The Backlot Gay Book Forum discussion

The Long and Winding Road
By T.J. Klune
Dreamspinner Press, 2017
Five stars

“Family is not always defined by blood. It’s defined by those who make us whole—whose who make us who we are.”

“Bear, Otter, and the Kid” was the first book by T.J. Klune that I read, back in 2011 (alas, before I was saving my reviews at home). It was my first introduction to Klune’s signature style, exemplified by the character of Derrick “Bear” McKenna. Since then, I’ve read every book Klune has published, discovering new pleasure with each new angle on this rare (and not always easy to digest) writing talent.

In this odd world in which I read for personal pleasure (gay fiction, gay romance), I have learned to ignore reviews and simply see what joy I can draw out of any book I read. I always am satisfied and emotionally filled by Klune’s books, because of the spirit that rests within each of his widely diverse backlist of titles. Some of them appeal to me more than others, but every one pushes buttons and touches me in some profound way. By contrast, for the (mostly straight) men’s book group to which I’ve belonged for years (who wouldn’t dream of reading a gay-themed novel, in spite of my attempts), I have only really liked about half of the books we’ve shared. These are, without exception, best-sellers in literature, Pulitzer-Prize-winners, much talked-about hot books of the day. The point is that this doesn’t make them any better than the best of the work that comes from the genre I care most about. In this library of over 1200 books on my Kindle, Klune is among those writers whose work stands out for me. Not everybody likes Klune’s writing. But for those who do, it’s a rare treat.

I was glad to read the final chapter in the Bear, Otter and Ty saga. I needed this closure, every messy, overthought, drama-filled, hilarious page of it. I wanted to see Ty grown up. I was so pleased to see Otter and Bear get older—one more way for me to identify with them. I reveled in the big messy family of choice (and blood) that these men have put together to be their bulwark against the slings and arrows of the world (is that a mixed metaphor?).

There’s some dark stuff here; but it is (for once) handled with a lighter touch, because Klune sees the long-awaited goal in the distance and doesn’t wallow too much in the tough things in his desire to get us all to the finish line. What’s adorable is that the author himself is a rather young man, and I found myself smiling knowingly at his vision of long-term marital bliss. But this is part of what makes his work so appealing; his ability to tap into universal emotional wells that make his characters’ travails resonate with his readers, even if they have never quite experienced what Klune’s characters go through.

I laughed more during this book than I did with the previous volumes in this series. But I had plenty of emotions as well. This finale volume fairly beats you to death with love, and while that might not be for everyone, it’s just right for me.