Customer Reviews

The Vast Fields of Ordinary

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is definitely one of the best books I've read in long time. I couldn't put it down! Through the author's mesmerizing writing I could feel the sheer loneliness that Dade felt growing up in a midwestern town feeling isolated and out of place as he laid in his bed night confessing to his ceiling fan he is gay. Don't get me wrong, Dade never comes across as helpless or pitiful (maybe a little unsure of himself) instead you can see he is biding his time believing that there has to be more out there for him. His first attempt at reaching out is Pablo a boy he loves but who is using him to express physical feelings he can't even admit to himself. Although Pablo treats Dade horribly and is pretty much a jerk, I couldn't help feeling sorry for him as he desperately tried to deny who he really is.
A bright for spot for Dade is when he meets the neighbors niece who is staying for the summer. She is the first person who really pushes Dade to be himself and shows him he is actually a pretty great guy. I would hate to see this book get tagged as only a gay "coming out" book. It's a great read and comes a cross as one point of view of the thousands of teens out there who are just trying to figure out who they are, dealing with what life throws at them and wondering what life has in store for them.
Moderately sexual explicit scenes a long with drinking and drug use make this book appropriate for high school and above.

Nick Burd has written a terrific novel about a gay teenager from Iowa. "The Vast Fields of Ordinary" probes the depth of feelings of the main character, Dade Hamilton, and Burd comes up with a warm, troubling and accurate view of coming out.

While the book is timely for Dade's own generation it has ramifications for older generations as well. Being gay in America is still fraught with complications on many levels and those who think that recent easing of the public view of homosexuality makes life better, need to be reminded (as the author does for the reader) of the troubling internal and external aspects of leading a double life.

Although Dade comes out to his parents and friends without too much repercussion, Burd deftly explores Dade's relationship with Alex, his main love, and Pablo, his sometime companion. The Jenny Moore character serves as an unnecessary diversion to an otherwise brilliant narrative, but Dade's gay friendships are wonderfully presented and carry a good deal of literary weight. "The Vast Fields of Ordinary" is a compelling first novel by Nick Burd....I hope we read more from him.

Dade Hamilton is about to finish High School and is looking forward to going to College and escaping the humdrum life of in the well to do suburban Cedarville. Living at the beck and call of his 'boyfriend' Pablo, a popular jock who barley tolerates his presence other than when they are alone, he longs for full recognition, or even just a real kiss.

Then Dade meets Alex Kinkaid, a beautiful, exotic and mysterious young man who shows Dade what a real relationship should be, and so changes Dade and his his expectations for ever.

However Pablo begins to miss Dade and becomes jealous of his relationship with Alex, ultimately with tragic consequences.

Helping Dade make his transformation is Lucy, the rebellious niece of a neighbour spending the summer in Cedarville, having been sent there by here parents in the hopes of taming here.

Along the way Dade also has to contend with his parents, loving but not always understanding, they have their own problems to confront. Dade has yet to come out to them and then face the consequences.

Running in the background throughout the story is the mystery of the disappearance of a young local girl, Jenny. While Jenny's disappearance and its outcome has not direct bearing on Dade's story, it serves as a symbolic parallel to Dade's maturation over the course of the summer, and the realisations he come to.

The Vast Fields of the Ordinary is an engaging story; both Dade and Alex are appealing characters, and there is an array of supporting characters from arrogant bigots to the lost and confused. The real beauty of the story though is the transformation in Dade over the course of one summer, from an insecure boy accepting just what little is offered and trying to make the best of it to a positive young gay man confident in his own being.

Generally well written, it is spoilt a little by some confused grammar, especially in the use of pronouns.

This novel is about Dade Hamilton's last summer at home. He goes to parties, goes to work and meets a few friends. The boy he's fooling around with pretty much dumps him and he meets a new boy named Alex who he falls in love with.

Okay, I liked this book overall but there were a lot of things I didn't like about it. I think there were too many side plots going on and none of them were really developed at all. The whole thing with Jenny Moore was weird, and didn't really have anything to do with the story line. The problems between his parents was also weird and pretty anti-climactic.

I didn't much like the ending either. It seemed rushed and was also a bit anti-climactic. The author had some interesting ideas for the ending, but he kinda just crammed them all together in an overview plot summary. The ending leaves you with a lot of questions - What happened to Jenny? What happen with Pablo? What happened with Alex?

It also seemed like some of the characters were bipolar. One minute they wanted to be his best friend, and then next they were bitching and yelling at him. Pablo and "Fessica" (A crappy name IMO) in particular. The whole scene with Pablo in the milk cooler was unnecessary too. (Don't forget creepy.)

But for some reason, I liked the book over all. I enjoyed Dade's relationship with Alex, and I could relate to some of the things he was going through. The novel was well written, free of any blaring grammatical or punctuation mistakes. Once I got through the first chapter or two, it was a pretty engaging novel. =)

Dade's a gay boy in a small town, and he's fed up with Pablo, who won't go public. (Even though everyone knows they're together - which Pablo's girlfriend does not appreciate. She's not nice, but her motivation is understandable.) But he starts to hang with a neighbor's niece who moves in and finds a new romantic interest, Alex, at the taco place. Dade's choices aren't always smart, but he's figuring out how to be comfortable with who he is. Pablo, on the other hand, is unhappy to be left behind.

The ending did not turn out how I expected, but it worked. And usually I dislike protagonists who drink and do drugs, but Nick Burd presented it well. This isn't an action packed book by any means, but it's a good examination of character. This one is perfect for a hot day best spent indoors.

Warning, since I'd want to be warned about this: you might cry a little, but it's not an overly sad ending.

From In Bed With Books

This is just beyond perfection, I had a very good time reading it, very clear and straight to the point. Feelings come alive at reading it, You smile, Cry and feel just what dade feels... I love this book, and so far is the best book i have ever read! I Highly recommend it to anybody, its breathtaking

Never having read any gay literature before I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I was happily surprised by it. It's a story that one can easily relate to, whether gay/bisexual/straight/or anything in between. This book isn't the focus of just a gay teenager, but romance in general. If I had to suggest a book to anyone that was gay themed this book would be at the top of the list.

I read this book in one sitting. Great book. Highly recommend. Bottom line: you should read this book, who won't be disappointed!

This is one of the best young adult novels I have read, although I feel it transcends that limiting genre. The main protagonist is someone I identified closely with on every page. He was very real and very touching. The descriptions were excellent throughout; the author has a wonderful sense of style. His way of seeing the world and putting it into words made me stop and reflect on many different occasions. And the sense of humor and high sense of the absurd are fantastic. I hope that this is the first of many novels by this talented author. I look forward to reading anything else he might write.

I started reading this the other night and stayed up until 6 AM before putting it down. I didn't want to, but I was enjoying it so much that I didn't want it to be over with. Plus, my eyelids were getting really heavy. Then the next day I had to work until 11:30 PM and all I could think about was getting home so I could finish the book. I finished it around 4 AM and was so sad it was over. I absolutely loved it. I loved the main character. I got the book from the library but will now buy my own copy. I rarely buy a book after reading it because I don't usually plan on reading them again in the future, and while I've never re-read a book yet, I do plan on reading this one again sometime. I'd like to revisit it when I don't remember all of the details. It's the best book I've read since "Call Me By Your Name," another I had to purchase afterwards. I think these are the only two books I've purchased after having read them. I know this is probably best as a stand alone book and a sequel could ruin the impact, but I would love one. I adored the main character and wasn't ready to leave him. If Nick ever writes one I would have my copy pre-ordered the moment it was available to pre-order.

Anyway, this is such a wonderful book. Now one of my favorites.