Broken rules and other stories by Barry Lee Thompson

Transit Lounge, 2020. ISBN: 9781925760552.
(Age: Adult) There are linking threads weaving through this collection of short stories, one story may be a character at a different time, or a minor character in one story may be the main focus of another, they all become familiar, and together shed light on the often lonely path of a young man and his gay sexual encounters. The writing brilliantly captures the minutiae of the people and their surroundings, often down and out, in the dark streets or the empty beach, revealing the suppressed thoughts and feelings, sometimes the caring but often the cruelties in relationships. Thompson is clearly an exceptional writer but for some readers the gaze may be a little cold and unrelenting in its focus, particularly in his portrayal of women. Others will enjoy connecting the stories and the light they shine on characters and relationships.
Helen Eddy