Richly imagined… Poignant, compassionate, and sweet.
Valenzuela returns with this sequel to the award-winning ‘Letters to Young Carlos,’ taking readers on his protagonist’s journey to self- acceptance and understanding. The trauma of being falsely accused of sexual misconduct and banished from his hometown is weighing heavy on Carlos’s mind. But beginning afresh in San Francisco near Jesse is keeping Carlos in high spirits. As he begins his new life, he realizes he still has to pretend to be someone else. Will he find courage and accepts himself for who he is? The novel is skillfully written and intricately plotted. Valenzuela ably crafts an emotionally rich story featuring an intriguing cast of colorful character, and he pulls no punches in his portrait of Carlos as a young man struggling with his sexual identity in the face of immense societal pressure of the 1960s. With narrative undercurrents addressing identity, courage, family dysfunction, friendship, racism, and LGBTQ issues, there’s a lot to ponder. Lovers of LGBTQ will be thrilled.
CAMALEÓN
The Lost Years Living in the Closet
Carlos Valenzuela
Pub date August 25, 2022
ISBN 978-9655780291
Price $19.95 (USD) Paperback