Miles

"Miles" is as much a coming-of-age novel as a story about loss. Death and loss, and not only the loss of childhood and innocence, loom in every one of these beautifully written pages. It's all about loss beyond this particular moment of life and gender, and loss understood as solitude, that inevitable human solitude we all share. The elegant voice of a poet who at the same time is a classical music connoisseur describes the twists and turns of a sixteen-year old gay young man in the late 70s early 80s in Chicago. The story avoids the cliché of "doubts" about identity and, after a couple of learning experiences in which Miles finds his way through the meanders of sex and different types of love, merges into a fully-fledged romance. The confident and fluent narrative never fails to amuse and entertain.Every chapter is preceded by very-well chosen Shakespeare quotes that set the mood and contribute to the unusual preference and respect for the classical European brief novel shape. Also to notice, the permanent presence of an element, water, under the form of snow, tears, the Lake Michigan, rain, showers, that shows the sure hand of a master poet who knows which are his materials to convey mood and emotions. All in all, a very pleasant reading in which emotions never forget art.

A vivid glimpse at emerging gay adolescence when such a thing was scarcely acknowledged much less discussed. MILES is an extremely well wrought novel packed with sensory cues where character, emotion, setting, and narrative depth are written to the highest storytelling standards. Characters large and small are drawn with remarkable authenticity; their dialogue makes you feel as if you're in the room with them. But this isn't a run-of-the-mill 'coming out' story - it's much more harmonic, and melodic, than that. With detail, color, drama, and no small amount of humor, MILES is a gem of a debut novel this reader loved.

Exquisitely written, painted with insight and love, this book pretty much blew me away.It was so unexpected. A novel about gay kids growing up through beauty and tragedy - smart kids, exceptional kids, kids who learn how to love and cherish despite the obstacles and pain.And, sadly, it is, ultimately, a tragedy. My heart broke at the ending, but it didn't diminish the luminous lives that were lived through the rest of the book. And it's certainly not a reason to forgo reading it.This is a truly literate book about boys who love each other, about family, about music and literature. It is not erotic fiction (sorry, no hot explicit scenes to distract you). It is a true Gay Novel, in the best sense of the term.It is one of the great bargains I have ever encountered here on Amazon.com. Don't miss it.

Snares the reader into the cauldron of high school angst and developing emotions as the characters interact without understanding the underlying reasons while trying to define love/hate, hope/fear, and friend/foe points on the continuum scale of life. The story is told from Miles' point of view while including enough of others thoughts and feelings to build on the underlying primitive terror of loneliness felt by all. The reality perceived conflicts with the dream of reality, but in the end, the dream works better than reality.This is a gay themed book, but is not erotic or sordid

"Miles" captures what I remember about being a teenager. Although the story is about a boy discovering and then exploring his homosexuality, the emotions are universal. As a reader, I heard the work through the classical music and jazz references that score the emotions of Adam Henry Carriere's protagonists. The detailed study of the shifting social geography of Chicago 1970's grounded the novel in time and place. Sensual details - Russian bread and a slice of cheese shared with a lover, an uncle's bitter wine, or the comfort of a hug engaged my senses and made me smile and remember . . .and made me wince and remember because the author's honesty - brutal honesty - captures not only the pain we feel as we leave childhood and struggle with becoming adults, we are also selfish and cruel and destructive in the process. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good read.

A coming of age story every bit as intense and vivid as James Joyce's "Araby", Miles is filled with spot-on truths about the glory, force, and pain of adolescence. As the narrator tells his story we hear a voice that is both insecure and confident in waves of learning and knowing as he tells of family, friendships, new love, and blossoming sexuality. An eloquent and extremely perceptive young man, Miles discovers and uncovers truth after truth about himself and others and never falters in his path, even when it leads to sorrow. This tender, sweet tale nearly startles in the accuracy of its portrayal of the powerful emotions of young love, and the genuine fear of being alone. I could really see, hear, and believe in this character. The opulent layers of detail and of place and time immerse the reader deeply in Miles' world, and I truly felt I had been on the journey right along with him. This novel was a joy to read.

Beautiful and tragic, this lyrical literary novel artfully and vividly recreates the Chicago of the 1970's to tell a love story fraught with the raw emotions of youth and societal taboo. With memorable characters that seem made of flesh and blood and an emotional architecture made concrete through Nabokovian metaphors and poetic turns of phrase, MILES is a masterful work that will charm readers and inspire English professors. I highly recommend it.

I can't say enough good things about this story. What got me the most was the intensity and angst! It was extremely well written and the writer was very knowledgeable. A must read! The ending left me sad but also with hope that the future went well for Miles.

And so ‘to begin at the beginning’: ‘Men at some time are masters of their fates’ and so begins Miles the novel by Adam Henry Carriere. The journey Carriere takes us on weaves us through a teenage in a Chicago of the 1970’s, inviting you in to a life of self-discovery that offers a privy view into his passion for the music of Shostakovich, Hammer House of Horror, flea pit cinema, jazz and all the music to be found on the down town EL. This is a book a young man’s sexual self-discovery that Carriere handles with grace and style in a lustre filled journey with fabulous mixture of characters that make Miles the fully rounded novel and the character of Miles you could imagine Proust penning. Miles meets all manner of people from all classes in his journey of self-discovery. Miles is a book that draws you in and keeps you held, along Miles unique linear path into adulthood. Miles is up there with the other rites of passage novels and easily holds its own and I suspect will be around for some time.

Myles is a terrific coming of age story. The work is set in Chicago and the main character is a high school boy trying to come to terms with his sexuality.The writer has great insight into th contretemps suffered by teenage boys. I was intrigued by all of the wonderful references to classical music - particularly the symphonies of Shostakovich. Five stars. Well deserved indeed.