Sadownick, Douglas. Sacred Lips of the Bronx. St.
Martin's. May 1994. c.240p. ISBN 0-312-11052-9. $19.95
[FICTION]
New Age spirituality, AIDS activism, Yiddishe
apparitions that schmooze and kvetch with the best of them, a
Jewish boy's Puerto Rican first love, marvelously crafted and
developed ethnic characters, racial tension and tolerance, and a
touch of sado masochism are just a few of the seemingly disparate
elements Sadownick successfully weaves into this tale of the old
and the new, tradition and radicalism, and gay lives and straight
lives in America today. Mikey is struggling to maintain his
sanity and his relationship with Robert as he sails between the
separate universes known as the Bronx and Venice, California.
Eventually, he must open himself up to the past--and especially
to his dead grandmother, Frieda--in order to accept the present.
Readers will appreciate Sadownick's imaginative narration,
unique voice, and plot and character development, which truly
break new ground in gay fiction. Recommended for general
collections and gay and lesbian collections.
Kevin M. Roddy, University of Hawai'i at Hilo