Review of Stolid

[Jah Thomas]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Stolid" by Aaron D Key.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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On a cold and rainy night, Stolid was stuck on a highway, trying to hitchhike a ride to London. When he thought he’d be out in the rain forever, a peculiar but familiar male finally picked him up. Stolid, relieved to be in a warm car and out of the rain, fell asleep. Upon waking, he realized the stranger took him far off his intended path. Though startled, the stranger encourages Stolid to tell him about his past. Through conversation, Stolid then recalled that he had an encounter with the man years ago. The novel Stolid takes us on the journey of a homosexual male trying to navigate through the world; he finds it difficult to find love and struggles with his sexual desires and self-acceptance.

Stolid, the protagonist, exemplifies the true meaning of the word "stolid", which means calm, dependable, and showing little emotion and animation. Throughout the book, I liked how calm and stoic he remained in situations that would probably cause others to react aggressively. I also liked the book’s literary style of writing which created a particular emotional effect within the dialogues between Stolid and his counterparts. It was poetic, which I appreciated; I found myself captivated by the words, page after page. The book held my interest even amidst the drama and tension between Stolid and his love interest, Jonathan, and his friends, Lizzi and Timonthy. I was curious to know how the story would unfold. Overall, though the storyline was somewhat sad, I enjoyed Stolid’s journey.

One thing I disliked about the book was how complex the timelines were. I was a bit confused from start to finish. The novel goes back and forth between the past and present, which was a bit puzzling at times. For instance, there were times when I was not sure whom Stolid was talking to. This gave the feeling that the author, Aaron D. Key, left a lot of room for the reader’s interpretation.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Though I enjoyed the creative style of writing, and I was intrigued by the dynamic between Stolid and his counterparts, the complexity was too much for me to enjoy the book as I’d like.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy complex storylines, poetic writing, and books that will evoke an emotional reaction. This book would also appeal to anyone who is a part of the LBGT community and is battling with self-acceptance while searching for love.

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Stolid
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