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85A
What do you get when you cross Holden Caulfield with Johnny Rotten? None other than Seamus OGrady, the 15-year-old, punk-rock protagonist of 85A!
Its a subzero Chicago morning on January 23, 1989the Monday after George H.W. Bushs inaugurationand Seamus is at his fighting best. Braving the bitter cold at the 85A bus stop, Seamus rails against his repressive environment in anticipation of his the-minute-I-turn-18 move to London.
His escape velocity mounts against the backdrop of a Midwest metropolis as memories, fantasies, and cityscapes collide on his commute to the south-side Jesuit high school thats itching to kick him out for bad grades and excessive demerits. When Seamus shows up late to school yet again, the dean prepares his expulsion papers. Liberated by failure, Seamus makes a break for London via an Amtrak to the mean streets of Late Eighties Manhattan.
85A tracks a watershed day in the life of an adolescent antihero. Foulmouthed with a capital F-word, Seamus embodies Johnny Rottens anarchic image as a way of fending off the bullies at home, at school and in his whites-only neighborhood. Luckily for him, his mixed-raced, teen-prodigy friend Tressa opens him up to great books and experiences that turn his worldview on its head. Similarly, the Chicago L takes Seamus into integrated areas, giving him a glimpse of life outside the neighborhood, and Chicagos thriving underground music and art scenes fortify his rebellion against the mainstream. Through it all, Seamus basks in rebroadcasted BBC dramas, dreaming of what life would be if only he could stow away to London.
By the time Seamus reaches his last L stop, he will come to see that his 85A ride that morning was just the kickoff to an intrepid urban odyssey.
Its a subzero Chicago morning on January 23, 1989the Monday after George H.W. Bushs inaugurationand Seamus is at his fighting best. Braving the bitter cold at the 85A bus stop, Seamus rails against his repressive environment in anticipation of his the-minute-I-turn-18 move to London.
His escape velocity mounts against the backdrop of a Midwest metropolis as memories, fantasies, and cityscapes collide on his commute to the south-side Jesuit high school thats itching to kick him out for bad grades and excessive demerits. When Seamus shows up late to school yet again, the dean prepares his expulsion papers. Liberated by failure, Seamus makes a break for London via an Amtrak to the mean streets of Late Eighties Manhattan.
85A tracks a watershed day in the life of an adolescent antihero. Foulmouthed with a capital F-word, Seamus embodies Johnny Rottens anarchic image as a way of fending off the bullies at home, at school and in his whites-only neighborhood. Luckily for him, his mixed-raced, teen-prodigy friend Tressa opens him up to great books and experiences that turn his worldview on its head. Similarly, the Chicago L takes Seamus into integrated areas, giving him a glimpse of life outside the neighborhood, and Chicagos thriving underground music and art scenes fortify his rebellion against the mainstream. Through it all, Seamus basks in rebroadcasted BBC dramas, dreaming of what life would be if only he could stow away to London.
By the time Seamus reaches his last L stop, he will come to see that his 85A ride that morning was just the kickoff to an intrepid urban odyssey.
- GenresFiction
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 9, 2011
Torchwood heartthrob John Barrowman said in a recent interview with the UK’s Daily Telegraph, "America has the most gay characters on television in any country but what I don't agree with is that a lot of them are all stereotypes."
Truer words were never spoken.
If one were to rely solely on images presented by the mainstream US media, it would seem that there’s only one type of gay male - an effete, well-manicured, sarcastic fashionista who is equally well-versed in Broadway showtunes as he is in the films of Hollywood’s golden age. But, y’know, the world is a pretty big place and I suspect there are a lot more colors in the rainbow flag than just shocking pink.
And that’s where 85A, Kyle Thomas Smith’s fantastic novel with its irrepressible protagonist Seamus O’Grady, comes in.
This is a whirlwind of a book about a disaffected young punk riding the bus one wintry day in Chicago ruminating on his miserable existence and making big plans for his future. Seamus is no stereotype. It’s 1989 and, forget Judy Garland, he worships at the altar of Johnny Rotten and hopes to be a playwright in London as soon as he’s old enough to strike out on his own. His only two social contacts are his best friend Tressa, a tough and sexy bi-racial girl equally at home listening to Mozart or Social Distortion and his "therapist" Dr. Strykeroth a creepy middle aged man with whom he maintains a rather disturbing relationship.
While it would be easy to compare this to Catcher in the Rye, because certainly there are similarities in structure and tone, Seamus is very different than Holden Caulfied in that his problems are more serious than merely a fear of growing up. And while those problems cover the typical catalogue of woes that plague teens in every other LGBT coming of age story - homophobic bullies, unsympathetic teachers and religious zealot parents, the character himself is totally unique.
The language is gritty and realistic. Smith perfectly captures the rambling, rude voice of an adolescent punk. And you don’t have to be gay to relate to this character, by any means. Anyone who was a misfit in high school should be able to see themselves in his desperate desire to reinvent himself with a cool new persona. I found myself cringing with recognition when Seamus feigns a cockney accent to impress his big crush only to be met with derision and mockery by the boy’s friends. Very funny, but just a little bit heartbreaking. Like so much of youth.
I only have a couple of issues with what is otherwise a wonderful book. As with many other LGBT novels, I found the antagonists were portrayed with too heavy a hand. Seamus’s parents, for instance, might have been more effective if the characterizations were a bit more subtle and less clichéd. And a lengthy tract addressing how arts education might encourage marginal students to take more of an interest in their studies, sounded less like a fifteen year old reprobate and more like the author sharing his opinions. But, all in all, this is a refreshingly different novel from a talented writer who I intend to keep my eyes on.
Truer words were never spoken.
If one were to rely solely on images presented by the mainstream US media, it would seem that there’s only one type of gay male - an effete, well-manicured, sarcastic fashionista who is equally well-versed in Broadway showtunes as he is in the films of Hollywood’s golden age. But, y’know, the world is a pretty big place and I suspect there are a lot more colors in the rainbow flag than just shocking pink.
And that’s where 85A, Kyle Thomas Smith’s fantastic novel with its irrepressible protagonist Seamus O’Grady, comes in.
This is a whirlwind of a book about a disaffected young punk riding the bus one wintry day in Chicago ruminating on his miserable existence and making big plans for his future. Seamus is no stereotype. It’s 1989 and, forget Judy Garland, he worships at the altar of Johnny Rotten and hopes to be a playwright in London as soon as he’s old enough to strike out on his own. His only two social contacts are his best friend Tressa, a tough and sexy bi-racial girl equally at home listening to Mozart or Social Distortion and his "therapist" Dr. Strykeroth a creepy middle aged man with whom he maintains a rather disturbing relationship.
While it would be easy to compare this to Catcher in the Rye, because certainly there are similarities in structure and tone, Seamus is very different than Holden Caulfied in that his problems are more serious than merely a fear of growing up. And while those problems cover the typical catalogue of woes that plague teens in every other LGBT coming of age story - homophobic bullies, unsympathetic teachers and religious zealot parents, the character himself is totally unique.
The language is gritty and realistic. Smith perfectly captures the rambling, rude voice of an adolescent punk. And you don’t have to be gay to relate to this character, by any means. Anyone who was a misfit in high school should be able to see themselves in his desperate desire to reinvent himself with a cool new persona. I found myself cringing with recognition when Seamus feigns a cockney accent to impress his big crush only to be met with derision and mockery by the boy’s friends. Very funny, but just a little bit heartbreaking. Like so much of youth.
I only have a couple of issues with what is otherwise a wonderful book. As with many other LGBT novels, I found the antagonists were portrayed with too heavy a hand. Seamus’s parents, for instance, might have been more effective if the characterizations were a bit more subtle and less clichéd. And a lengthy tract addressing how arts education might encourage marginal students to take more of an interest in their studies, sounded less like a fifteen year old reprobate and more like the author sharing his opinions. But, all in all, this is a refreshingly different novel from a talented writer who I intend to keep my eyes on.
November 14, 2021
85A is the debut novel by Kyle Thomas Smith, which came out in 2010. More recently, he published a book of essays. After reading 85A, I also interviewed Mr. Smith and am posting the interview below as well. He compared this work to THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER (which I haven't read), and accepted that it also had enough in common with THE CATCHER IN THE RYE for his publisher to make the comparison on the book jacket.
It concerns one Seamus O'Grady in January of 1989 on the Northwest Side of Chicago, at a certain turning point. As far as I recall, there is not much of a plot, and it is more character study than story. It is semi-autobiographical, a "coming of age" novel, and sort of a "coming out" novel, though this is rather buried, owing to the cultural climate of the region and era. Mostly, it is about Seamus trying to act like a punk, and feeling like a loser, and complaining about everyone else. So yes, sort of an update on CATCHER, except at a local Catholic high school rather than a boarding school, in Chicago rather than New York, in the 1980s rather than the 1940s-50s, and dealing with sexual confusion and depression, rather than a specific nervous breakdown.
I don't remember many of the plot details, nor about my experience reading the book, except that it sort of meandered around a bit and then ended on a very high note, with a strong final 50 pages. I have to think this could be an important book for many young people, but perhaps it came too late. Of course, there certainly must be younger people today that "unplug" from their peers, but the world has become softer and less threatening to people in Seamus's position. Of course their individual reality may be harsh, but the novel essentially seems to be saying, "See, things could be much worse." There is some redemption for Seamus, in a way, and while this is not a "feel good" novel, it may speak to a small subset of kids who feel they were born into the wrong generation, and it may make them feel less alone. Which really is one of the primary functions of literature.
http://flyinghouses.blogspot.com/2014...
http://flyinghouses.blogspot.com/2014...
It concerns one Seamus O'Grady in January of 1989 on the Northwest Side of Chicago, at a certain turning point. As far as I recall, there is not much of a plot, and it is more character study than story. It is semi-autobiographical, a "coming of age" novel, and sort of a "coming out" novel, though this is rather buried, owing to the cultural climate of the region and era. Mostly, it is about Seamus trying to act like a punk, and feeling like a loser, and complaining about everyone else. So yes, sort of an update on CATCHER, except at a local Catholic high school rather than a boarding school, in Chicago rather than New York, in the 1980s rather than the 1940s-50s, and dealing with sexual confusion and depression, rather than a specific nervous breakdown.
I don't remember many of the plot details, nor about my experience reading the book, except that it sort of meandered around a bit and then ended on a very high note, with a strong final 50 pages. I have to think this could be an important book for many young people, but perhaps it came too late. Of course, there certainly must be younger people today that "unplug" from their peers, but the world has become softer and less threatening to people in Seamus's position. Of course their individual reality may be harsh, but the novel essentially seems to be saying, "See, things could be much worse." There is some redemption for Seamus, in a way, and while this is not a "feel good" novel, it may speak to a small subset of kids who feel they were born into the wrong generation, and it may make them feel less alone. Which really is one of the primary functions of literature.
http://flyinghouses.blogspot.com/2014...
http://flyinghouses.blogspot.com/2014...
June 4, 2019
This book tried too hard to be edgy. It could've sacrifice the try hard language and foul description for everything for some more reliable narration but that didn't happen. It's messy at best to have a character's sexuality blurred just so you can have a few more lines dedicated to Johnny Rotten. I don't even think the "teen against the world" vibe was a complete deal breaker for how it felt like everyone was out to get him, but the tangent to action ratio in this book made it unfulfilling.
November 7, 2011
John F. Kennedy is quoted as saying, “What’s the use of being Irish if the world doesn’t break your heart?” Rebellious, Irish, bullied, gay, fifteen-year-old Seamus O’Grady is full-on to get his heart broken by the world.
Seamus exists on the fringe of his family, his school, his religion, and he never really feels as if he belongs or is wanted or loved by anyone. He hates school, though he’s very bright and creative; when the bell rings his brain “packs its bags and flies off to some f--- Never-Neverland.” As a Sophomore with a 1.4 GPA he definitely has little to look forward to in his Catholic school. At home, he is emotionally and physically abused by his father and grown brother, who constantly call him “fag” and “queer” and worse, and is emotionally abandoned by his mother, who cries and prays and does nothing. Seamus is bullied by schoolmates and pressured to conform by school and the Church.
But instead of sinking into neutral, protective coloration to avoid being mistreated—and this is why you have to love him—Seamus, perhaps unwisely, defies them all. Everything about him from his hair to his clothing and language are guaranteed to agitate, dare, and infuriate his abusers.
His Bad-Ass Attitude hides a vulnerable child-man who attempts suicide and who also dreams of running off to London and becoming a writer, mixing with the punk rockers he worships, living in a society that lets him write the works of genius he knows are locked inside him. But underage and jobless, he has only his determination to keep him going.
His only friend is Tressa, who is biracial, brilliant, and a cocky, fearless rebel against society, even though she is lucky enough to have a family who accepts her eccentricities. She cares enough about Seamus to give him the understanding and encouragement he so desperately needs. Though she, also, loves punk rock music her interests are wide and she introduces him to the new worlds of classical music and literature, and he embraces them with his soul without fully understanding why.
On the 85-A bus, Seamus finds himself intensely drawn to Colby, a young Punk who boards the bus with several friends. He weaves a fantasy relationship around the young man. The author does a wonderful job of making this fantasy painfully real in Seamus’ mind and heart though it has no existence in real life.
Though I wanted to wash his mouth out with soap before the end of the first chapter, I cared about Seamus and hoped everything would turn out well for him in the end, though I expected that the world would, indeed, break his young, Irish heart. The foul language in the book is not used in the unimaginative, sexual way so common in books today but as the symbol of rebellion and rage.
I don’t want to put spoilers here so that’s as much as I will say about the story except to add that near the end something happens that had me in tears of sadness and anger.
I had two minor quibbles when I reached the end. One is that the father, brother, and school officials—basically everyone in Seamus’ world except for Tressa—is a one-dimensional stereotype: completely homophobic, hateful, and vicious. On reflection, though, I’m not even sure it’s a valid quibble since the story is told first person by a teenager. Would any believable teen be analytical and subjective about people and institutions who hurt and reject him over and over? Would anybody? So I hereby withdraw that quibble and mention it only because other readers might have the same feeling. If the narrator were older or it was written from third person omniscient point of view, I probably would not do so.
That leaves me with one quibble and it is, admittedly, a very personal one. Seamus has a male therapist, Dr. Strykeroth. Though the author never, at any time, shows actual sex acts between the therapist and the teenager, it's plain that it happens. As an author myself, I know that authors must let their characters do what they have to do, but I have a visceral response to the situation that I can’t disregard. Perhaps that has no place in a book review; I don’t know. I should add also that at no time does the therapist seem to be taking advantage of Seamus, and Seamus not only seems to be a willing participant, he finds a way to turn it to his advantage. Still, consensual or not, that whole situation does make me cringe. In short, I did not like Dr. Strykeroth.
I thought Seamus and Tressa were wonderful characters and I hope the author follows Seamus into a sequel.
Anyone looking for an intelligent, well-written novel about a young rebel with a dream in a threatening world should read this. I hope to see more from Kyle Thomas Smith in the future.
Seamus exists on the fringe of his family, his school, his religion, and he never really feels as if he belongs or is wanted or loved by anyone. He hates school, though he’s very bright and creative; when the bell rings his brain “packs its bags and flies off to some f--- Never-Neverland.” As a Sophomore with a 1.4 GPA he definitely has little to look forward to in his Catholic school. At home, he is emotionally and physically abused by his father and grown brother, who constantly call him “fag” and “queer” and worse, and is emotionally abandoned by his mother, who cries and prays and does nothing. Seamus is bullied by schoolmates and pressured to conform by school and the Church.
But instead of sinking into neutral, protective coloration to avoid being mistreated—and this is why you have to love him—Seamus, perhaps unwisely, defies them all. Everything about him from his hair to his clothing and language are guaranteed to agitate, dare, and infuriate his abusers.
His Bad-Ass Attitude hides a vulnerable child-man who attempts suicide and who also dreams of running off to London and becoming a writer, mixing with the punk rockers he worships, living in a society that lets him write the works of genius he knows are locked inside him. But underage and jobless, he has only his determination to keep him going.
His only friend is Tressa, who is biracial, brilliant, and a cocky, fearless rebel against society, even though she is lucky enough to have a family who accepts her eccentricities. She cares enough about Seamus to give him the understanding and encouragement he so desperately needs. Though she, also, loves punk rock music her interests are wide and she introduces him to the new worlds of classical music and literature, and he embraces them with his soul without fully understanding why.
On the 85-A bus, Seamus finds himself intensely drawn to Colby, a young Punk who boards the bus with several friends. He weaves a fantasy relationship around the young man. The author does a wonderful job of making this fantasy painfully real in Seamus’ mind and heart though it has no existence in real life.
Though I wanted to wash his mouth out with soap before the end of the first chapter, I cared about Seamus and hoped everything would turn out well for him in the end, though I expected that the world would, indeed, break his young, Irish heart. The foul language in the book is not used in the unimaginative, sexual way so common in books today but as the symbol of rebellion and rage.
I don’t want to put spoilers here so that’s as much as I will say about the story except to add that near the end something happens that had me in tears of sadness and anger.
I had two minor quibbles when I reached the end. One is that the father, brother, and school officials—basically everyone in Seamus’ world except for Tressa—is a one-dimensional stereotype: completely homophobic, hateful, and vicious. On reflection, though, I’m not even sure it’s a valid quibble since the story is told first person by a teenager. Would any believable teen be analytical and subjective about people and institutions who hurt and reject him over and over? Would anybody? So I hereby withdraw that quibble and mention it only because other readers might have the same feeling. If the narrator were older or it was written from third person omniscient point of view, I probably would not do so.
That leaves me with one quibble and it is, admittedly, a very personal one. Seamus has a male therapist, Dr. Strykeroth. Though the author never, at any time, shows actual sex acts between the therapist and the teenager, it's plain that it happens. As an author myself, I know that authors must let their characters do what they have to do, but I have a visceral response to the situation that I can’t disregard. Perhaps that has no place in a book review; I don’t know. I should add also that at no time does the therapist seem to be taking advantage of Seamus, and Seamus not only seems to be a willing participant, he finds a way to turn it to his advantage. Still, consensual or not, that whole situation does make me cringe. In short, I did not like Dr. Strykeroth.
I thought Seamus and Tressa were wonderful characters and I hope the author follows Seamus into a sequel.
Anyone looking for an intelligent, well-written novel about a young rebel with a dream in a threatening world should read this. I hope to see more from Kyle Thomas Smith in the future.
September 8, 2010
85A explores a day in the life of Seamus O'Grady, an adolescent struggling with life in late 80s Chicago - yet its tenor is surprisingly current. The story flows in a way that is at once aggressive and lyrical.
The city of Chicago, at the height of its segregation, features as almost a character in and of itself. This same spirit of segregation permeates every aspect of Seamus' home and neighborhood, where he reels as the resident misfit.
Seamus' parents refuse to nurture their son's artistic sensitivity, but Seamus is convinced that running away to London will set free all his latent talent. As he prepares for his eventual leavetaking, he meets a black woman who epitomizes the sophistication and redemption that Seamus hopes a career in the arts will provide.
While Seamus's quest may appear quixotic, at the end the author gives us a feeling that redemption is in the cards and this seemingly tough kid - who is gay in all but his own admission - will be able to get in touch with himself.
The book is shot through with profanity, consistent with adolescent bravado. The story flows very well and the characters are well depicted.
The city of Chicago, at the height of its segregation, features as almost a character in and of itself. This same spirit of segregation permeates every aspect of Seamus' home and neighborhood, where he reels as the resident misfit.
Seamus' parents refuse to nurture their son's artistic sensitivity, but Seamus is convinced that running away to London will set free all his latent talent. As he prepares for his eventual leavetaking, he meets a black woman who epitomizes the sophistication and redemption that Seamus hopes a career in the arts will provide.
While Seamus's quest may appear quixotic, at the end the author gives us a feeling that redemption is in the cards and this seemingly tough kid - who is gay in all but his own admission - will be able to get in touch with himself.
The book is shot through with profanity, consistent with adolescent bravado. The story flows very well and the characters are well depicted.
July 7, 2012
Seamus wants to be an artist, wants to be a somebody, and dreams of escaping to London as soon as he gets out of his private prep school that he can't pay attention to. His classmates are miserable to him, his teachers are miserable to him, his parents are miserable to him, but his dreams are encouraged by his one friend and his therapist. And school might be ending sooner then Seamus dreamed.
This book is all about the events to Seamus getting out, not how the escape itself works out... maybe there will be a sequel. I would have loved this book as a teenager. All the authorities are uniformly fucked up and the main character is escaping away. Although, from this vantage, and I think the reader's vantage you know just how much he doesn't know... but I was rooting for him anyway. Just because all the voices seem to council caution in the face of his crazy plan, I still kinda hope that it works out for him anyway.
This book is all about the events to Seamus getting out, not how the escape itself works out... maybe there will be a sequel. I would have loved this book as a teenager. All the authorities are uniformly fucked up and the main character is escaping away. Although, from this vantage, and I think the reader's vantage you know just how much he doesn't know... but I was rooting for him anyway. Just because all the voices seem to council caution in the face of his crazy plan, I still kinda hope that it works out for him anyway.
January 3, 2018
This book seems to build to an adventure, but it never quite gets there. The book all takes place one day starting with the main character waiting for his always late bus. Throughout this day his life changes direction, but before all that happens there are many flashbacks. These flashbacks give the reader an idea of what his life all about. It’s hard to connect with the main character, which makes it tough to understand why he does what he does. Some of the other characters were very interesting and could’ve been developed more. This book is a fairly quick read , but really slowed down at some points. Someone who can relate to the main character would enjoy this book.
April 6, 2011
Interesting. An angry book, from the perspective of a persecuted, disaffected, angry teenager who just wants to be left alone. There are a few parts that don't quite "feel" right to me but I do sympathize with Seamus...kids that angry and abused shoot people from bell towers these days, they don't idolize Johnny Rotten and fantasize about running away to London.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews