Gladstone's sweeping if muddled first novel certainly opens dramatically, as plucky, eccentric Joshua Royalton contemplates suicide, thinking, "Did I have to end my life to end my childhood?" As his attempt is squelched, so begins this prickly portrait of a boy's bittersweet Philadelphian upbringing. The largely "misunderstood" son of a restless mother and a controlling father, Joshua navigates the usual boyhood traumas, curing his persistent "outcast" status in grade school by participating in his town's dramatic production of Hello, Dolly!. Moving on to develop an impressive theatrical reputation in high school, he dates the lovely Meri and dreams about getting into Yale. Once admitted, he is ushered into an early adulthood comprising new friends, revelations about his sexuality (Meri is no longer part of the picture), and his parents' strangely smooth separation after 25 years of marriage. But Gladstone's debut is patchy. Dialogue and first-person prose convincingly channel a perceptive child's universe of sugar cereals, pet turtles and trips to the zoo, yet as Joshua grows up, his supporting story often seems contrived, robbing the narrative of the emotional richness it strives for. Gladstone frequently substitutes punch lines for poignancy, and sometimes fumbles both: Joshua's homosexual disclosure to both parents unleashes pages of silly, sophomoric, Leave It to Beaver
patronizing. A touching twist at the book's conclusion counterbalances the clichés with some heartfelt sentiment as father and son finally begin to understand their familial interdependence. Gladstone's tender, bouncy narrative, flush with the intricacies (both exquisite and torturous) of burgeoning gay youth is broad enough for a mixed audience. Gay readers whose coming-out process was nightmarish may want to pass on this trouble-free, sugary rendition, but those who managed to emerge unscathed will find it refreshingly nostalgic and entertaining. Author tour.(Feb.)
