I must say that the part when he came out to his parents was very moving, very sincere. I almost forgot to mention that Jonnie Ray is homosexual which is not big deal, plus he's black which is even more no big deal but then one should keep in mind when the novel is published and the plot is settled in the mid 1970s in rigid Baptist American small town where 'black boy can't kiss a white girl' (parents would immediately send her on the other coast) and that image of small American town I liked a lot.

Of course regardless of the sexual orientation. His descriptions of longing, first touch and then sex are so real so honest, never augmented and never sensationalistic as if it was allowed you to peek thru the keyhole. He is so sincere when he talks about his emotions about people that he loves and about those he fantasize. I've read about the novel that it has character which I can't agree more. I was bursting out laughing in the public transport (and earned several strange who-still-reads-book-anyway looks) I simply love Duplechan's sense for humour (which tells lot about me since the book is from 1986). 'Blackbird' is so sentimental novel the plot is simple but the language is beautiful. But the music references (after all the novel itself has been named after the song of The Beatles) made me doing little search since my knowledge wasn't that high leveled. Of course that can't be since the novel has been published 23 years ago. Jonnie Ray is obsessed with pop culture and therefore I had a feeling that this book is an homage to music and film (or should I say movie?) industry of the mid 20th century. It's a YA novel with such a likable main character. On the contrary: While I was reading 'Blackbird' I couldn't get rid of the feeling (as blasphemous as it probably is) that 'this must what 'Catcher in the Rye' supposed to be!'

The conclusion might be that I hated 'Blackbird' and its main character Johnnie Ray Rousseau as well.

Indeed 'Blackbird' reminded me on the 'Catcher' (it was mentioned in the book as well) but with one huge difference: I hated 'Catcher in the Rye' I've found Holden Caulfield as THE most irritating fictional character I've ever met.

Recently I've read somewhere that all coming-of-age stories are sort of 'Catcher in the Rye'.

Blackbird by Larry Duplechan