"Toy" doesn't aspire to be among the greats of LGBT literature. It doesn't try to be one of those books where the "best parts" are the best parts. It's a story of a young man who happens to work in a male brothel in Melbourne. It's not as sleazy as it sounds. Troy chooses to work there because the money is good, and he has lots of ambitions and his job quickly perks up his bank account. He has two more years of College, and he's helping his Mom pay down her mortgage. The brothel is a licensed, legal and upfront kind of place with some strict rules and a host of very interesting characters among the clientele and the other working boys too.
That's all I'm giving away about the plot. "Toy" deals with heartbreak, misunderstanding and painful memories. But that's not the focus. Those things help us understand Troy and his choices on many levels. His co-workers are all unique, with their own nicely drawn characteristics. They really don't know very much about each others' personal lives, so they are all workplace friends with their own little quirks.
The central point of the story is how Troy deals with the re-emergence of his high school bully. Their unexpected reunion sets off a whole chain of emotional memories. Troy had a huge crush on his bully, and it re-ignites that one way crush and the results are funny, fearful, confusing and very real. There's a lot of mixed messages, fear of rejection and self-evaluation. Troy's story is one that so many people can identify with, which is what makes it a good read.
There's a lot of humor along with the angst, and we really get to like Troy, so we're invested in his future. At times, the plot gives in to high-school behavior, which could get annoying. But Troy, though he's an adult, never learned how to handle a relationship, in or after high school and two years of college. He's got a lot of character, and he genuinely cares for the people in his life, especially his Mom--who is still both mystified and horrified that her only son works in a brothel. But they have a close, mutual respect for one another.
It's light, but there's a lot of substance in the story and in the characters. It's funny when you least expect it to be, and serious when it needs to be. The best thing I like about "Toy" is that it's not a typical story about victimization, which might sound odd because a high school bully is involved. It's a nicely written story, and the details of the Australian background make the setting very easy to imagine. It's a feel-good kind of book without being too sappy or cute. It's a great story if you need a pick me up, or if your curiosity about a brothel boy is too much to pass up. As I said, it doesn't aspire to be anything else but an entertaining tale of a nice boy trying to figure his life out and how he does it.
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