Rank

Here comes the General!

This is such an enjoyable story and it was a pleasure to read. I am not surprised it was nominated for a 2017 Lambda Literary Award.

It is a lovely story about an airforce officer who re-enlists just after the repeal of DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell), and how he falls in love with his demanding boss, General Seamus O'Neill.

2nd Lt. Harris Mitchell is rather surprised when he is offered the position of being General Seamus O' Neil's aide. The General has a reputation of being difficult but Harris decides he will take up the opportunity. He has a rocky start but this is just because the General is the General and he wants things done for him in his way and in his time. Harris rises to the challenges of his job despite being yelled at and being given regular public dressing downs, and being called strange names. The General has a reputation of being an ass hole and the General is proud of it.

Harris is openly gay and he is proud of who he is. He is out to his family and his parents love and support him. He knows the military is going through a period of transition and that not everyone supports the repeal of DADT. He doesn't feel that the General is anti-gay and he is happy to work for him.

Indeed, Harris has a slight suspicion that the General is actually gay.

Harris feels attracted to the General but he suppresses his feelings because the General is his senior officer and possibly not gay, but as time goes on he begins to notice little things that show him that perhaps the General feels something for him too. And then events occur and the two men suddenly find that their feelings for each other are out in the open and then they begin the journey of getting to know each other.

But this is not an easy journey.

The General is closeted and he sees no reason to come out. He hasn't ever lived as an openly gay man and his family have no idea that he is gay. Both men are contravening military protocol by being together and their relationship is complicated because The General is Harris's boss. But they decide to take this journey together and the story explores their love and growth as people against the background of the military.

The story is told from Harris's perspective and it is written in a really engaging way. I was drawn into the story from the first word and I loved the way the story develops gradually. The characterisation is rich. The General comes across as a blustering character, full of confidence and brashness but at the same time gently vulnerable. Harris by contrast is a man who is sensitive to the feelings of others but bold and able to hold his own in a world that is hostile towards him because of his sexuality. When the two of them come together the story shows how the men negotiate their public and private
life and how Harris, though younger, has a depth and maturity that the General draws upon.

I enjoyed the portrayal of military life and the way the different characters live together in a community but not always fully living who they really are. The story shows the challenge LGBT people face living in such a community even though DADT has been repealed. Policies may be repealed but social attitudes take time to change. All of this affects the way Harris and Seamus relate to each other and the way they relate to their work place and family.

The writing is simple but engaging and the story is told from Harris's perspective. It left me wanting to know more. Is this a relationship that can survive outside the military? Will the General ever come out to his family and what about the age difference between the two men? I may never know the answers to these questions but these characters will stay with me for some time.

This book will definitely go on my shelf for exquisite reads for 2017 and it will be interesting to see if it wins the LAMDA this year.

Copy provided by Boldstroke Books via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.