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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"What if he's really the one he's been waiting for his whole life?", November 25, 2005
This review is from: Latter Days: A Novel (Paperback)
LATTER DAYS at the first glance seems a little out of the ordinary and is almost unconvincing: a WeHo pretty boy with muscles like fully-baked puffy muffins living in a kitschy apartment falls in love with his Mormon missionary neighbor who is in the closet. Christian Markelli is the typical player of the loose-moral, carefree, long-term-relationship shunning bunch who enjoys quick pleasure. Working at a high-end restaurant which makes prey hunting handy, Christian literally has hooked up with every straight male customer and commemorates each steamy encounter with an entry in his PDA.
So when four young Mormon missionaries set us housekeeping in the apartment across the way, Christian and his friends place bets on how long it will take him to capitulate Elder Aaron Davis, the apple-cheeked, broad-shouldered evangelist who jolts his heart with love at first sight. Christian is stunned; he cannot make out of what it is that is so attractive about this young missionary. For Aaron the encounter evokes his repressed, closeted sensuality rooted in him. Aaron has nursed himself in the safety of the past, and in absolute obeisance to the ways of life the church has so diligently inculcated in him. He does not dare to reciprocate his affection to Christian for fear of harsh persecution from his colleagues.
Above the comic inserts and episodes surrounding the budding romance between the two hangs the significant ideas of self-discovery, revelation, love, for both Aaron and Christian. Aaron has negotiated with himself, and with God, the consequence of the sin of homosexuality but at the same time nudges closer to the tender thought of Christian, who has heartedly declared his love for him. Aaron's discomfit escalates at the thought of his encounters with Christian and throws him into a constant state of enhanced sensuality. Self-discovery of who he is, instead of what he has done, puts him on the mettle to come out to his family and act in defiance of the church's expectations. The strenuous journey to enlightenment affords pain, humiliation and guilt.
For Christian, he has never experienced such an indefinable madness for Aaron has stoically challenged and rebuked his shallow lifestyle. It prompts him to think about true intimacy, about getting to know the person to whom he wakes up in the morning. Christian's revelation is a glum one: that he has been fearful and inept to commitment and true intimacy. At the same time he feels utterly remorseful for getting Aaron into serious trouble with the church.
LATTER DAYS, though a sweeping romantic story it advertises to be, teaches us a lesson or two in relationship. It might have gone a little far with the miracle and the angel's singing but it's what fiction does after all. Neither Aaron nor Christian has ever felt the way he feels about anyone in his entire life - the snuggly feeling that "it's got to mean something." Yet they are both somewhat fearful to conform to this heart's calling. What if he is really the one he's been waiting for his whole life and he lets him go? In a world where everyone dances with one eye on the door, like we are all waiting for that next something better to walk in, LATTER DAYS calls us to be genuine with ourselves and promises the reward will be right around the corner.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Engaging Story, June 10, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Latter Days: A Novel (Paperback)
I have read the book, but not seen the movie. Other reviews have indicated that it's mostly a print version of the movie, which I don't doubt(see below). It's a compelling story that's pretty well put together. There are some plot developments that are improbable, and in a couple of places the characters behave in ways that aren't readily believable, but are possible. There are some fairly heavy scenes, too; any book that can make me cry has definitely made an emotional impact. I'm not entirely sure that someone who's straight would react the same way, though... I'm gay, and from a church that basically everyone considers to be fundamentalist (though not the Mormons). So some of the things that I thought were most moving might roll right by someone who doesn't have the same cultural background. I plan to give it to some straight friends (including one or two from church) to test my hypothesis. And, FWIW, I thought that what was in the book about how the Mormons go about setting up their mission teams and evangelizing was very interesting. Given that C. Jay Cox grew up in the church, I assume they're accurate. I'll definitely be more sympathetic the next time I see them out and about somewhere. If the book itself has a failing, it's that it goes by very fast. There may be more character development than in the movie, but there's room for still more. To some degree, however, that can probably be said of any story. Oh, one other thing: if you haven't seen the movie, the trailer available on the film's Web site has a spoiler or two in it... that's relevant for either the movie or the book.
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21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sweet, sensitive story of self discovery and romance, February 16, 2004
This review is from: Latter Days: A Novel (Paperback)
Christian Markelli is the stereotypical West Hollywood gay "party boy" hunk, with a reputation for seducing even young men who claim to be straight. So it is not so strange when his coworkers at Lillys (a restaurant owned by a former movie star) bet him $50 he can't seduce a young Mormon missionary who recently moved in (along with three other missionaries) into his apartment complex. Along the way, Christian falls in love with the shy, frustrated Aaron Davis, who also finds himself attracted to Christian, in contrary to his strong religious upbringing and beliefs. He also makes Christian realize something about himself, and the story becomes a compelling story of connection and self-discovery as well as romance. It also realistically depicts the plight of gay members of the LDS church, as Aaron is discovered by a roommate and sent home from his mission in disgrace. The novel is based on a screenplay for the film, which has recently been released in several major US cities, and broke all records for gay movies in its opening weekend. I have not seen the film, so my review is based solely on the book. Nor has the book spoiled me from wanting to see the film, since the story - while somewhat simplistic and predictable in its revelations - is told masterfully and sensitively. I'd rate the book 5 stars out of 5, and look forward to the DVD release of the film.
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