Review of Stolid

[Tara D Morgan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Stolid" by Aaron D Key.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Stolid by Aaron D Key begins with a man thumbing a lift in the torrential rain, a young man pulls over, and the rain-drenched Stolid gets in the car, believing he has a lift to London. Stolid is lulled to sleep by the warmth. When he wakes up, the car is parked in a layby on a quiet lane. The young driver tells Stolid that he knows him and only went out that evening to find him. Stolid's story is then told through flashbacks of his life.

Stolid had two relationships with older men. He was sleeping rough when Joseph offered him a place to stay. Stolid realises he has romantic feelings for Joseph; sadly, the relationship does not last Joseph and Stolid have too many insecurities about their sexuality. Stolid meets Jonathan things are looking up for Stolid. He has passed his exams and has been offered the two jobs he has interviewed for. So what has led to him being out in the pouring rain and accepting a lift from a strange young man? Moreover, does Stolid learn who the young man is?

Aaron D Key is a very talented writer. I love his descriptions which are almost poetic at times, e.g. page seventy-three, " I walked between the houses to the sewered stream where a fatted moon's reflection split into a moving picture of stained glass punched with light". I particularly liked that sex in the relationships was hinted at, and the reader is left to imagine what happened. I thought the ending was fantastic; it had a real twist which I had not expected. I am delighted that this book is part of a series, and I look forward to reading the next one.

The only thing I disliked was that although the flashbacks worked well, I got slightly lost in places because the sentences were so wordy.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Stolid by Aaron D Key is beautifully written, and the plot is well thought out.

I recommend this book to adult readers, especially lovers of romance, particularly gay men trying to come to terms with their feelings. It would also be an excellent read for people who enjoy a good mystery with a difference. Because this is about men having relationships with men, I do not think it would appeal to readers with particular religious convictions.

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Stolid
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