Inside the Vortex Justin Hernandez 9781475190465 Books
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Inside the Vortex Justin Hernandez 9781475190465 Books
The gay community has found a bold exciting new voice in Justin Hernandez with the release of his stellar first book, Inside the Vortex. I've read Justin's blog, [...], for a year but had no idea how arresting, brutally honest and ultimately inspiring he'd be as first-time novelist. Justin holds nothing back as he remembers his abusive childhood in the gritty Bronx, learning the ropes as a handsome young Puerto Rican man in the Manhattan of the early 90's, the toxic mix of alcohol, drug use and hyper-sexuality, stripping in some of LA's most notorious gay nightclubs, a handful of dysfunctional relationships, and the shame that led him to some very dark places. Gay men everywhere will relate to this book while loving Justin's incredible knack for details--stories from behind the scenes at the world famous Abbey in West Hollywood--where he worked, what really goes on when go go dancers get ready to perform and why LA ultimately didn't become home for Justin. You will not be able to put this book down!Product details
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Inside the Vortex Justin Hernandez 9781475190465 Books Reviews
If I had read a fictional story like this, I would have probably complained that the author was exaggerating the traits of the personality or the events happening to the protagonist. As it sometimes happens, though, sometimes a real life is bigger than a fictional one. I must admit that reading a memoir, especially one told with such candor, I feel like a voyeur and an intruder. The author's voice is clear and lucid. There's no embellishment or looking for excuses. The author tells of the bad things of his life, but he also shows the way he always followed his passions and inclinations, his smart choices and also his unfortunate ones. If it were romantic fiction, at the end of the book our hero would find a love to return all the love he has to give in spades. Unfortunately it doesn't happen, but willing or not, the author shares a lot with his readers that despite everything, we have the ultimate responsibility of our actions and decisions and that we must learn to respect and love ourselves so that our generosity is not wasted and that this process never ends.
When I was in New York City back in March I attended the Rainbow Book Fair and I went to some readings of authors I knew, but also to some of authors I have never heard about. This one guy, an extremely good looking guy, caught my eyes, yes, I'm aware that is not a good reason to read a book, but well, he was really handsome. I listened to his excerpt and I understood he was a former go-go dancer who, after a few years spent in Los Angeles trying to "make it", decided his hometown New York was better for him and his future. I thought, well, he is very young, how much "life" he has seen? And then I decided to read his memoir, and he started with his youth in New York City, and he was speaking of the '80s! Wait, the '80s are my years, and I'm approaching 40, not so young anymore... I was intrigued, because, I have to admit, I found more interesting a memoir of someone who had the chance to experiment life, more than a young boy who thinks he is experienced.
Justin Hernandez's youth was unfortunately not a good one, he was abused by someone he believed was family, and so someone who should protect him, not abuse him. As many boys coming from such experience, Justin had self-esteem issues, issues that brought him to not accept himself, not on an emotional or on a physical point of view. For the exterior he had a quick solution, plastic surgery was available, even if he didn't need it; a change of name helped also detaching him even more from his past; but the scars he had inside were harder to heal. It will be a long ride for Justin to accept who he was and what it happened, a ride with multiple stops each of them marked with a wrong romance.
Justin talks a lot about romance, and I think he believes in it. He also believed that probably romance was the solution to many of his trouble, and for that reason he always jumped into relationships too soon and with too commitment. Romance is not the solution, above all when you are not really into it. On the contrary it can destroy you, your life and even the life of who is on the other side of it. What I like of this memoir is that, even if Justin sometime is a victim, he is never once disclaiming his responsibility in what was happening. He had unprotected sex with people he barely knew? Well, he could probably punch them in the nose and go away. He brought along a relationship that was clearly wrong and unhealthy? He could go and forget them. He was using and abusing his body? He had chances he didn't pick. Justin is not trying to be a victim, he is telling you his story, and also how he decided to take again possession of his life and being faithful to himself before being able to be in a relationship with someone else.
Justin is not an hero, but everytime he did something wrong, I always saw in him the little boy who only wanted to play with dolls and maybe find the knight in shining armor. I think that boy is still there, inside him, and I wish he will be able to find his own Prince Charming.
great read - read it on a flight to hawaii in one sitting. Good insight into the gay life of some people, and the struggle to make it.
"Inside the Vortex" is a truly fitting title. Justin Hernandez did an excellent job on his first book. Along with all his many talents that the book will show, Justin can definitely write. He is very candid about his life and his struggles to truly identify with his true self. I laughed, I cried, I rejoiced in his success. He takes from the East Coast to the West, growing up in New York City and the excitement of living in Los Angeles. Not only is there humor in the Vortex, there are also lessons that we all can learn from Justin's experiences. It was a joy to read and I look forward to additional works by this writer.
When I began reading this book I didn't know what to expect. Well, I was sucked into the Vortex with the first chapter and from then on I couldn't put the book down. The life Justin has chronicled is nothing short of scary, exciting and almost unbelievable. That one person could go through all that he has and still come out okay is a miracle and a true testament to the human spirit. I cried and laughed with him all the while thinking "Will he come out of this ok?" As a regular reader of Justin's blog, I always thought he was a gifted writer, but Inside the Vortex is the pièce de résistance! I hope to read more from him in the near future.
The gay community has found a bold exciting new voice in Justin Hernandez with the release of his stellar first book, Inside the Vortex. I've read Justin's blog, [...], for a year but had no idea how arresting, brutally honest and ultimately inspiring he'd be as first-time novelist. Justin holds nothing back as he remembers his abusive childhood in the gritty Bronx, learning the ropes as a handsome young Puerto Rican man in the Manhattan of the early 90's, the toxic mix of alcohol, drug use and hyper-sexuality, stripping in some of LA's most notorious gay nightclubs, a handful of dysfunctional relationships, and the shame that led him to some very dark places. Gay men everywhere will relate to this book while loving Justin's incredible knack for details--stories from behind the scenes at the world famous Abbey in West Hollywood--where he worked, what really goes on when go go dancers get ready to perform and why LA ultimately didn't become home for Justin. You will not be able to put this book down!
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