Review
Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out
Synopsis:
Arthur Edwards, after living his entire life in the small town of Northbridge in northern England, at the age of 79, and after 50 years of marriage and two adult children, wants everyone to know that he's gay.
Arthur's 21-year-old grandson, Teddy, is also gay, but he hasn't told anyone in his family yet. As Teddy watches his grandfather come out to his family and his family's reactions, especially his mother's, he begins to question if he, too, should come out to his family or if he should continue to hide who he is from them. Can these two men, one at the beginning of his life, the other closer to the end, help each other and their family accept who they really are?
In Arthur and Teddy Are Coming Out, debut author Ryan Love puts an interesting spin on the "coming out" story. By focusing on two different people, decades apart in age, he deftly illustrates the challenges individuals face when taking that step. He also shows how the process of coming out can be more challenging for older adults due to others' refusal to accept a recently revealed truth about someone they've known for a long period of time. While the novel is focused on Arthur and Teddy coming out to their family and friends, the overarching theme of Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out is to live life to the fullest. Accept and embrace yourself and those around you, and do your best to live your life with as few regrets as possible. And, honestly, that's very good advice for everyone.
Review
Arthur Edwards has lived his entire life in the small town of Northbridge in northern England. He grew up there. And he met and married his wife, Madeleine, in Northbridge. Northbridge is where Madeleine and he raised their two children, Elizabeth and Patrick. As with most small towns, regardless of where they are located, everyone seems to know everyone else. An individual who wishes to maintain a sense of privacy about their lives must be vigilant to keep that which they don't want to become common knowledge from becoming just that.
Arthur has a secret. He's worked diligently to keep it a secret his entire adult life. Now, at the age of 79, he's done hiding and has decided that he wants to live his life as the person he truly is. After 50 years of marriage and two adult children, Arthur wants everyone to know that he's gay.
Something else no one knows, including Arthur, is that his 21-year-old grandson, Teddy, has a secret, too, and it's the same as Arthur's. As Teddy watches his grandfather come out to his family and his family's reactions, especially his mother's, to Arthur's declaration. He begins to question if he, too, should come out to his family or if he should continue to hide from his family. Can these two men, one at the beginning of his life, the other closer to the end, help each other and their family accept who they really are?
In Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out, debut author Ryan Love puts an interesting spin on the "coming out" story. By focusing on two different people, decades apart in age, he deftly illustrates the challenges individuals face when taking that step. He also shows how the process of coming out can be more challenging for older adults due to others' refusal to accept a recently revealed truth about someone they've known for a long period of time.
Love's characters are nicely drawn. While there is a bit of family drama when Arthur first makes his declaration, Love balances this with the warmth and compassion of others within the family. Particularly Arthur's wife Madeleine, with whom Arthur has created a wonderful life and home for their family.
While the novel is focused on Arthur and Teddy coming out to their family and friends, the overarching theme of Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out is to live life to the fullest. Accept and embrace yourself and those around you and do your best to live your life with as few regrets as possible. And, honestly, that's very good advice for everyone.
Read an interview with the author here.
