This novel starts out strong, with a crash course into the main character’s mind. He smashes TVs if someone in the cube says something he doesn’t like, and he’s promised himself not to listen to that crap anymore, because after all who can you trust if you can’t trust yourself? He steals from heteros because he doesn’t like them, crank calls housewives, and has an open sexual relationship with his boyfriend David. He’s a shit disturber who lives on the fringes of communities already on the fringe. He’s everything you ever want to say or do but don’t. As a real life friend he’d be a bit of a liability, but one you might want to take a chance with (short of kidnapping a kid). His gang decides to take on kiddie cartoon personas and write a queer book that they’ll slip into children’s classrooms, since the education system sucks, and so do most parents. Their mall pranks on unsuspecting straight-edge folks make you want to be more creative when hanging out with your own friends. Following their adventure is a rollercoaster with a curve ball, and in the end there is elation. Wow. (heze douglas)
by Joey Comeau, $14, 121 pgs, Loose Teeth, 1669 E 13th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5N 2B7, looseteeth.ca