Graffiti

by Petrie Harbouri

Graffiti, that humblest form of words offered up in clandestine anonymity, has always provided a release for those who repress desires, insults or convictions. And Athens, where Petrie Harbouri's first novel is set, is a city rich in graffiti. It is also a city where conventions of gender and the status quo are not readily trammeled.

Tasos, middle-aged, Greek and not very verbal, has recently seen his marriage to Marianna wrecked by his passion for the young Leonora--only, too slow on the uptake, he has lost them both. Into his life slides English Felix--gay, insecure, profusely verbal, yet somehow comforting. In her elegant and perceptive novel, Petrie Harbouri examines the hows and whys of the love that develops between the two men--human, fallible, and stumbling. And she explores what happens to Marianna and Leonora through their own voices, bringing to life this curious and engaging circle of characters who dance unforgettably in the shadow of the Acropolis.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published April 9, 1998

Reviews

[Arlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Elegant and perceptive" are two apt words used on the cover to describe this wise little book. While the two main characters, Tasos and Felix, hide their most intense feelings behind silence (Tasos) and nervous chatter (Felix), the author brings into our awareness the unspoken intensity and vulnerability that makes for intimacy in their relationship. The fact that Tasos, a straight man who ruined his unsatisfactory marriage when he fell for a younger woman, and Felix, a younger gay man, have become quietly and deeply affectionate lovers is neither justified nor fully explained, for that would compromise the author's skillful observation of lives and relationships, an observation that does not yield to the temptation to tie up loose ends, moral or otherwise.

[Katie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, onto the reread (and re-reread) shelf you go. A sweet and understated old friend I like to revisit every couple of years, apparently. Long story short: a divorced middle-aged Greek man and a young gay British expat find themselves in a relationship that somehow, for whatever reason, works. Books about straight people who turn out to not actually be straight are totally my kryptonite, I know... but this isn't in any way a coming-out narrative or a gay-with-a-capital-G story. It's more of a meditation on the intriguing relationships between people, and what their lived pasts and unknown futures have to do - or don't have to do - with their present.

(Speaking of intriguing: I am also intrigued by Harbouri's ability to maintain such a clear distinction between her narration and her characters, especially with a narrator who never has a consistent perspective - sometimes it's one of the main characters, sometimes it's an unknown third character, and sometimes it's just a general omniscient storyteller. But while the narration consistently verges on pretentious, judgy, and - weirdly enough for a story this subversive - heteronormative, it never taints the main characters, who are wonderfully real and always 100% likeable. I can't help but love Tasos and Felix. And I don't like the narrator at all. So strange.)

[Amhara Rein · Rating 3 out of 5]

The language and perspective this book was written in was wonderful and my favorite part of the book. It was like a constant honest thought process that I could very much relate to. The story-line itself though was pretty bland. It was intriguing enough because it was reminiscent of stories and gossip we hear of many other people's lives all the time, but there was no real begging and no end. It was just a constant series of events, which I guess life is, but listening to these character's gossip was no more interesting than reading a tabloid about a celebrity scandal. As much as I liked the writing style of this author, the book was hard to get through because of a serious lack of interest. I was just constantly finding out more facts about people I didn't know.

[Dillom]

This book has changed my perspective on EVERYTHING. I am a transformed human being and I will never be the same. This book opened up my eyes to the world of ancient Greekness. I wish I was Thasos!!!!!! I wish this could be made into a movie and fufuill all of my dreams. I recieved great pleasure from this book and all of the love triflangles in it. I <3 Graffiti!!!!!! This book made me feel acceped and welcomed into the world of LGBTQ. My preffered pronouns are X and W :)


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