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Clay's Way
For Sam, coming of age in Hawaii, the most isolated landmass on earth, is almost impossible. He is 15, sensitive, cool, cute, blue-haired, a skateboarder, precocious, funny, horny, honest, and gay. He’s not interested in surfing, but he’s passionate about punk rock music and haiku poetry. Sam’s object of affection is Clay. He is an 18-year-old surfer who’s handsome, enigmatic, complicated, passionate, funny, confident, charismatic, serious, sexy, and confused. He likes Sam, too, but isn’t brave enough to admit it. As Sam attempts to grow up and realize his love for Clay, both boys face the hardest decisions and obstacles of their a brutal hurricane during a drunken evening with Clay’s mother, Susan, a hippie and Joni Mitchell aficionado, a misty hike along the steep emerald cliffs of Kauai’s north shore, threatened by Hawaiian spirits, tumultuous betrayals, rival bands of surfers, misfired sex, violent collision, an angry car accident, Clay’s confused girlfriend, attempted suicide in monster midnight waves, desperate revival, evolving personalities, a native dream quest, personae theft, and a last-ditch Imperial declaration at a raucous teenage party. Finally, when all appears lost, after Clay becomes strangely different and Sam takes on Clay’s personality, on a moonlit Halloween night, in the dark and echoey hall of a dark haunted house staged in an elementary school, Sam’s hopes could come true as a boy dressed as a wolf gives chase. On the windward side of Oahu, below lush green cliffs, Sam inhabits a vast neighborhood of yearning. On the most remote landmass on earth, in suburban neighborhoods juxtaposed against dramatic cliffs and ancient culture, on jungle trails, and at remote beaches, Sam attempts to find his place in the world while trying to win Clay’s affection.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
8 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Blair Mastbaum
5 books25 followersBlair is the author of Clay's Way and Us Ones In Between, and the co-editor of Cool Thing: Best Gay Fiction from Young American Writers. He's currently living in Portland, Oregon and working on a novel called Hommeboys about his time spent as a model.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
September 14, 2012
Clay's Way reads like a really long and bad haiku. Or a really long and bad acid trip. Or an overambitious and pretentious coming of age story about the contemporary gay teenager.
Sam and Clay are the loser kid and the cool kid, respectively. But they are two versions of the same persona. They're both gay, they both need to behave in a certain way. They are both struggling and they are both tragic figures. That much is obvious.
But even though the premise was interesting, and the endeavour challenging, it was so badly executed everything kept falling flat. The characterization was shallow and I disliked both Sam and Clay. The adults were portrayed either as indifferent, greedy money chasers in pantsuits or as irresponsible, pseudo-spiritual potheads in muumuus. To be blatantly honest, the whole thing felt like it was written by a spiteful, self-loathing, lonely ten-year-old who would grow up only to become a serial killer.
One of my worst reading experiences. Ever.
Sam and Clay are the loser kid and the cool kid, respectively. But they are two versions of the same persona. They're both gay, they both need to behave in a certain way. They are both struggling and they are both tragic figures. That much is obvious.
But even though the premise was interesting, and the endeavour challenging, it was so badly executed everything kept falling flat. The characterization was shallow and I disliked both Sam and Clay. The adults were portrayed either as indifferent, greedy money chasers in pantsuits or as irresponsible, pseudo-spiritual potheads in muumuus. To be blatantly honest, the whole thing felt like it was written by a spiteful, self-loathing, lonely ten-year-old who would grow up only to become a serial killer.
One of my worst reading experiences. Ever.
May 4, 2010
Clay's Way is author Blair Mastbaum's first novel. The novel centers around the emotionally confusing Sam. He is a rebellious boy living in Hawaii where he feel that he does not fit in because everyone is a surfer or Hawaii. Sam himself is self-deprecating in his looks and his family. He falls in love with a self-unaware surfer guy, the very type of guy that Sam hates, and the story is then centered around their one-sided love affair.
Mastbaum tries to introduce some local dialects which I find commendable, but it becomes obvious that he did not consult an actual person who spoke the Pidgin Hawaiian Dialect. This is the one major qualm I have about this book. Living in Hawaii and speaking pidgin as a second language, many people like myself can recognize good pidgin and bad pidgin. Beyond the incorrect pidgin grammar, the story begins with a good interesting start, but as we reach the climax of the story, Sam becomes much more irritating in his rudeness. I'm not sure if Mastbaum intended Sam to be this way or if I was the only one who felt being irritated, but this really didn't make me feel empathy for Sam when during the climatic scene at the beach.
Also, some scenes and people were included that had no real purpose in the main story of the novel. Also, in an desperately obvious Narration technique, Mastbaum, makes Sam sneak in to the house of his love to ease drop on the detailed story.
Overall, I wanted to like the book; the first few chapters really pulled me in. But I do have a bias towards books that include Hawaii as the main backdrop and I do feel the author needs to do more research in the culture of Hawaii. When I got to the end of the book I was left feeling unsympathetic towards Sam or any of the other characters in the book. I don't recommend this book if one wants to learn or read about Gay Hawaiian life.
Mastbaum tries to introduce some local dialects which I find commendable, but it becomes obvious that he did not consult an actual person who spoke the Pidgin Hawaiian Dialect. This is the one major qualm I have about this book. Living in Hawaii and speaking pidgin as a second language, many people like myself can recognize good pidgin and bad pidgin. Beyond the incorrect pidgin grammar, the story begins with a good interesting start, but as we reach the climax of the story, Sam becomes much more irritating in his rudeness. I'm not sure if Mastbaum intended Sam to be this way or if I was the only one who felt being irritated, but this really didn't make me feel empathy for Sam when during the climatic scene at the beach.
Also, some scenes and people were included that had no real purpose in the main story of the novel. Also, in an desperately obvious Narration technique, Mastbaum, makes Sam sneak in to the house of his love to ease drop on the detailed story.
Overall, I wanted to like the book; the first few chapters really pulled me in. But I do have a bias towards books that include Hawaii as the main backdrop and I do feel the author needs to do more research in the culture of Hawaii. When I got to the end of the book I was left feeling unsympathetic towards Sam or any of the other characters in the book. I don't recommend this book if one wants to learn or read about Gay Hawaiian life.
February 20, 2020
What the actual fuck have I just read?
August 5, 2019
Watch out for spoilers.
I was doing lots of affort not to rate this 1 star.
After reading As Meat Loves Salt, a gay romance about some serious obssesion, I told myself there is no one who is as insane addictive to another man as was Jacob. It was some serious stuff. Then I read this, and discover Jacob #2! Only worse!
In fact, I was trying to understand what the hell I was reading all over the novel, especially during the third part. The way I see it, CLAY'S WAY is about two gay youths who are madly desire for each other, but they need to struggle some mad facts about themself. For one thing, Clay hates himself terribley because he loves other dudes. He hates himself so much he tried to kill himself. Secondly, this Sam guy, who developed some massive obbsession towards Clay. He did so many things I frowned during reading. It was disgusting. Anyway, they share huge problems. They share everything, even violence. Everything but love. They never loved each other.
Before I make a mess about what I feel right now, let's face what I loved about it. Obviously, and the main reason for me to want it at the first place, the fact they both grew up in Hawaii. Come on, I never read about these islands. Who would not want to read about a love story in Hawaii?
That's it. The rest about it is pure filth. I never liked neither of Clay or Sam. They share the same features and it never happenes. Sometimes it occured to my head they are actually the same person or something. They are both extremely violent, extremely mentalley challeneged, and of course, they both need help. They need to be locked up in a mentally-ill institution.
I did not like the fact Sam kept on naiively thinking he loves Clay, but as the matter of fact, he never loved him in the first place. He had done so crazy things I could not believe I actually read it, or that people actually are capable of doing it in realty. He leaves Clay alone on an island, maybe brain-damaged, and take over his life? Takes his mother's money, harasses some girl, and out of everything, exposes Clay's darkeset secrest infront of the whole world? What the hell? Who does that? Who spies on the person they love and hide in their room while the other person is having a moment with another girl? Sam is also actually rapes Clay in his sleep. What the actual fuck was I reading?
I am very confused about whatever happened on the island. Let me get it straigt, or at least trying. Clay is messing another boy infront of Sam. Sam hates the guy and then, out of the blue, decides to be attracted to him, and sleep with him. Clay discover the whole thing and run off to kill himself. He is back, alive, to claim he became his spirit animal the other life and makes Sam's name a tattoo on his arm. Then he runs off, again, to find some answers, and Sam is back in town, decides to be Clay! Clay is coming back, himself again, and punch Sam in the face. End of story. Honestly, I do not understand. It does not make any sense. Why the hell Clay's mom acted all along with Sam? What in the name of god happened to Clay on the island?
Anyway, it was pretty confising. I also hated the language and it affected me wrongly. It was all cursing and very bad. Sam is supposed to be a poet, but he never acts like one. I wish for more characters in the novel, because it was too much of everything. It was too much! Many times I wanted to stop reading because it was so ridiculous. The whole story was unbelievable and I wanted to puke. I hated it.
I was doing lots of affort not to rate this 1 star.
After reading As Meat Loves Salt, a gay romance about some serious obssesion, I told myself there is no one who is as insane addictive to another man as was Jacob. It was some serious stuff. Then I read this, and discover Jacob #2! Only worse!
In fact, I was trying to understand what the hell I was reading all over the novel, especially during the third part. The way I see it, CLAY'S WAY is about two gay youths who are madly desire for each other, but they need to struggle some mad facts about themself. For one thing, Clay hates himself terribley because he loves other dudes. He hates himself so much he tried to kill himself. Secondly, this Sam guy, who developed some massive obbsession towards Clay. He did so many things I frowned during reading. It was disgusting. Anyway, they share huge problems. They share everything, even violence. Everything but love. They never loved each other.
Before I make a mess about what I feel right now, let's face what I loved about it. Obviously, and the main reason for me to want it at the first place, the fact they both grew up in Hawaii. Come on, I never read about these islands. Who would not want to read about a love story in Hawaii?
That's it. The rest about it is pure filth. I never liked neither of Clay or Sam. They share the same features and it never happenes. Sometimes it occured to my head they are actually the same person or something. They are both extremely violent, extremely mentalley challeneged, and of course, they both need help. They need to be locked up in a mentally-ill institution.
I did not like the fact Sam kept on naiively thinking he loves Clay, but as the matter of fact, he never loved him in the first place. He had done so crazy things I could not believe I actually read it, or that people actually are capable of doing it in realty. He leaves Clay alone on an island, maybe brain-damaged, and take over his life? Takes his mother's money, harasses some girl, and out of everything, exposes Clay's darkeset secrest infront of the whole world? What the hell? Who does that? Who spies on the person they love and hide in their room while the other person is having a moment with another girl? Sam is also actually rapes Clay in his sleep. What the actual fuck was I reading?
I am very confused about whatever happened on the island. Let me get it straigt, or at least trying. Clay is messing another boy infront of Sam. Sam hates the guy and then, out of the blue, decides to be attracted to him, and sleep with him. Clay discover the whole thing and run off to kill himself. He is back, alive, to claim he became his spirit animal the other life and makes Sam's name a tattoo on his arm. Then he runs off, again, to find some answers, and Sam is back in town, decides to be Clay! Clay is coming back, himself again, and punch Sam in the face. End of story. Honestly, I do not understand. It does not make any sense. Why the hell Clay's mom acted all along with Sam? What in the name of god happened to Clay on the island?
Anyway, it was pretty confising. I also hated the language and it affected me wrongly. It was all cursing and very bad. Sam is supposed to be a poet, but he never acts like one. I wish for more characters in the novel, because it was too much of everything. It was too much! Many times I wanted to stop reading because it was so ridiculous. The whole story was unbelievable and I wanted to puke. I hated it.
May 31, 2024
gay ya one sided (toxic) romance auf hawaii.
es ist fucked up und messy und all over the place und liest sich so schnell. sehr viel teen angst, drugs und die characters sind obviously deeply flawed.
war ein fiebertraum, hab mich kurz drin verloren.
es ist fucked up und messy und all over the place und liest sich so schnell. sehr viel teen angst, drugs und die characters sind obviously deeply flawed.
war ein fiebertraum, hab mich kurz drin verloren.
November 13, 2012
Cross-posted from Papyrus Independent Author Reviews. (http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/11/13/clays-way-by-blair-mastbaum/)
Growing up on Hawaii's Oahu island, Sam uses his appearance as a rebellion against who he's expected to be. But he has deeper differences irreconcilable with the community in which he lives. And then there's Clay...
Clay's Way is a gay coming-of-age tale focusing on a rebellious sixteen year-old skater who is dealing not just with growing up gay in a predominately straight community, but also with a growing infatuation for an eighteen year-old surfer named Clay. Gay coming-of-age tales can be like a drug for me. They take me back in time to the confusion of growing up: the obsessions, the small romances and the internal struggle to fit in where you're not really wanted. It's quite often so easy for me to relate that the story comes alive. This novel was no exception even though the setting was quite different from my own adolescence, and even though Sam is a very different person to who I was when growing up. I felt an immediate affinity with Sam that was both the joy and pain of reading this story.
After Clay and Sam become friends the reader begins to realise that Sam's infatuation with Clay is not necessarily one-sided. And this is where the author starts toying with the reader. There are some pretty big obstacles for these adolescents to overcome before they can find happiness together. Sam is the inexperienced and somewhat imbalanced younger party and lacks the confidence to be himself or even understand himself. His longing for Clay makes him reckless and stupid but very rarely assertive. Clay lives in complete denial. As the two get closer, he completely shuts off the meaning of their interactions and when their fledgling relationship becomes physical he is unable to integrate the experience emotionally. Given Sam's obsession, such denial was bound to lead to a crisis - and it does.
There is a point on a camping trip the boys take to the island of Kauai when the reader thinks that maybe Sam and Clay have reached a point at which they can stop ricocheting off each other and start taking some kind of journey together. However, they are merely in the eye of the storm. Sam's unstable obsession can't handle happiness with any kind of compromise and Clay only needs one set-back to retreat into his self-protective denial. The book ends with a sucker punch to the reader all the more brutal because the portrayal of the characters is so honest and the ending seemingly inevitable, like a Shakespearean tragedy.
So after all of this, what do I think? Well, I discovered that this novel won the award for debut gay fiction in the 17th annual Lambda Literary Awards in 2004, a set of awards for LGBT fiction. From a story and characterisation point of view I would say that such an award would be well-deserved. However, here's my issue. This story had too many copy-editing problems. They seemed to get worse in the second half of the book. They didn't end up spoiling my enjoyment of the story because I was so swept up in the edification and destruction of Sam that I started to gloss over errors as I was reading. But how would such errors not disqualify this novel from receiving a literary award? It baffles me and, to be honest, it annoys me.
In the end, I need to cut back a little on my enthusiasm when it comes to scoring this work which is a wretched shame given that it had such an impact on me. To me, it was a 4.5 star story with a 2.5 star editing job. So what's left is an average that's almost as painful as the story itself.
Growing up on Hawaii's Oahu island, Sam uses his appearance as a rebellion against who he's expected to be. But he has deeper differences irreconcilable with the community in which he lives. And then there's Clay...
Clay's Way is a gay coming-of-age tale focusing on a rebellious sixteen year-old skater who is dealing not just with growing up gay in a predominately straight community, but also with a growing infatuation for an eighteen year-old surfer named Clay. Gay coming-of-age tales can be like a drug for me. They take me back in time to the confusion of growing up: the obsessions, the small romances and the internal struggle to fit in where you're not really wanted. It's quite often so easy for me to relate that the story comes alive. This novel was no exception even though the setting was quite different from my own adolescence, and even though Sam is a very different person to who I was when growing up. I felt an immediate affinity with Sam that was both the joy and pain of reading this story.
After Clay and Sam become friends the reader begins to realise that Sam's infatuation with Clay is not necessarily one-sided. And this is where the author starts toying with the reader. There are some pretty big obstacles for these adolescents to overcome before they can find happiness together. Sam is the inexperienced and somewhat imbalanced younger party and lacks the confidence to be himself or even understand himself. His longing for Clay makes him reckless and stupid but very rarely assertive. Clay lives in complete denial. As the two get closer, he completely shuts off the meaning of their interactions and when their fledgling relationship becomes physical he is unable to integrate the experience emotionally. Given Sam's obsession, such denial was bound to lead to a crisis - and it does.
There is a point on a camping trip the boys take to the island of Kauai when the reader thinks that maybe Sam and Clay have reached a point at which they can stop ricocheting off each other and start taking some kind of journey together. However, they are merely in the eye of the storm. Sam's unstable obsession can't handle happiness with any kind of compromise and Clay only needs one set-back to retreat into his self-protective denial. The book ends with a sucker punch to the reader all the more brutal because the portrayal of the characters is so honest and the ending seemingly inevitable, like a Shakespearean tragedy.
So after all of this, what do I think? Well, I discovered that this novel won the award for debut gay fiction in the 17th annual Lambda Literary Awards in 2004, a set of awards for LGBT fiction. From a story and characterisation point of view I would say that such an award would be well-deserved. However, here's my issue. This story had too many copy-editing problems. They seemed to get worse in the second half of the book. They didn't end up spoiling my enjoyment of the story because I was so swept up in the edification and destruction of Sam that I started to gloss over errors as I was reading. But how would such errors not disqualify this novel from receiving a literary award? It baffles me and, to be honest, it annoys me.
In the end, I need to cut back a little on my enthusiasm when it comes to scoring this work which is a wretched shame given that it had such an impact on me. To me, it was a 4.5 star story with a 2.5 star editing job. So what's left is an average that's almost as painful as the story itself.
July 11, 2020
It’s official: I hate Clay. I enjoyed reading this book. Susan is sweet. Sam is an ass.
September 10, 2011
This terrific debut novel turns the typical teenage coming out story on its ear by portraying its sixteen year old narrator, Sam, as completely self-loathing in every respect except with regard to his sexuality (which he treats with extreme matter-of-factness). In many ways he is the typical rebellious teen, he hates his folks, his life, his appearance & is forever trying on different looks and identities in an awkward effort to express his individuality, but as the book follows his faltering romance and subsequent obsession with Clay, a hip and attractive local surfer, Sam turns into something more sinister. He goes beyond garden-variety teen stalking and, in a sense, actually attempts to become his lover. Clay is Sam's polar opposite in every way - he is completely comfortable in his own skin except for his inablity to acknowledge his homosexuality.
Mastbaum has beautifully captured his teen narrator's voice; Sam is a fully realized, authentic character. Although you may find yourself cringing in places, it is difficult not to sympathize with him, even as he strays dangerously into Travis Bickle/Rupert Pupkin territory. I read this book in one day with very few breaks. On the one hand this is a testament to how quickly the writing engaged me but on the other, it also gave rise to my only complaint. Reading Sam's insistent, almost relentless, and highly emotive ranting in such concentration was a lot like taking a long train ride with a hopped up, loquacious youngster - completely exhausting.
Still, very original and full of life. Recommended for the younger set.
Mastbaum has beautifully captured his teen narrator's voice; Sam is a fully realized, authentic character. Although you may find yourself cringing in places, it is difficult not to sympathize with him, even as he strays dangerously into Travis Bickle/Rupert Pupkin territory. I read this book in one day with very few breaks. On the one hand this is a testament to how quickly the writing engaged me but on the other, it also gave rise to my only complaint. Reading Sam's insistent, almost relentless, and highly emotive ranting in such concentration was a lot like taking a long train ride with a hopped up, loquacious youngster - completely exhausting.
Still, very original and full of life. Recommended for the younger set.
October 17, 2014
For much of Clay's Way, I wondered just what in the world I was reading. John Rechy, a highly lauded writer, is quoted in the backcover as saying, "A gay Catcher in the Rye." Certainly, it's not hard to picture readers ranking Holden and Sam as equally annoying, teenaged main characters. However, Salinger is an amazing writer and Mastbaum is not.
Blair Mastbaum was trying very hard to infuse his novel with some meaning. And so I can't tell if the utterly trite metaphors and similes employed are intentional, because Sam is such a vapid stoner, or because Mastbaum really can't write anything better. Regardless, this pastiche of a novel is composed of about 100 pages of Sam forcing his way into Clay (the boy he likes)'s life, in just about the creepiest manner I've ever read. This is followed by around 80 pages of a camping trip in which we learn that Clay is just as unhealthily obsessed with Sam. And for the last act, the reader is treated to 50 pages of Sam attempting to impersonate Clay (to his mom and acquaintances!) and 20 pages where Clay, not entirely unreasonably given the aforementioned events, literally kicks Sam out of his life.
The section in which Sam impersonates Clay, in particular, was extremely contrived. I'm a big fan of chamaleon chracters who just become other people, but this was weird. The whole book was weird and going down routes that struck me as implausible.
Reading over my own summary, I once again wonder what the point of all this was. It's not romance because it's impossible to root for Sam and Clay to make it. It's too trite to be adult lit. Perhaps a coming-of-age YA novel, an exceptionally messy one.
Blair Mastbaum was trying very hard to infuse his novel with some meaning. And so I can't tell if the utterly trite metaphors and similes employed are intentional, because Sam is such a vapid stoner, or because Mastbaum really can't write anything better. Regardless, this pastiche of a novel is composed of about 100 pages of Sam forcing his way into Clay (the boy he likes)'s life, in just about the creepiest manner I've ever read. This is followed by around 80 pages of a camping trip in which we learn that Clay is just as unhealthily obsessed with Sam. And for the last act, the reader is treated to 50 pages of Sam attempting to impersonate Clay (to his mom and acquaintances!) and 20 pages where Clay, not entirely unreasonably given the aforementioned events, literally kicks Sam out of his life.
The section in which Sam impersonates Clay, in particular, was extremely contrived. I'm a big fan of chamaleon chracters who just become other people, but this was weird. The whole book was weird and going down routes that struck me as implausible.
Reading over my own summary, I once again wonder what the point of all this was. It's not romance because it's impossible to root for Sam and Clay to make it. It's too trite to be adult lit. Perhaps a coming-of-age YA novel, an exceptionally messy one.
June 29, 2025
So many reviewers have hated this book - really irrationally in many cases - most voiced criticism seems to be that they don't like the characters, that the characters are self absorbed, do stupid things, aren't nice, don't understand love - well for goodness sake they are 15 and 17 years old - boys are totally problematic at that age - if you want a cute love story between two nice teenage boys go to some chick lit fantasy place and find your stories there. I have to say the negative reviews have made me push my rating up a further star than I might otherwise have given it. The copy editing is atrocious - but the first edition of Joyce's Ulysses was full of typos and mistakes but it didn't stop it being recognized as a great book (ok I am most definitely not comparing Clay's Way to Joyce - but the principal is that bad editing is the publisher's not the author's fault). I found the Hawaiian pidgin English a bit annoying and, dare I say it pretentious, another reviewer has cast doubts on its accuracy, but maybe it honestly reflects the way those characters would speak, I've never been and have no real desire to go to Hawaii so be warned about the language question.
I think this a very good book and well worth the reading - I've just ordered a new copy - and deserving of its LAMBDA award - I have a good deal of respect for those awards because I have yet to be disappointed in in one of their award winners (as of 2025 I would not give such a glowing endorsement to the LAMDA awards).
I think this a very good book and well worth the reading - I've just ordered a new copy - and deserving of its LAMBDA award - I have a good deal of respect for those awards because I have yet to be disappointed in in one of their award winners (as of 2025 I would not give such a glowing endorsement to the LAMDA awards).
July 15, 2009
The back of the book says "A gay Catcher in the Rye". That a pretty good description. Unlike a lot of other gay fiction, the main character doesn't make a big deal about being gay. It's just another summer day in Hawaii. I thought it was a great book to read for leisure. The words on the pages flow as easily as the character's thought and feelings. The book is full of realism (or should I say Nihilism?), and the ending still makes me think hard. I highly recommend it.
November 27, 2007
I really enjoyed this tale of the tortured gay soul.
October 19, 2016
An interesting work within the coming out genre with some solid use of metaphor; a good start; I'm excited to see what else this author will come out with.
February 5, 2012
it started off really good but then once they went out on their hiking hippy trip, they all went nuts. like it was a different story. and when sam comes back, he's a complete crazy freak.
August 8, 2019
“Clay’s Way” is kinda like the queer “catcher in the rye” I always wanted to read as a youth. Perfect.
July 27, 2020
I initially heard about Blair Mastbaum’s Clay’s Way as an aside on the best gay books post 2000 in Christopher Bram’s Eminent Outlaws, about post-WWII gay literature. So, you understand where I am coming from, my favorite gay romance book is Call Me by Your Name, which I feel is the perfection of the genre. Aciman’s novel of longing, frustration, and maturity, released after the Mastbaum Hawaii-set book, treats adolescence and manhood in a way that keeps the readers’ lump in their throat. Halfway through Mastbaum’s tome I called a fellow CMBYN fan and went on about how, that while this book is nowhere near as good as CMBYN, but that it hits several of the marks that Aciman hits, in the story of Sam, a sixteen-year old white kid, or Haole as they are referred to in Hawaii, a thin skater with dyed hair and a snarl, who falls in love with Clay, a Portuguese surfer a couple of years older. Clay, a weed dealer who also works at a skate shop, is a free spirit, and Sam gets drawn into his world of surfer “brahs” and delinquency. After the halfway point when I had gushed unabashedly, the book falls apart, like soggy cardboard. The world that Mastbaum paints is vivid, and unique, with what seems to be 1990s Hawaiian teenage culture. While the plot smells like a Young Adult novel, it most certainly is not, with the drugs and sex more in the style of HBO’s Euphoria than the Twilight series. Characters transition to acting with no motivation, with established traits coming and going. The motivations switch, and, as a reader, you just want to tell Sam to get over it, something you never want to say to Elio. I realize that Elio and Oliver were intellectuals, and Sam and Clay are more untamed, but what CMBYN showed is that feelings are universal, which is why the story transcends being a “gay story.” On the back of the book author John Rechy (the author of the revolutionary City of Night), refers to the book as a “gay Catcher in the Rye.” That is flowery, and makes a good soundbite, but the truth is Mastbaum has taken a unique setting and perspective and stranded his characters.
January 12, 2021
Great read for me personally.
Beware of some spoilers.
Kendra and Susan are my favorite because they balance out the chaotic energies of Sam and Clay's throughout the story. And because their understanding, caring, and supportive. AND very their tolerance is impressive.
Clay's still trying to accept his sexuality and acceptance of himself which probably makes him act out that way. He needs to get over whatever everyone thinks, and Sam needs to chill tf out. Sam deals with his emo self , has an identity crisis then goes all narcissistic/psychotic with all that partying probably amplifying his teenage emotions. Their shared interests of music and adventure along with their appreciation for some aspects of the Japanese culture I thought was cute.
It was tough getting through the story, it goes back and forth - calm and calamity. Cool, down to earth story to straight fucked up fuckery. What a roller coaster ride of emotions. But I think we can all relate to their experiences in some way, shape or form.
Captures some good concepts of Hawai'i and certain social aspects of the islands as well. Love that the setting is in Hawai'i.
I was really hoping that after a good amount of time apart they would work through their problems and end up together, with a happy ending. It seems like Kendra and Susan were rooting for them too, which is why they made Sam and Clay's "love affair"..."lust affair"..."love story"? Whatever you call it - let's go with - relations - that much more bearable to read.
Blair hits a homerun in telling Sam and Clay's story, a coming of age story that gets real, raw and entertaining.
I've never quite felt a physical reaction to reading a book like this one, maybe because I could feel what the characters were feeling, and in many ways could relate. It was intense! In a surprisingly liberating way. This book may not be for everyone, but would recommend as a good read!
Beware of some spoilers.
Kendra and Susan are my favorite because they balance out the chaotic energies of Sam and Clay's throughout the story. And because their understanding, caring, and supportive. AND very their tolerance is impressive.
Clay's still trying to accept his sexuality and acceptance of himself which probably makes him act out that way. He needs to get over whatever everyone thinks, and Sam needs to chill tf out. Sam deals with his emo self , has an identity crisis then goes all narcissistic/psychotic with all that partying probably amplifying his teenage emotions. Their shared interests of music and adventure along with their appreciation for some aspects of the Japanese culture I thought was cute.
It was tough getting through the story, it goes back and forth - calm and calamity. Cool, down to earth story to straight fucked up fuckery. What a roller coaster ride of emotions. But I think we can all relate to their experiences in some way, shape or form.
Captures some good concepts of Hawai'i and certain social aspects of the islands as well. Love that the setting is in Hawai'i.
I was really hoping that after a good amount of time apart they would work through their problems and end up together, with a happy ending. It seems like Kendra and Susan were rooting for them too, which is why they made Sam and Clay's "love affair"..."lust affair"..."love story"? Whatever you call it - let's go with - relations - that much more bearable to read.
Blair hits a homerun in telling Sam and Clay's story, a coming of age story that gets real, raw and entertaining.
I've never quite felt a physical reaction to reading a book like this one, maybe because I could feel what the characters were feeling, and in many ways could relate. It was intense! In a surprisingly liberating way. This book may not be for everyone, but would recommend as a good read!
September 13, 2020
It helps to have lived as a gay teen growing up in Hawaii to understand that the level of acceptance there does not require the usual coming out challenges that mainland gayboys have. For this reason this book was refreshingly free of one brand of teen angst paving the way for a different one. Add the acceptance of the Cyrene sports community & I am proud that my being out in those communities back when. Add further the “hippie camping trip” trip to na pali, one of the most unspoiled jungle paradises left on earth, & it had me for all & keeps. For them what found criticisms, I’d say you just had to live it to fully get it. I did so it gets all stars.
March 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️💫
Critical Score: C
Personal Score: C+
I loved this at first, for like 100 or so pages. And then it gradually lost my interest, to the point where I skimmed the last 50 pages or so.
The main character is knowingly pretentious and dumb and immature, and I’m fine with that mostly, but after a while I did get tired of the story going nowhere because of how hopelessly he chases after Clay—who is a terrible person and unfit to be a romantic interest.
The book ends up feeling too pathetic to stay invested in. It’s not sexy or entertaining. It’s just pathetic.
Critical Score: C
Personal Score: C+
I loved this at first, for like 100 or so pages. And then it gradually lost my interest, to the point where I skimmed the last 50 pages or so.
The main character is knowingly pretentious and dumb and immature, and I’m fine with that mostly, but after a while I did get tired of the story going nowhere because of how hopelessly he chases after Clay—who is a terrible person and unfit to be a romantic interest.
The book ends up feeling too pathetic to stay invested in. It’s not sexy or entertaining. It’s just pathetic.
March 17, 2024
This is an oldie and one that has stuck with me for years. It's not a cookie-cutter storyline, perhaps that's why the reviews are so poor. Main characters don't have to be likeable. Clay and Sam and horribly flawed and there is a tiny bit of an age gap, which makes a huge difference in your teens. It's angsty with lots of pining but I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It is the first LGBT novel I've ever read.
August 15, 2023
This book is a mess. Sam is a mess. Clay is a mess. I wanted to DNF this mess but I couldn’t stop reading it. Like a car wreck you can’t look away from. Apparently this book won an award? Idk how
February 1, 2010
"Clay's Way" gets three stars, but it barely missed getting just two. It's a good book, well written and with thought behind it, I just didn't like it. Too much teenage selfcenterdness, too much weirdness and too much suicidale contemplation. The end was heartbreaking without any hopeful outlook on the future that is usual. I did like the overwelming boy's perspective, the culture environment and the angsty teenage lifes. I love the rebelious nature of Sam (even if he can be somewhat of a poser), the youth culture of drugs, parties and status of cool and the beatiful nature of Hawaii.
Sam is not stupid but owerpowered by the emotions of being a teenager and it makes him somewhat...stupid. I hate main characters that are selfdeluded, but the contrast between him and Clay also makes you realise how much of himself he is aware and accepting.
I thought before reading this that this might have been a romance or coming-of-age novel. It has a time-line of maturity to it, but it's to real and gritty but be a chessy youth-book. That makes for a better book, but not something your always in the mood for
At the begining I wanted to smack Sam fo being such an angsty asshole brat, but at the end I just wanted to give Clay's Way a swift kick to the balls.
Too despolate for me, but I know that it's good and I don't regreat reading it. It was interesting to read from such a boy's perspective, gross and intensly natural at the same time.
Sam is not stupid but owerpowered by the emotions of being a teenager and it makes him somewhat...stupid. I hate main characters that are selfdeluded, but the contrast between him and Clay also makes you realise how much of himself he is aware and accepting.
I thought before reading this that this might have been a romance or coming-of-age novel. It has a time-line of maturity to it, but it's to real and gritty but be a chessy youth-book. That makes for a better book, but not something your always in the mood for
At the begining I wanted to smack Sam fo being such an angsty asshole brat, but at the end I just wanted to give Clay's Way a swift kick to the balls.
Too despolate for me, but I know that it's good and I don't regreat reading it. It was interesting to read from such a boy's perspective, gross and intensly natural at the same time.
September 28, 2009
It is a unique setting to encounter ordinary teen age surfers that they start to intertwined with each other
with out a base for it but just a nature impulse to touch their unknown feelings.
Not a contrived argument or blue prints of their situation. Their curiosity was obvious and you get to relate to these at some levels. There are some harsh part in this books, but not a surprise when it comes from teens' own limited thinking and obscure dilemmas.
This book is odd and some parts just cold. The insecure teen angst and their way to deal with every day issues is being balanced by a beautiful background of the amazing Hawaiian islands which makes the reader to feel refresh with nature peaceful ways.
Very short and simple reading that would help teenagers deal with phases in life that they are looking at like the biggest and most confused turmoil events in those time periods. Keeping all those insecure sentiments boiling inside like naive desires that they don't seem to have an answer for.
with out a base for it but just a nature impulse to touch their unknown feelings.
Not a contrived argument or blue prints of their situation. Their curiosity was obvious and you get to relate to these at some levels. There are some harsh part in this books, but not a surprise when it comes from teens' own limited thinking and obscure dilemmas.
This book is odd and some parts just cold. The insecure teen angst and their way to deal with every day issues is being balanced by a beautiful background of the amazing Hawaiian islands which makes the reader to feel refresh with nature peaceful ways.
Very short and simple reading that would help teenagers deal with phases in life that they are looking at like the biggest and most confused turmoil events in those time periods. Keeping all those insecure sentiments boiling inside like naive desires that they don't seem to have an answer for.
July 8, 2011
"Clay's Way" by Blair Mastbaum has been called the gay "Catcher in the Rye". Although I see the comparisons and actually liked "Clay's Way" better, I still feel like this story was a bit too contrived. It was too far out for me, way unbelievable. The first part could totally happen...soon crazy events start to pile up which left me thinking "uh...yeah right".
In this book we travel to the beautiful islands of Hawaii where gay teenage skateboard rebel sam falls for the hunky and confused surfer, Clay. Sam is swept into a world of sex and drugs, and begins an obsession over Clay, even wishing he secretly WAS Clay.
With tons of sex scenes, fights, insane party, and endless drug use, this story is far from dull, it just crosses into the zone of a forced "reality". It was a page turner and I did like the story, but it wasn't as amazing as I was hoping.
In this book we travel to the beautiful islands of Hawaii where gay teenage skateboard rebel sam falls for the hunky and confused surfer, Clay. Sam is swept into a world of sex and drugs, and begins an obsession over Clay, even wishing he secretly WAS Clay.
With tons of sex scenes, fights, insane party, and endless drug use, this story is far from dull, it just crosses into the zone of a forced "reality". It was a page turner and I did like the story, but it wasn't as amazing as I was hoping.
April 27, 2012
The book started out strong but faded at the end. It started wondering down an odd path and never really recovered. The book has a resolution to the relationship and has a gentle ending.
There were multiple distracting typos toward the end, which made me feel like someone was on a deadline! I found the writing style interesting, but by the end of the book it got more dramatic and fragmented. The mixing of random thoughts at the beginning was well done but became frantic by the end of the book.
It was okay is the perfect rating. My favorite part was how it captured the rabid insecurities one feels as a young adult - the constant self-doubt and questioning and posturing.
My first book on my new Kindle Touch...I enjoyed reading it digitally.
There were multiple distracting typos toward the end, which made me feel like someone was on a deadline! I found the writing style interesting, but by the end of the book it got more dramatic and fragmented. The mixing of random thoughts at the beginning was well done but became frantic by the end of the book.
It was okay is the perfect rating. My favorite part was how it captured the rabid insecurities one feels as a young adult - the constant self-doubt and questioning and posturing.
My first book on my new Kindle Touch...I enjoyed reading it digitally.
Read
February 4, 2016In this emotional, raw, and sexual novel, 16-year-old Sam falls hard in love and lust with Clay who works at a surf and skate shop. Clay proves maddeningly elusive and Sam drives himself crazy wanting to have sex with Clay and hear Clay say "I love you." Clay has issues of his own: he's constantly bouncing off the walls emotionally and is in denial or confusion about his own sexuality. He's indifferent to his girlfriend Tammy and plays mind games with Sam. Sam goes through an emotional wringer for Clay but Clay never does come around and Sam finally accepts the sad inevitable. Hawaii life is depicted very realistically; there is a real sense of the place and people. Lib notes: Graphic descriptions of drug and alcohol use, sex (straight and gay) and masturbation.
February 1, 2015
I have a love and hate feeling for this book.
I won't over the story of it, many reviews will tell more about it.
I feel the book took me on a acid trip, sometimes high and sometimes low with no middle point. And you wake up the next morning, confused and with a headache trying to remember if it was a good trip, the one that gives you a happy feeling and warmth, or bad trip, the one who makes you feel depressed and sad, without really being able to answer the question.
I guess my morning memory will be of a happy trip that left me somehow sad and not fully satisfied.
But I do like that, a book that makes you reflect on your feeling.
I won't over the story of it, many reviews will tell more about it.
I feel the book took me on a acid trip, sometimes high and sometimes low with no middle point. And you wake up the next morning, confused and with a headache trying to remember if it was a good trip, the one that gives you a happy feeling and warmth, or bad trip, the one who makes you feel depressed and sad, without really being able to answer the question.
I guess my morning memory will be of a happy trip that left me somehow sad and not fully satisfied.
But I do like that, a book that makes you reflect on your feeling.
April 30, 2014
While I liked this book, I remain conflicted about how it depicted Hawai`i and in particular Kailua (town my family is from) and the people. Although, it may show more of the underlying dissatisfaction with "paradise" that so many Native Hawaiians, locals and others have.
This was one of those books were none of the characters is entirely likable. Having said that, the novel may warrant a re-read just to be sure.
This was one of those books were none of the characters is entirely likable. Having said that, the novel may warrant a re-read just to be sure.
January 10, 2012
I wanted to like this book--which has good things to say about teenage obsession, insecurity, lust and in fact explores all of these in a setting that hasn't been featured often: the surfpunk culture of Hawaii. But the book was so poorly edited in places, in terms of the author not having been reined in in sections, when he was allowed to go on way too long in very repetitive sections. A tighter, briefer novel would have been more effective.
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