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The Dandelion Clock
1986. If David hadn't missed his train and if Rob hadn't been in the kitchen when his mother was baking a birthday cake, they might never have met. Both found themselves sitting at the same table in the café on Waterloo Station and got talking. There was an instant rapport between them, despite their David, twenty-eight, with a good job and a house all to himself; Rob, ten years younger, jobless and homeless. The solution to the latter seemed obvious . But was David just being a good Samaritan or were his motives suspect? And why had Rob left home?
- GenresM M RomanceGay
284 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2002
67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 11, 2020
Whenever I need some light and calm gay-themed reading material to soothe the fevered brow, I go back to my tried and tested copy of Mandal's The Dandelion Clock; not a fast paced action read with lots of hawt M-on-M action romance. Rather more like a “visit with friends over a nice cup of tea at the kitchen table, looking out to a herbaceous border through a gingham-curtain framed window” type of read. A warmly engaging reading experience.
The story has two main arcs, part one where David meets Rob at the train station and brings home a lost waif and part two, where David and Rob has to overcome a multitude of internal obstacles and barriers to find the strength to love. Mandal explores the inner thoughts and struggles of each of these two main protagonists so well, the dialogue and interactions never fails to move me emotionally (the ending of the plot part one leaves me feeling bereft each time). Sometimes the POV switches unexpected and without warning but this is a minor quibble. I’ve re-read this as a comfort read several times over the years and I always finish up with a big smile on my face.
The book is not entirely devoid of hot potato material however … there’s a not insignificant age-gap between David and Rob that some might have concerns about, and without giving away too much, post-traumatic reactions from unwanted sexual interference gets some minor coverage. The supporting cast of characters – best friends, co-workers, parents help flesh out these two main characters’ lives and one or two are quite well fleshed out as well.
This title is not available on Kindle (as yet) but I strongly recommend readers to get hold of a second-hand copy as it’s well worth the read, it is almost as good as Grimsley’s Comfort and Joy IMO.
The story has two main arcs, part one where David meets Rob at the train station and brings home a lost waif and part two, where David and Rob has to overcome a multitude of internal obstacles and barriers to find the strength to love. Mandal explores the inner thoughts and struggles of each of these two main protagonists so well, the dialogue and interactions never fails to move me emotionally (the ending of the plot part one leaves me feeling bereft each time). Sometimes the POV switches unexpected and without warning but this is a minor quibble. I’ve re-read this as a comfort read several times over the years and I always finish up with a big smile on my face.
The book is not entirely devoid of hot potato material however … there’s a not insignificant age-gap between David and Rob that some might have concerns about, and without giving away too much, post-traumatic reactions from unwanted sexual interference gets some minor coverage. The supporting cast of characters – best friends, co-workers, parents help flesh out these two main characters’ lives and one or two are quite well fleshed out as well.
This title is not available on Kindle (as yet) but I strongly recommend readers to get hold of a second-hand copy as it’s well worth the read, it is almost as good as Grimsley’s Comfort and Joy IMO.
November 16, 2013
3.5
I liked the dialogues, the humor, the lack of extensive sex scenes, the fact that it is set in England. It has a certain pleasant quietness. The POV switches were a bit annoying though: that's the half star missing.
I liked the dialogues, the humor, the lack of extensive sex scenes, the fact that it is set in England. It has a certain pleasant quietness. The POV switches were a bit annoying though: that's the half star missing.
June 21, 2020
I liked the English setting of this story, with some lovely descriptions of British towns and country side, and I liked the quiet, easy pace of story telling.
Some things bothered me, though, for example the age difference between Rob and David; and it took me a while to get used to the POV changes. One other thing that worried me was
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
Some things bothered me, though, for example the age difference between Rob and David; and it took me a while to get used to the POV changes. One other thing that worried me was
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
January 4, 2013
A beautiful love story.
July 13, 2017
The Dandelion Clock is Jay Mandal's low key exploration of love between two men, one older and steadfast, the other younger and overcoming trauma. Set in the mid 1980's, amid the AIDS crisis (though mentioned quite frequently, it never plays out in the narrative), David meets Rob in Waterloo Station one evening when his train is delayed. They strike up a friendly conversation, within the course of it David discovers that Rob is living on the streets. Without quite understanding why, David invites Rob to stay with him for a few days while Rob figures things out. Rob warily accepts. Soon Rob moves in full time (even though it's David's parents' house (but don't worry, they are on an extended stay in America)), and David falls in love with him, but keeps his feelings to himself, not sure what Rob thinks or wants. From there the story develops as many romance stories do; secrets are kept, feelings are hurt, no one truly expresses themselves, that is until they do, and everything turns out all right in the end. Mandal doesn't raise the stakes too much on David and Rob's dance of hearts, which is oddly endearing, that is until the second half when Rob's trauma is told, but it only raises its pulse slightly, which robs it of its tension to be truly heart-shattering, which is felt. What Mandal does get so right is that feeling you get when you meet someone and are so totally affected by them, beyond any fathomable reason, that your whole life is turned upside down. The title seems to refer to watching love bloom in a place where you wouldn't think possible, finding the hour for when it is right.
August 8, 2014
Very sweet and slow love story, kinda hurts too.
I can't put my finger on quite what it is about this book but I read it a long time ago and I still find myself thinking about aspects of it now.
My only reservation is in places I found the detailing of everyday life made it a little too slow.
Overall recommended.
I can't put my finger on quite what it is about this book but I read it a long time ago and I still find myself thinking about aspects of it now.
My only reservation is in places I found the detailing of everyday life made it a little too slow.
Overall recommended.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews