Three Sides to Every Story: A Novel

by Clarence Nero

Growing up in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Johnny and Tonya meet in high school and fall for each other. Yet their romance falls apart when Johnny seriously injures Tonya’s ex-boyfriend in an altercation. Johnny is imprisoned, and Tonya starts dating a rapper who fulfills her dreams of dancing in videos.

Depressed and deflated in jail, Johnny comes back to life thanks to the help of Pandora, the prison’s “den mother,” and James, who helps Johnny study for his GED. What starts as a platonic friendship between the sexually repressed Johnny and the openly gay James soon develops into a tender love that’s put on hold when James is released on parole. A year later, Johnny is freed as well, haunted by his feelings.

Meanwhile, Tonya, no longer with the rapper, has a new dream of reuniting with Johnny. And James, who wows crowds as a legendary drag queen performer, is furious that Johnny hasn’t reached out to him.

Their lives soon become a twisting roller coaster—secrets are revealed and assumptions are shattered in ways never imagined. Inviting comparison to E. Lynn Harris, Clarence Nero has created a compelling story about the social and sexual challenges black people face today.

Genres: African American, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2006

Reviews

[Danita Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Not bad at all.

[Verlana Munn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read

Reading Three Sides to a Story was such an interesting book. Very thought out by showing how some people handle person's they love when they find out the person isn't what you feel they should be. I also loved how relationships between parent and child may have been strained when crisis happens family comes together. Well written

[Salsabrarian]

Profane and at times, a little too conveniently dramatic. In New Orleans' Ninth Ward, the lives of Tonya, Johnny and James intersect in interesting and unexpected ways. Tonya and Johnny are high school sweethearts but Johnny is sent to jail for severely beating Tonya's ex-boyfriend. Tonya tries hard to remain faithful to Johnny but she has her life to live and she pursues a stint as a video dancer for a popular rapper with whom she has an affair. James is a gay man who lives for performing on gay nights at a Club Circus. He had a brief stint in jail for stealing from his employer, Saks Fifth Avenue. While in jail, Johnny realizes he needs to get his life straight; he studies for the GED and helps inmates with their appeals. It is in jail that he meets James; Johnny's repressed doubts about his sexuality are eliminated when he and James fall in love. But now that both men are out of jail, Johnny must find a way to live his new life with James and deal with girlfriend Tonya; his homophobic, violent cousin Kojack and his stern preacher father.

[Demetra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three sides had a good story line but I think it tackled to many issues in one book. Granted, these are real life scenarios such as down-low men, black men incarcerated at too high of rate, poverty in the African-American community, AIDS, lack of communication between parents/kids...I could go on and on. But to tackle it all in one book was a bit much. Everything can go wrong in the African American community was depicted in this book. There was no silver lining in the clouds unless you count Johnny, the recent released felon who denied his sexuality until he was in prison, ends up with the love of his life, Amari St. James-drag queen whom Johnny met while incarcerated..they end up living happily ever-after. Book tended to be a little over the top, with the vernacular of the characters...a little to ghetto and hard-edged for my liking and I love urban books...I will try this author again, just to see if I can get more out of the books.

[ShenRushBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three sides to every story is my second time reading a book from the Urban drama genre and I was still blown away. Nero weaves a dramatic story from three different perspective culminating in a cataclysmic event which changes the lives of everyone involved. The love Triangle of Johnny, Tonya and James will have you hooked from the very first page to the Epilogue (there isn't actually one but that’s what I would call three years later). Through his characters Nero touched on just about every aspect of the black community, from the broad topics of AIDS and the misconception in the gay community to drugs and black male marginalization The book is so heavily themed that Mr Nero went so far as to help us out with a Reading Group companion at the back of the novel.



For a full review, visit my blog from the link below.

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[David]

This was a very unique story: a love triangle between a bisexual man, heterosexual woman, and a drag queen set in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans. It was not all that deep and worked well in my imagination as a melodrama with shallow acting and attractive performers. I appreciated the social justice issues (emprisonment as slavery, Black gay liberation, and the struggles to overcome poverty) woven in the story, although they were very blatant. Oh yeah and the language and dialect sort of kept it real.

[KC Girlfriends Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that this is a very good book and very thought provoking! It will leave you asking one question, "What would I do if I were in that situation?" I can't wait to be able to sit down with Mr. Nero and my book club to discuss his book. Great job! I look forward to reading more from Mr. Nero in the future! I would give it 4.5 stars if I could!!!

[Jessica Terry · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book really didn't start getting good to me until the last few chapters. Until then I can really say I was just continuing to read it to get through it. It was okay but a little too much vulgarity and use of the 'N' word for my preference. I was disappointed that Johnny and Tonya didn't reconcile. Overall, I don't know if I'll be reading this one again.

[Minnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real view of the alternative life style community. There is love there too. If a prude, don't read this book, it can get raw at times.

Nero is a very good writer. For me, that made up for the bumps I had a hard time getting over.

[Jandra]

I remember reading this when I was a teenager! I don't think I finished the book, but I do remember being intrigued and enjoying it. I don't know if I will feel the same way reading it now as an adult, though. One day I will pick it back up and finish it.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My book club would classify this book as a smutty read. It was just that. Sometimes you need a little smut in your life.

[Michael- · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you like urban dramas, you'll love this book. There was a lot going on and a bunch of twists and turns. Three Sides hit just about every topic concerning the Black community today.

[stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT WAS PRETTY GOOD. I DID LIKE THE GAY GUY IN THE STORY.

[Sameka · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only book I ever. Read in one day omg So good had me at the end of the couch lol

[Sundrea]

was oh so gud got to read it if u haven't

[Stephanie G.]

Three Sides ti Every Story proved to me that every story doesn't really have one version.