Amazon.com Review
The third volume of the Invisible Life trilogy picks up the characters' lives a few years after the conclusion of
Just As I Am. Raymond Tyler and his partner, Trent, are living together comfortably in Seattle, until Raymond's nomination for a position as a federal judge brings to light some troubling incidents from their past. Meanwhile, Raymond's former lover, Nicole (now happily married to his best friend, Jared) is starring in a touring company of
Dreamgirls, although a sinister understudy is willing to stop at nothing to take the role for herself. And former pro football player Basil Henderson, who's proved himself over the years to be perhaps Harris's most compelling fictional creation, is regularly attending therapy (although it doesn't seem to be helping him deal with either his denial of his bisexuality or his emotionally abusive behavior towards others). While readers unfamiliar with Harris's previous stories will be able to follow the latest plot developments without much trouble, having the first two volumes of the trilogy under your belt is a definite advantage towards knowing where the characters are coming from.
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From Publishers Weekly
This last volume of a trilogy continues to follow the cast of African-American characters that Harris introduced in Invisible Life and Just As I Am. In an elaborate plot that intertwines many different strandsAsometimes to confusing effectAthe main characters and many secondary players struggle to come to terms with their love lives (especially in terms of sexual preference), their careers and their families. Raymond Tyler Jr., the Seattle lawyer who has finally established a steady relationship with architect Trent Walters, is offered a federal judgeship. During the FBI clearance investigation, Raymond's past is thrown open to scrutiny, and Trent's, too, and Raymond is not sure that their relationship can endure the strain. Nicole Springer, an aspiring singer and actress from Arkansas who once was involved with Raymond, is now married to his best friend, Jared Stovall. Restless after playing "the little wife" in Atlanta, she is offered the plum role in a Broadway-bound production of DreamgirlsAand opts for the stage. Basil Henderson, "the unforgivingly handsome" bisexual former pro football player who years ago found fleeting peace in bed with Raymond, recounts his raw, mixed-up sexual torment to his analyst. He can't decide if he hates women or truly wants a lasting commitment. Yancey Harrington Braxton, a new addition to the cast and Nicole's understudy in her leading role in Dreamgirls, is an unconvincing mixture of na?vet? and cunning as she harbors plans to betray the unsuspecting star. Each chapter methodically propels the plight of one character after another, though often the many plot strands do not mesh smoothly. While Harris's prose tends toward the simplistic, he is an excellent chronicler of contemporary urban relationships, especially gay ones. Ultimately, the characters' lives are tidied up in too pat a fashion via a heavenly messenger; in this and other aspects, the novel seems hurried and unfinished. Yet Harris's many fans will undoubtedly welcome this fast-paced, entertaining read.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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