“Nobody has told this story before, and Robert Ferro has the power to make his telling definitive… His clear, impassioned narrative moves with wit and sensuous energy.” (Walter Clemons, found on the back of the novel) Robert Ferro, as the author, is a hero.

The genre of gay literature and cinema is limited and obscure. Max’s bravery in the face of adversity parallels Ferro’s own. As the author, Ferro is able to share his own perspective with the world. All of the heroism in the novel would not exist without him and the world would never know Max Desir. In some sense, the accomplishments and heroism that occur in the novel can be attributed to their creator.

You can feel the voice of the author through the words spoken through Max’s father: “Well, I’ve been thinking I should write a book. I should organize my thoughts and write about my experiences.” (214) Literature has the power to enlighten and change the world.