A review by kimberlyrose
Pisces: From Behind That Locked Door by Pepper Espinoza
4.0
3.5 stars.
I'm overjoyed that an m/m author has finally--finally!--created a gay man who is fat AND the star of the book. It's funny that "fat" is not in the "desirable" lists of struggle-worthy conflicts: blind, deaf, disabled, anything else is better. The word "fat" is gasp-worthy. And, understandably, Jay, the MC, has major self-esteem issues. But Espinoza never takes his character too deep into suicidal lows. The book remains what I would call a "light-read." Jay may be riddled with doubt and insecurities about his worth as a desirable love interest, but he has enough self-esteem to stand up in front of a class and be a likable professor and to function in the day-to-day world. His journey to healthy self-esteem only just begins as the story ends, but the story of how he's gently pushed into helping himself is beautiful.
Stephen, the love interest, is almost perfect. Dangerously, inhumanly perfect. (He has a skimmed over stress moment when he first starts his job as the director of the LGBT centre on the University campus.) There was always a distance between me as a reader and his person. Perhaps he would have been more approachable if he had more foibles. Also, Amy, Jay's best friend, was a "dumb blonde" so-to-speak. She did have redeeming qualities, but overall, she was annoying, if believable.
I wish it was longer, explored more deeply, and had a bit more struggling, but I'm glad it exists. Far too short and calm to really become memorable, Pisces is still a worthwhile read centering around an omnipresent but almost completely avoided subject.
I'm overjoyed that an m/m author has finally--finally!--created a gay man who is fat AND the star of the book. It's funny that "fat" is not in the "desirable" lists of struggle-worthy conflicts: blind, deaf, disabled, anything else is better. The word "fat" is gasp-worthy. And, understandably, Jay, the MC, has major self-esteem issues. But Espinoza never takes his character too deep into suicidal lows. The book remains what I would call a "light-read." Jay may be riddled with doubt and insecurities about his worth as a desirable love interest, but he has enough self-esteem to stand up in front of a class and be a likable professor and to function in the day-to-day world. His journey to healthy self-esteem only just begins as the story ends, but the story of how he's gently pushed into helping himself is beautiful.
Stephen, the love interest, is almost perfect. Dangerously, inhumanly perfect. (He has a skimmed over stress moment when he first starts his job as the director of the LGBT centre on the University campus.) There was always a distance between me as a reader and his person. Perhaps he would have been more approachable if he had more foibles. Also, Amy, Jay's best friend, was a "dumb blonde" so-to-speak. She did have redeeming qualities, but overall, she was annoying, if believable.
I wish it was longer, explored more deeply, and had a bit more struggling, but I'm glad it exists. Far too short and calm to really become memorable, Pisces is still a worthwhile read centering around an omnipresent but almost completely avoided subject.