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Island Of Icarus (2010)

by Christine Danse(Favorite Author)

3.6 of 5 Votes: 1

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Carina Press

review 1: Island of Icarus, a bit of gay steampunk by Christine Danse, takes place in the 1800s and is the first GLBT (Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender) book I've read. I was unsure what to expect. Was it going to be trashy and exploitative? Have gratuitous sex or be nauseating? It was none of the above. The protagonist, Jonathan Orms went through life the same as any other healthy young male. He taught at University and was engaged to be married – both completely normal events – until he lost his arm in an accident. He was fitted with a clockwork prosthetic arm that helped him function normally, but was heavy, bulky, and clumsy. After the accident, his fiancé dumped him, as some are wont to do. Those two events, in and of themselves, would be enough to depress anyone, and ... moreJonathan was no exception. Hoping a change of scenery would help him recover, the University sent him abroad to do botanical research. The thought that they no longer needed him depressed him even more. After many weeks at sea, he’s washed overboard during a terrible storm and wakes up on a deserted island. Deserted except for a genius doctor named Marcus who does research of his own. His most ambitious project is creating clockwork wings that will allow him to fly, hence the reference to Icarus. Marcus not only nurses Jonathan back to health, he also builds a smaller, sleeker, more responsive arm for him. Nothing untoward occurs and there is nothing to indicate the doctor is anything other than what he appears. Because he is reluctant to have his sexuality known by someone who may not approve or might harm him because of it, Marcus keeps that side of himself hidden. The friendship between Jonathan and Marcus develops like any other friendship, slowly, tentatively. Through her sensitive writing, Christine allows Jonathan to explore his deepest, darkest feelings, deny long-buried urges, despise himself for his thoughts and longings, and eventually come to terms with his newfound sexuality. His journey of self-discovery is well written, illustrating the angst that many GLBT people feel as they try to discover their own path in life. The love scenes are well written rather than going for the shock factor and there are many poignant moments throughout. The author could easily substitute a female character in Jonathan’s role and have a beautiful, sensitive love story; instead, it is the beautiful and sensitive love story of two men. Given the recent deaths of gay and lesbian students who are bullied, beaten, or intimidated until they choose suicide over a life filled with harassment, this book highlights their dilemma and handles it in a very positive way without condemnation.Book courtesy of NetGalley
review 2: I'd eagerly awaited Christine Danse's first release for months, right after I'd seen the sneak peak of the cover. Then I got to read it, finally! Let me tell you I was not disappointed in this M/M Steampunk tale of intelligent men and exotic locations. I'd recommend it for Steampunk enthusiasts and lovers of M/M romantic fiction.Island of Icarus excels in transporting readers to Marcus and Jonathan's tropical world. I felt their isolation, the dynamic of being the only two humans. It was strange at first, you can feel Jonathan's awkwardness, but then the tranquility of it grows. Beautiful descriptions set up the world. The setting was definitely the strongest element that hit me as I read through. First person is not my favorite POV, but Danse writes it well. It never feels awkward or forced. A downside were the characters for me. Oh, I loved her men! But I think I could've used a little more punch to their characters. I didn't feel like I knew Jonathan and Marcus as well as I could have, even with the short length of the book. Looking forward to all future Christine Danse releases! Oh, and I hope they come with equally delicious covers. less

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