You should read it: Pages for you-Sylvia Brownrigg

Pages for you by Sylvia Brownrigg is one of my favourite lesbian novels. Actually, I would go as far as to say it is not just my fave gay book, but one of my fave books from all the books I have ever read. And I have read a lot of books…

It is the story of first love. Of first sight, first kiss, first sex, and ultimately first betrayal and first broken heart.

Written after the fact, in diary form, it gives such a detailed and vivid description of a first lesbian relationship, it is at times almost painful to read. At least it was for me. It had me thinking about my own first crushes and relationships a lot, as if they happened only yesterday.

Pages for you tells the story of 17-year old Flannery, a freshman in college, who falls madly in love with a graduate student. She first sees Anne reading a book and thinks she is the most beautiful person she has every seen. Talk about love at first sight.

It turns out Anne is actually teaching one of Flannery’s classes, and that is how the two get into contact. Flannery is totally intimidated by this beautiful and amazing older woman, and soon she becomes her pupil both inside and outside of the classroom.

Anne teaches Flannery all about life and love, and Flannery is eager to learn everything Anne has to teach her. As you can probably guess, things eventually start to fall apart.

The naive little college freshman finds out the hard way that Anne is not as wonderful and perfect as she thought she was, and that first love never lasts forever.

Just writing this down makes me recall certain parts of this novel, and especially the feelings it evoked. It has been a few years since I read it, but I still get the same strong sense of excitement mixed with uneasiness, as I did when I first read it.

It is hard to explain why, or perhaps I do not need to explain it at all. I guess it is just because this book touches on all those emotions involved in first love so well.

Especially the intensity and the naivety. You cannot believe what you are feeling and experiencing, and you want it to last forever. And you think the other person is feeling exactly the same way. But they don’t. Or they do, but somehow it just cannot last.

And nothing hurts like the ending of your first lesbian relationship.

If you haven’t read Pages for you, you should. What are you waiting for? Order it now!

Comments

Unknown said…
thank you thank you thank you....your blog site has opened even more portals of reading/music joy! i know, i'm probably driving you crazy by now with all my comments..all the way back to Jan!