Shameless

Paul Burston’s Shameless is a witty look at contemporary urban (read London) gay life: the gym sessions, the muscles, the drugs and the clubs – it’s 300 pages celebrating hedonism in the metropolis. Paul plays the gay stereotypes well; there are clever, amusing moments, and the essence of the London club scene leaps off the pages. Characters are, generally, engaging, and it’s easy to empathise with Martin (whose boyfriend has just dumped him), whereas John (dating the dealer) is a fairly one-dimensional portrait (I am not sure if his lack of depth is intentional or not; clearly, the character is intended to be superficial). It’s an easy read, and although the stereotypes portrayed are well-known, they seem to fit too well and are – occasionally – predictable. 

An enjoyable, amusing read.

On this day…