Review of Stolid
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Kutloano Makhuvhela
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Review of Stolid
[Following is a volunteer review of "Stolid" by Aaron D Key.]
Stolid by Aaron D Key is a romance slash psychological thriller novel. It tells the tale of a man who’s haunted by his past but can’t run away from it, no matter what. The book is set in England, in the 1980s, when it was frowned upon to be gay. It’s in this era that the protagonist finds himself and starts the journey of discovery.
The book opens with a stunning yet scary scene of a stranded man by the road while the rain is pouring in the dark. He is hitchhiking, but as can be expected, people are driving by without stopping for him. Some give him weird glances, while others mentally question him about what he is doing there. The man seems to be running away from something and wouldn’t mind being taken anywhere, as long as it is far from here, whatever that is. A car stops, and he runs towards it. And he finds a young man inside who willingly gives him a lift.
But now the young man has stopped the car. The stranded man questions him, but the young man invites him for a short walk. The stranded man is sceptical, but he obliges. This is when the young man starts telling him things that a person for his age should not know, especially about his life. The young man informs him that he knows him. But how? The stranded man starts narrating his past, talking about the day when he was ambushed by a group of men, and the young man interrupts him and tells him he was there among that group. The stranded man continues his story, and what he narrates shines light on his present predicament, of how he found himself stranded at night, and it is shocking.
I enjoyed every word that was written in this book. I enjoyed every sentence, and I enjoyed every paragraph. I loved how the author infused mystery to tell such an awesome tale. Others would have opted to write linearly, but the story could have lost its magic touch. The author wrote it by using flashbacks in the form of narration, as I have tried to show you above in the summary. The stranded man’s name turned out later on in the book to be Stolid, a titular character. And how that name came to be is something that would impress anyone because this wasn’t just a name. It was a defining trait of him as a young man and now as an older man.
The characters were not that many. The book followed Stolid. The supporting characters were the young man who appeared at the beginning, then other characters like Johnathan, Timonthy, and Lizzie, just to name a few. Some appeared and disappeared, but don’t for a second assume they had no contribution to the story because they did. The development was assisted by the slow pacing of the book. I think other readers would find it fast, but I think if they stop and consider the period of the events, they would realise it was actually slow. This made sure the author focused on the characters and developed them fully. Every character was human-like. No character behaved or sounded like a robot. Their conflicts were realistic and heart-breaking. Their emotions were raw and honest.
The writing relied more on narration than it did on dialogue. This meant that characters rarely spoke in the book, but when they did, you would love it because you would realise that the narration was building up to that point. It was written in the first-person narration. The narration was complemented by the descriptions that made sure I saw the action as it happened. The images that the text evoked were so real, and I could see myself in towns where the characters happened to find themselves. The descriptions brought the place to life. I also loved the switch from past to present.
The conclusion rocked my socks off! The book was aptly categorised as romance, and throughout it, it was centred around Stolid’s love life. He wanted acceptance, forgiveness, and most times berated himself in pursuit of love. So, the ending separated itself from all of that. It brought another element that made the book make sense, and you would pat yourself for sticking around until that part. There is nothing I disliked about the book.
With all I have said above, I rate it five out of five stars. It was exceptionally edited because I saw minor errors. I highly recommend it to people who love romance novels centred around LGBTQIA+ characters. It would also appeal to those who love psychological thrillers. The book had many quotes. I will read it again. The author’s writing reminded me of an Irish author called William Trevor.
******
Stolid
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Stolid by Aaron D Key is a romance slash psychological thriller novel. It tells the tale of a man who’s haunted by his past but can’t run away from it, no matter what. The book is set in England, in the 1980s, when it was frowned upon to be gay. It’s in this era that the protagonist finds himself and starts the journey of discovery.
The book opens with a stunning yet scary scene of a stranded man by the road while the rain is pouring in the dark. He is hitchhiking, but as can be expected, people are driving by without stopping for him. Some give him weird glances, while others mentally question him about what he is doing there. The man seems to be running away from something and wouldn’t mind being taken anywhere, as long as it is far from here, whatever that is. A car stops, and he runs towards it. And he finds a young man inside who willingly gives him a lift.
But now the young man has stopped the car. The stranded man questions him, but the young man invites him for a short walk. The stranded man is sceptical, but he obliges. This is when the young man starts telling him things that a person for his age should not know, especially about his life. The young man informs him that he knows him. But how? The stranded man starts narrating his past, talking about the day when he was ambushed by a group of men, and the young man interrupts him and tells him he was there among that group. The stranded man continues his story, and what he narrates shines light on his present predicament, of how he found himself stranded at night, and it is shocking.
I enjoyed every word that was written in this book. I enjoyed every sentence, and I enjoyed every paragraph. I loved how the author infused mystery to tell such an awesome tale. Others would have opted to write linearly, but the story could have lost its magic touch. The author wrote it by using flashbacks in the form of narration, as I have tried to show you above in the summary. The stranded man’s name turned out later on in the book to be Stolid, a titular character. And how that name came to be is something that would impress anyone because this wasn’t just a name. It was a defining trait of him as a young man and now as an older man.
The characters were not that many. The book followed Stolid. The supporting characters were the young man who appeared at the beginning, then other characters like Johnathan, Timonthy, and Lizzie, just to name a few. Some appeared and disappeared, but don’t for a second assume they had no contribution to the story because they did. The development was assisted by the slow pacing of the book. I think other readers would find it fast, but I think if they stop and consider the period of the events, they would realise it was actually slow. This made sure the author focused on the characters and developed them fully. Every character was human-like. No character behaved or sounded like a robot. Their conflicts were realistic and heart-breaking. Their emotions were raw and honest.
The writing relied more on narration than it did on dialogue. This meant that characters rarely spoke in the book, but when they did, you would love it because you would realise that the narration was building up to that point. It was written in the first-person narration. The narration was complemented by the descriptions that made sure I saw the action as it happened. The images that the text evoked were so real, and I could see myself in towns where the characters happened to find themselves. The descriptions brought the place to life. I also loved the switch from past to present.
The conclusion rocked my socks off! The book was aptly categorised as romance, and throughout it, it was centred around Stolid’s love life. He wanted acceptance, forgiveness, and most times berated himself in pursuit of love. So, the ending separated itself from all of that. It brought another element that made the book make sense, and you would pat yourself for sticking around until that part. There is nothing I disliked about the book.
With all I have said above, I rate it five out of five stars. It was exceptionally edited because I saw minor errors. I highly recommend it to people who love romance novels centred around LGBTQIA+ characters. It would also appeal to those who love psychological thrillers. The book had many quotes. I will read it again. The author’s writing reminded me of an Irish author called William Trevor.
******
Stolid
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
‘When you do a good deed, people are grateful, and that creates a nice feeling inside you; and then because it feels good, that makes you want to do more good deeds. That repetition is the cycle of goodness.’
~Hogoromo.
~Hogoromo.
Latest Review: Tears and blood betrayal by V.S raven
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Pauline Mukakimenyi
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"Stolid" by Aaron D. Key, the third book in The Wheel of Eight series, delves into the struggles of an 18-year-old gay man in 1983 UK, highlighting themes of identity, marginalization, and personal growth. The novel is praised for its poetic language and introspective depth, creating a rich, character-driven narrative. However, its dense and introspective prose may challenge some readers, making it a polarizing read. For those who enjoy complex and thought-provoking stories, Stolid offers a rewarding experience.
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Gerry Steen
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Stolid means to be calm, dependable and not overly emotional. This trait must serve well to the man who is running away from something horrible. The good character development and the thrilling plot make this book a must read. It is a plus that the story is exceptionally edited. Thank you for the great review! 
Latest Review: Red Spy in Harbin by Mark Oulton
