The Color of Trees

by Canaan Parker

What is it like to be gay in a boys' boarding school? What's it like to be black, and from Harlem, when you're surrounded by privileged white boys? A story of young love that crosses racial and class boundaries, this hauntingly erotic first novel explore the limits of freedom and loyalty.

221 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Nicolas Chinardet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely and utterly engrossing coming of age story that works nicely as a companion piece to Getting Off Clean, which I read recently.

This is far from a perfect. There are many holes in the book's internal logic and the relationships are sometimes presented in a confusing way (a character that's barely been mentioned is suddenly described as the narrator's best friend, and such). The time line seems a little mangled too (fifteen year olds don't drive cars!)

The writing is good however and the book explore themes of race and sexuality from a point of view usually ignored. It's not really a coming out story as the characters don't seem to experience any of internal conflicts usually associated with coming to terms with one's alternative sexuality. What should be considered homophobia in the book is also not very convincing. It feels more like a general disapproval of sexual activity.

Still the characters are engaging and I very much enjoyed the read.

[Douglas Kassano · Rating 3 out of 5]

There isn't so much to talk about with this one. It's not a terrible book or a phenomenal one either. Its one of those familiar stories about things you've heard or experienced so many times. Highschool gossip, unexplored sexual desires, dark little secrets and so on.