Customer Reviews

The Dandelion Clock

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

David is a 28 year old Brit with a good job, living in the house of his parents while they travel for his father's business. Commuting home one day, he misses his train and meets Rob, who says he is 19 and a runaway. David is fascinated by the young man in many ways, and, very unlike his normally careful nature, offers to let him stay in the guest room in his parents home for the night. Rob guesses correctly that David is gay, but David assures him that the offer has no strings attached. Rob accompanies David home, but nervously eyes the locked bedroom door all night.

Despite the rocky beginning, Rob continues to live with David for more than a year, and they become friends. David tries not to pry into why Rob never talks about why he left home, and is puzzled by some of Rob's quirks, such as being very emphatic about not having his photo taken. But the bigger problem is that David has become very fond of Rob, to the point where he is in love with him and has cut his other friends out of his life, fearing they would criticize David for foolishly lusting after someone he could not ever have. What he does not realize is that Rob has sensed David's feelings for him, although they never discussed the situation. When David's parents come home for an extended stay, Rob moves out, they make a clean break and don't see each other, while David tries to put his life back together, but finds the hurt is just as great in losing a love that was never reciprocated.

A very sweet, simple love story, with realistic but complex characters, parents that know of their adult child's sexuality and accept it, as well as supportive friends and co-workers. The novel especially has relevance for those who have dealt with unrequitted love, or who have been in a mentoring role with a younger man. While some British slang leaves his American scratching his head, I had no such problems dealing with Mandel's verbiage, and the story could have very easily have happened in the states. My summary above only takes you through half of the book, as any further would have spoiled this lovely story for the reader. Check it out yourself, and you'll be glad you did.

While waiting for his delayed train, 29 year old David gets acquainted with homeless, 18 year old, Rob. They talk and find that they get along very well. David offers Rob a place to stay. Rob accepts...temporarily, of course. Eventually David falls in love with Rob. But Rob harbors a secret that tears him apart and prevents him from returning David's love. I kept turning the pages to find out what the secret was...and then kept turning pages to learn the outcome.

It is refreshing to read a gay love story, when love between same sex is not an issue but is accepted by parents and peers. The problem here is a real social problem about impact of child sexual abuse on one of the lovers and it is beautifully handled by the writer. Mandal is an expressive writer, dealing deeply into the emotions of the two protagonists as each struggle with his love towards the other. How does one cope when one's lover tells you he does care but does not love you... and this definitely provide some heart wrenching moments. The ending is most satisfying, with the last few chapters giving a sense of continuity to a relationship which the reader appreciates will stand the test of time. I hope Mandal's next novel is not too far away.

This book is well written but the story is not well thought out. I found myself so tired of the story in the middle of the book. I have never known anyone who drank so much tea and did so many dishes - I'm sure a lot of people do but I don't need to read about it 100 times in 1 book. The fighting got tiresome and I really didn't care what happened to the characters - that is until the last 30 pages or so - then I found myself liking it more - no more fighting, no more tea and no more doing dishes. The "shocker" of the book was not so shocking and I felt like the effects of this "shock" on the characters was too magnified.

The book is worth reading but just have some coffee or tea to give you a jolt through the boring parts of this book. B-

David and Rob are both gay and it is clear early in the book that that is the case. It is clear, too, that each feels deeply about and for each other, but only one of them is able to articulate or admit his feelings because the other carries a heavy burden/horrible past experience. I found the book heart warming in that love did NOT come instantly or easily, but took work by both partners. It was NOT a "foregone conclusion" and much of the experience involved was mundane (an awful lot of tea, according to another reviewer). By the end of the book, I deeply liked both major characters and rooted for them to get their respective acts together. And, having lived in England, I immensely enjoyed the distinct "English" feel to the book (appropriate, as it does take place in England). Strongly recommended for those who enjoy some romance and a responsible treatment not only of gay issues but also of other issues between even people who care about each other.

Many readers of gay books grow weary of the same old formula - two people fall in love, they are "outed", the world is against them, but finally they win through. It is time for gay novels to move on and Jay Mandal's "The Dandelion Clock" does just that. There is nothing formulaic about it. There is no violence and no bigotry but the slow unfolding of the story of a love forged in a different kind of adversity.

David and Rob meet by chance on a railway station in London. Rob, a boy of 17, has run away from home. David, who works in the City, is house-sitting for his parents and offers him a bed for the night. Rob is wary but desperate and accepts. The following day he panics and runs off, only to return after another lonely night on the railway station. David, despite his misgivings, takes him in again and eventually falls in love with him but, assuming he is straight, does not tell him. After twelve months David's parents return from the U.S. and Rob moves out. David is heart-broken but determines not to see Rob again: better a clean break than prolonging the agony of unrequited love.

This, however, is not the end of the story. David's parents go abroad again and Rob asks if he can move back in. Thereafter the plot thickens. A very shaky relationship ensues. Rob is not all he seemed and is haunted by demons from his past. These cast a shadow over the relationship and only slowly are they revealed and exorcised. Jay Mandal excels in depicting the emotional roller-coaster his characters are on. His dialogue is totally believable yet very often we read between the lines. The subtext is as important as the text and the subtleties of the relationship are skilfully drawn. For anyone who wants to read a novel about a gay relationship that concentrates less on bedroom athletics than psychological realities, is leavened with great good humour and is thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying, then this book cannot be recommended too highly.

A gentle read, slow paced, and very satisfying.

Characters are developed, and likable. They behave naturally.

The book left me feeling uplifted and hopefull, and what more can you ask for ;-)

David, in his late twenties, first spots teenage Rob while waiting for his train at Waterloo station. They get talking and when David learns that Rob has just run away from home and is sleeping rough he offers him a bed for the night. After some doubts, only increased when in response to Rob's question David admits that he is gay, Rob accepts - but keeps his room locked at night.

As it turn out Rob stays for more than the night, the two get on well but Rob begins to realise that David is falling in love with him, so determines to find a place of his own and eventually moves out. David is devastated - but all is not as it seems, and maybe David has not seen the last of Rob.

The Dandelion Clock is undoubtedly a lovely story with two very appealing main characters: the educated, confident but sexually inexperienced David, and the shy runaway Rob. However the story is let down by the somewhat dispassionate, reportage writing; it lacks involvement, and so misses out on the real potential for a what could have been heartrending, moving account. It is still a pleasant read, unnecessarily too coy at times - one has to use ones imagination to join up to dots on occasions; but there are some nice touches of humour especially shared between David and Rob; but it is far from great writing.

The Dandelion Clock is a wonderful character study, drawing the reader deeply into the life of David Rees, a 29-year-old English professional in the 1980s. Out on a day trip, David happens to meet much-younger stranger Rob Greenaway. Rob is homeless, and against his better judgment, David finds himself inviting Rob to stay with him. The arrangement becomes somewhat more long-term than David was expecting. He also wasn't expecting to fall in love with the sensitive, unusually empathetic younger man, though he can't bring himself to tell Rob about his feelings.

This is only the beginning, though. Author Jay Mandal keeps the reader in suspense as the tale slowly unravels. At first, the reader is convinced Rob must be a straight man and could not possibly return David's feelings. Then Rob begins to show signs of keeping secrets, and the reader is left wondering if Rob could be gay. Without revealing too much, I can say that the ending is exactly what it should be. There are many ups and downs to this complex and extremely realistic novel. It is a bittersweet journey anyone who has ever been in love will find familiar.

The synopsis sounded so good, yet this was by far one of the most boring stories I have read in a long time! I had so much hope for the storyline.

The characters were not developed at all! What did they look like? The synopsis said that if it hadn't been for Rob's mother baking a cake? I did not see any reference to that in the story.

More than half the book is the making and drinking of tea and coffee...ad nauseum! To quote a Seinfeld line: It was a story about nothing.

I really skimmed the rest of the book until Rob's BIG secret is revealed.YAWN! It was so anti-climactic I can't believe they based the story on it! Rob's obsession about locking the bedroom door did not tie in at all with THE BIG SECRET.

However, for those of you out there who want a sweet,gay romance, with no kissing, no hugging but lots of tea drinking this is for you. Then when they supposedly finally did the 'deed' they each discussed the inadequacies of their love making.

This story made no sense to me,although, I guess the writing was good.I couldn't wait to finish skimming it.