Carcass of the Caterpillar (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The cars, tiny colorful dots in the solid swirl of grass, and even smaller objects, the people, leaned against them craning their necks to gaze..." (more)
Key Phrases: ball cap, North Carolina, Tim Pryor, Tori Dunford (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

John Charles writes, "The chemistry and evolving relationship...is the story's focal point and Kelly’s treatment is realistic and riveting." -- Independent Gay Writer, Vol. 2, Issue 8, Aug. 20, 2004

Product Description

To climb the water tower, to dive off the bridge into the Santeetlah River, Chad McClain is unrivaled in his tough country-boy antics. Growing up in a small North Carolina town, Chad at eighteen is coming to grips with the fact that perhaps his future will not include college. That his horizons will not be stretching any farther than the same small-town streets and hay fields that he has been around his entire life. This sameness is met with the extraordinary revelation that Chad, the popular ring leader of high school chaos and partying, is gay. Strict social constraints dominate life in the small farming community of Jefferson. Yet Chad is able to find happiness and love in his involvement with a local boy, Tim. Trying to understand his sexual orientation, gain acceptance from his family, and support from his friends, Chad travels down this turbulent road with the gait of a wounded soldier back to fight in the face of overwhelming odds.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: indieArtz, Incorporated (August 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975325213
• ISBN-13: 978-0975325216
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,529,787 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Straight Shot, September 27, 2004

By	Opal Trader (Singapore) - See all my reviews

I read Carcass of the Caterpillar in one day. I could not put it down. It spoke to me using words, situations and characters that communicated to me on a level I could relate to instantly. This is the second book I've read by this author and although I enjoyed reading Runaway--A Survivor, this novel totally captured my imagination. Her writing style sizzles like electricity. She paints her characters with bold strokes and she lets them speak their own words, in their own dialects. The subject matter is so today. When you finish this novel you feel something akin to having just done a straight shot of a strong potion of reality. I want her to do it again and again.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three Point Winner, September 27, 2004

By	S. Mars (Cary, NC United States) - See all my reviews

Coming out must certainly be difficult in most any setting, but when it's in a small backwoods town in the South, every obstacle is multiplied. But the setting is the first point winner. The second point winner is the incredible dialog and the third point winner is the wonderfully intertwined plot. The two main characters, Chad and Tim, are perfectly drawn. They are so genuine that there is never the slightest question of their believability--what they are going through and how they deal with their lives strikes the right chord. The supporting characters are also well constructed. The way the plot moves so smoothly from gay issues, to violence, to mystery and suspense makes this a real pleasure to read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Bestseller?, October 16, 2004

By	Island Child (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

I've read other E. Layne Kelly novels, but this one is by far the best. Two young men coming out in the backwaters of the rural South is enough to grab my attention, but there's much more depth to this story. The supernatural mystery subplot that bumps along just below the surface is fascinating and adds an extra chill. The people who inhabit the small town are sometimes typical in their violence and other times surprising in their warmth and tolerance. Then there is the sinister father, the epitome of narrow-mindedness and hate-filled rage. All of these characters along with the constantly moving plot are orchestrated by a talented hand who balanced narrative and dialog like a subtle magician. A bestseller? If the GLBT marketplace in Atlanta, where it jumped immediately to the number two slot, is any indication then, yes.