WTF did I just read? I am at a loss for words. I don't know what the hell I just read.
It's...it's...grrr....it's weird!!!!!
It has taken me forever to get through it. I don't know what to say in a review. I don't even know how to review it. I can't say I would recommend this one anybody. And yet...Some people like dark and being mind fucked with. I don't know the right words. This is a psychological thriller with dark - I mean DARK - thoughts and actions. It doesn't have a Happy Ending. I don't UNDERSTAND the ending.
THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE!!!!!!
I was basically lost for the whole book. I don't think I liked anybody in the book (maybe Toby), they were all crazy. Something is literally wrong with these people.
Eric is working as an escort to earn money so he can go to film school in the U.S. Some of his clients want sex, some want just to talk, some want kinkier stuff. It's a mixed bag. Eric is in high school with Mary, Julien, Toby, Felicity, and lots of other characters who are studying the Arts. They all want to be in the genre of work.
I can't even explain what happened. There was a guy being held captive in Eric's basement, Eric is either Bi-or gay, not sure (I don't think he knows), they want to do a play "Titus" for class but eventually they don't because of the drama around it, grr, I can't go on. My brain hurts. Read at your own risk.
It's...it's...grrr....it's weird!!!!!
It has taken me forever to get through it. I don't know what to say in a review. I don't even know how to review it. I can't say I would recommend this one anybody. And yet...Some people like dark and being mind fucked with. I don't know the right words. This is a psychological thriller with dark - I mean DARK - thoughts and actions. It doesn't have a Happy Ending. I don't UNDERSTAND the ending.
THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE!!!!!!
I was basically lost for the whole book. I don't think I liked anybody in the book (maybe Toby), they were all crazy. Something is literally wrong with these people.
Eric is working as an escort to earn money so he can go to film school in the U.S. Some of his clients want sex, some want just to talk, some want kinkier stuff. It's a mixed bag. Eric is in high school with Mary, Julien, Toby, Felicity, and lots of other characters who are studying the Arts. They all want to be in the genre of work.
I can't even explain what happened. There was a guy being held captive in Eric's basement, Eric is either Bi-or gay, not sure (I don't think he knows), they want to do a play "Titus" for class but eventually they don't because of the drama around it, grr, I can't go on. My brain hurts. Read at your own risk.
January 14, 2016
Loved the story - quite the page turner! It was dark, humourous, and hot, with each chapter keeping me wanting for more and questioning 'who is the real puppet master?'
A five-star recommendation from me :-)
A five-star recommendation from me :-)
December 14, 2016
Christian Baines’ second novel is as much a social commentary on the affluent youth of Sydney, as it is an exploration of the depths (and the darkness) of desire. Baines continues to grow as an author, as is evident in his skillful plot design and intoxicating character development. What I love most about his work is that he does not speak down to his readers. Christian knows exactly how to treat his audience: with the utmost respect to their intellect, while grabbing them with several points of attraction along the way.
Puppet Boy tells the story of an interesting triad of Eric, Mary and Julien - three students at a Christian private school who have a passion for the performing arts, each other and control. Certainly, the last concept plays out (in my opinion) the most with Eric. He leads an incredible double life that, to be honest, reminded me of my own youth. Connected to this is Eric’s relationship with the character of Joe, one of which I was most drawn to. Joe’s fragility played well into Eric’s need for power and in a way Baines could only tell it - was absolutely delightful to read.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to be taken on a ride, exploring the limits of ambition, infatuation and duplicity - and where there is a delightful twist that few could expect.
Puppet Boy tells the story of an interesting triad of Eric, Mary and Julien - three students at a Christian private school who have a passion for the performing arts, each other and control. Certainly, the last concept plays out (in my opinion) the most with Eric. He leads an incredible double life that, to be honest, reminded me of my own youth. Connected to this is Eric’s relationship with the character of Joe, one of which I was most drawn to. Joe’s fragility played well into Eric’s need for power and in a way Baines could only tell it - was absolutely delightful to read.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to be taken on a ride, exploring the limits of ambition, infatuation and duplicity - and where there is a delightful twist that few could expect.
August 19, 2017
STOP! YOU BETTER THINK! A fantastic read ...mind bending right up until the end, completely unexpected which made it even more gratifying. I felt satiated! Finally a book meant not to have happy ending filled with salaciousness, vengeance, sadism amidst darkness and pounded by dry humour. It is far from romance! I had to remind myself, I was reading fiction because it seemed more like a biography, something extremely real and ultimately twisted. To date, I have not read anything similar, it is unique bordering on sinister.
As per a blogger, "This is not a love story", but what is love? What is the concept of love? It is a series of mental states, from deepest interpersonal affection to simple sinful pleasures. This book will play with your mind, touch your soul. You want to hate Eric so bad, but you feel, empathize with him. Puppet Boy could be interpreted as a a social commentary on today's Gen Z cohort reflected in the events of Titus Andronicus, one of my favorite plays of all time. It is amazing what people will do to get what they want. You have to read it to understand! I think I might have to read it again!
As per a blogger, "This is not a love story", but what is love? What is the concept of love? It is a series of mental states, from deepest interpersonal affection to simple sinful pleasures. This book will play with your mind, touch your soul. You want to hate Eric so bad, but you feel, empathize with him. Puppet Boy could be interpreted as a a social commentary on today's Gen Z cohort reflected in the events of Titus Andronicus, one of my favorite plays of all time. It is amazing what people will do to get what they want. You have to read it to understand! I think I might have to read it again!
April 25, 2016
Great writing. The author expertly weaves the stories of three main characters in a way that simultaneously brings them together and keeps them separate and distinct. Baines' main character, Eric, has a little bit of a dark side - his keeping a house burglar captive is both a little frightening and a little funny. But things heat up. One of my favorite moments is when Eric's girlfriend, Mary, begins to show an interest in the captive.
The story, while perhaps not for the faint hearted, will keep you glued to the page. Overall, an adventure of a read; well written and well worth it.
The story, while perhaps not for the faint hearted, will keep you glued to the page. Overall, an adventure of a read; well written and well worth it.
January 22, 2016
I have only read one previous book from Baines--The Beast Without--which I liked, but I loved this book. The theatre scenes felt real, and the way it all ends up in a horrific joining of the cast in various ways, will stick with me in a long time. Christian Baines has a sick mind. One I will be happy to examine again after reading this. Without spoilers, I may be in the minority for wanting for a different ending.
May 7, 2021
Christian Baines' Puppet Boy is a dark and compelling journey through the circumstances and mind of one bi, Australian, teenaged boy's fantasies and realities. Wannabe director Eric is as endearing as he is, at times, unethical, and secretly as uncertain as he is outwardly cocky. Like a film noir that doesn't cut away once it reaches the shadows, Puppet Boy draws us deep into the darknesses that motivate Eric, his friends, his clients, his mentors, his enemies, and their desires. Baines' gift, as in his other books, is in pushing further than other authors as he takes his characters, and their realities, apart. In Puppet Boy, he deftly portrays Eric's search for meaning as a wildly alluring yet deeply discomfiting story of artistic, sexual and moral exploration. With his typical dark humour, Baines plays on the disparities, conceits and desperations of the upper and artistic classes to create a story, characters and ending you'll never forget. If you've never read Baines before, Puppet Boy will make you want to rush out and read all of his work, and rightly so.
June 30, 2016
A subversive and sardonic romp, equal parts hilarious and fucked up. Without giving too much away, it tells the story of Eric, a gifted student at an elite performing arts high school who stops at nothing in his attempts to raise money to study abroad at elite American film schools, including sucking his friends and girlfriend into his sordid art projects and moonlighting as a rent boy to Sydney's repressed and wealthy upper classes. Eric is an enigmatic, richly layered and wholly unique protagonist, his ambition and lust tempered by a surprisingly touching teenage naiveté. There's so much to enjoy about Puppet Boy...author Christian Baines seduces us into a vivid world of endless possibilities where creative and oversexed teenagers have too many resources and too little supervision. Think Cruel Intentions meets Heavenly Creatures meets The Doom Generation meets Heathers. Coming from Sydney originally, I particularly enjoyed all the tongue in cheek references to the insular world of Sydney's North Shore, and at least one character is a thinly veiled well-known Sydney personality (although I won't spoil who!). The book is beautifully balanced between camp and lurid with some genuinely tender moments and a lot of very witty social commentary. I also have to give a particular nod to the fact that the book has some of the best drawn bisexual characters since Hanif Kureshi's "The Buddha of Suburbia" which only added to its freshness.
November 22, 2016
Against a backdrop of sophisticated cutting-edge high school theater, Mr. Baines gives us a suspenseful tale that is witty, disturbing, absorbing, and full of surprises. At times horrifying, and always compelling, it gives us a heaping helping of sexual ambiguity, sexual tension, and intriguing characters. I could not stop reading it. –Lyle Blake Smythers, author of Feasting With Panthers, Death by Sin, and the forthcoming Worms of Sin.
February 4, 2016
I devoured it in a day, forced only to take breaks for meals and a nap... I really shouldn't take books like this into my bedroom... I finished it at 3:00am.
I was hooked from the beginning and really drawn into Eric's world. I was at times shocked, appalled, turned on and amused but the one thing I couldn't do was put it down.
I was hooked from the beginning and really drawn into Eric's world. I was at times shocked, appalled, turned on and amused but the one thing I couldn't do was put it down.
October 4, 2016
I loved the mind-fuck that was this story. It was refreshing to be caught completely unaware by Eric. He was so not what I was expecting.
When I expected the story to go right, Christian takes it left and that made reading it completely fun for me.
When I expected the story to go right, Christian takes it left and that made reading it completely fun for me.
August 10, 2016
Not your typical high school story, but a dark, twisted and very enjoyable novel!
May 31, 2025
This book really surprised me (in a good way) and I loved jumping back into each chapter to see where it went...because it was full of surprises. It takes 'juvenile' / teen fiction and gives it a dark, thriller, twisted storyline.
And I liked it. I liked the touches of kink. I like the power dynamics. I like that some chapters made me ask myself, what the !@&* did I just read?!?!
I actually think it would make a good movie, especially the ending (I admit, I read this book sporadically, so I DID have to go back to figure out what Julien had done! But when I realized I was like, "Ohhhhhhh!"
This was a great lesson for me to support LGBTQ+ authors. I found this title and met the author at a PRIDE event. Don't pass an opportunity to support LGBTQ+ authors because this was a very pleasant addition to my bookshelf!
And I liked it. I liked the touches of kink. I like the power dynamics. I like that some chapters made me ask myself, what the !@&* did I just read?!?!
I actually think it would make a good movie, especially the ending (I admit, I read this book sporadically, so I DID have to go back to figure out what Julien had done! But when I realized I was like, "Ohhhhhhh!"
This was a great lesson for me to support LGBTQ+ authors. I found this title and met the author at a PRIDE event. Don't pass an opportunity to support LGBTQ+ authors because this was a very pleasant addition to my bookshelf!
August 27, 2024
DNF @ 11%
February 16, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Puppet Boy is quite a story and one I know I didn’t begin to explain well enough. There is way too much that happens here, something dark and twisty that is only slowly revealed throughout the story, so there isn’t too much I can say here without spoiling this really fascinating book. But first let me back up. I first learned about this story when I heard author Christian Baines do a reading and I was totally intrigued. I didn’t know much about the book, but when I got the chance to review it, I jumped on it. So this book doesn’t really fall in one of our typical genres that we review here on the blog. It is definitely not a romance, not even close. I do think there is some love here. Or at least as close to love as someone like Eric can feel. But definitely not a romance. This also isn’t really GLBT fiction, though Eric does have sexual encounters with both men and women, and I think one could argue he has at least an attraction to men in some way. But that isn’t the focus of the story by any means. I wouldn’t quite call this horror, but that is closer. Puppet Boy is dark and twisty and at times horrifying and always surprising and engaging. I found myself both fascinated and repulsed by these characters, but I could not put the book down and I am really impressed with the story Baines has created.
There are a lot of things happening here, but this is not really a linear plot. We have Eric and Joe and this attempted burglary that somehow turns into a kidnapping. We have Eric’s job as essentially a teen gigolo, sleeping with the wealthy elite for the money to fund his film school education. To Eric, that is worth any sacrifice, even the client who calls him Boy and beats him until bloody. And there is the focus on the play, the one that is dark and horrifying and that Eric is determined to see performed, and that he and the other students explore with at times frightening realism. But as all these things are happening, the story is really about Eric, and to a lesser extent Mary and Julien, and how they make their way through the world, blurring the lines of ethics and lacking compassion and focusing on their own needs and desires.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Puppet Boy is quite a story and one I know I didn’t begin to explain well enough. There is way too much that happens here, something dark and twisty that is only slowly revealed throughout the story, so there isn’t too much I can say here without spoiling this really fascinating book. But first let me back up. I first learned about this story when I heard author Christian Baines do a reading and I was totally intrigued. I didn’t know much about the book, but when I got the chance to review it, I jumped on it. So this book doesn’t really fall in one of our typical genres that we review here on the blog. It is definitely not a romance, not even close. I do think there is some love here. Or at least as close to love as someone like Eric can feel. But definitely not a romance. This also isn’t really GLBT fiction, though Eric does have sexual encounters with both men and women, and I think one could argue he has at least an attraction to men in some way. But that isn’t the focus of the story by any means. I wouldn’t quite call this horror, but that is closer. Puppet Boy is dark and twisty and at times horrifying and always surprising and engaging. I found myself both fascinated and repulsed by these characters, but I could not put the book down and I am really impressed with the story Baines has created.
There are a lot of things happening here, but this is not really a linear plot. We have Eric and Joe and this attempted burglary that somehow turns into a kidnapping. We have Eric’s job as essentially a teen gigolo, sleeping with the wealthy elite for the money to fund his film school education. To Eric, that is worth any sacrifice, even the client who calls him Boy and beats him until bloody. And there is the focus on the play, the one that is dark and horrifying and that Eric is determined to see performed, and that he and the other students explore with at times frightening realism. But as all these things are happening, the story is really about Eric, and to a lesser extent Mary and Julien, and how they make their way through the world, blurring the lines of ethics and lacking compassion and focusing on their own needs and desires.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
April 14, 2016
Three friends each express their awkward transitions through sharp turns and dark behaviors as they grow into adulthood.
Eric wants to be a director and tries to keep his life styles separate from one another. There is the Christian school board that tries to discourage his production of Titus Andronicus, his friends who are each discovering their own paths (and desires) in life, the robber that broke in whom Eric 'keeps' in his house, and Eric's more secretive life as a well-paid "Rent Boy" for the Higher Society. Each choice comes with secrets, and when his worlds start to collide, Eric's darker secrets are revealed.
Eric wants to be a director and tries to keep his life styles separate from one another. There is the Christian school board that tries to discourage his production of Titus Andronicus, his friends who are each discovering their own paths (and desires) in life, the robber that broke in whom Eric 'keeps' in his house, and Eric's more secretive life as a well-paid "Rent Boy" for the Higher Society. Each choice comes with secrets, and when his worlds start to collide, Eric's darker secrets are revealed.
Read
January 21, 2018Hmmmmmmmm....
Don‘t really know what to think about this book...
The fact is that I was really looking forward to reading the book, but I am afraid I just didn‘t get it...
It took me quite some time to get through it, probably mainly because lately I have a hard time reserving time to read, but possibly also because the book didn‘t grip me like I was hoping it would. So there were quite some interruptions that made it even harder to understand what was going on, what was real and what wasn‘t...
I even read some reviews now, hoping they would enlighten me - but no such luck...
So I am not going to rate this now and hope to reread it one day and maybe understand it... :D
Don‘t really know what to think about this book...
The fact is that I was really looking forward to reading the book, but I am afraid I just didn‘t get it...
It took me quite some time to get through it, probably mainly because lately I have a hard time reserving time to read, but possibly also because the book didn‘t grip me like I was hoping it would. So there were quite some interruptions that made it even harder to understand what was going on, what was real and what wasn‘t...
I even read some reviews now, hoping they would enlighten me - but no such luck...
So I am not going to rate this now and hope to reread it one day and maybe understand it... :D
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews