Book Review - In One Person

I recently finished John Irving's In One Person. It was a really great book. It focuses on the themes of sexual identity, and being true to one's self, and I guess the struggles of a person who is different. We see Billy, the book's protagonist, grow up and we see his sexual identity being changed (or was he born that way?) along the way. We meet the different characters in his life, each with their own quirks and we also get a front-row seat to the developments of the LBGT movement in the United States from the 60s to the present day.

It's a really interesting theme to me; I haven't read much literature which deals with the issues the book lavishes in. It confronts the issue of sexual identity really squarely and we see the different facets of the..."issue" for the lack of a better word. As with all other John Irving books, it's brilliantly written; it has it's comedic moments and heart-wrenching moments. It's very readable and the characters are immensely lovable. On top of Billy (heh), there are other characters he meets, with their own quirks and stories. They leave a mark on Billy's life and on the reader's heart too, I guess.

If I had one complain about the book, it'd be that it was a little on the short-side, and as a result, the ending leaves you wanting. You breeze through it really quickly, and when the ending comes, you're sort of left hanging (like a testicle, sorry couldn't resist). It's a fitting ending, but it's not one which leaves you thoroughly satisfied. Maybe that's the author's intention - maybe it's a metaphor on how relationships don't satisfy you completely...or maybe I'm thinking too much.

Anyway, it's certainly a great book, but if you're against gays, then perhaps you should pick another book. It doesn't make you reconsider your position; it gives you an insight. The book also goes into explicit details quite a few times in the book, so take note. Personally speaking, I never had to consider my sexuality. That was a really weird sentence to write, but yeah, I like girls, and only girls. To me, this book was eye-opening, and it gave me a look at what gays go through.

I'm going to give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Above is a picture of the book. Yes, you're going to get a lot of weird stares on the train because people will be thinking that it's something like 50 Shades of Gray. IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT. This is definitely one of those "don't judge a book by it's cover" cases. The picture has something to do with the story. Also, I thought that the title was a pun...but it's actually a reference to a play, so yeah, damn my dirty mind.