This debut novel is deceptively quiet-the story of a recent high school graduate, Dade, struggling to come out and yearning to get to college and away from his parents' marital troubles and stifling suburban peers. Yet in the same way that Sarah Dessen allows readers to lose themselves in the ordinary, Burd takes a familiar plot-boy struggles with his sexuality, then meets a love interest who changes everything-and makes it fresh. Dade's inner monologues and interactions with others feel real, and bear a poignant honesty (after shopping for college: "It occurred to me that these things made of plastic, glass, and metal would become the foundation for my new life"). With the arrival of Alex, Dade's first real boyfriend and one catalyst behind Dade's coming out, the story moves into sweet, romantic territory, which balances some of the deeper, more painful issues brewing in Dade's life (including his father's affair and his friend/ex-hookup Pablo's inner turmoil). The novel's one flaw is its unsatisfying ending, which feels both melodramatic and abrupt. Aside from this, Burd is an author to watch. Ages 14-up. (May)
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A fascinating and dreamy first novel.
A brilliant account of alienation and angst in the heartland.
. . . Burd is a terrific writer with a special gift for creating teenage characters who are vital, plausible, and always Engaging . . . [he] is a new talent to watch., starred review
Gr 9 Up
Dade Hamilton is off to college in August, but until then, he must deal with a boring job in a dull city, his parents' failing marriage, and a rocky relationship with Pablo, a boy who publicly denies his homosexuality and doesn't seem to care for Dade except when they are alone. When Dade meets Alex, however, the summer begins to improve. Alex is handsome and mysterious; most importantly, he adores Dade and isn't afraid to show it. With Alex in the picture, Pablo slowly tries to regain Dade's attention. What results is a series of dramatic interactions and events that force Dade to examine his emotions, his life, and the people in it. Burd addresses the themes of family, unrequited love, bullying, and sexuality in a fresh and believable manner. His use of language is beautiful; his words paint clear pictures of Dade's deep and complex psyche. While his homosexuality is an important element of the story, it isn't the main focus. It's just a part of his character that readers accept without question. The Vast Fields of Ordinary is a refreshingly honest, sometimes funny, and often tender novel.-Sarah K. Allen, Thetford Academy, VT
Trapped in a suburban wasteland the summer before his first year in college, closeted indie loser Dade Hamilton is stuck in the middle of his parents' disintegrating marriage and wastes his time pining after his girlfriend-ed hook-up-buddy Pablo. That is, until he spots dreamy, drug-dealing Alex Kincaid at a party, and the summer explodes into a lusty haze of blazing romance, pot smoke and danger. Burd breathes new life into the old coming-out formula with a blast of 21st-century testosterone-injected anger, heaps of longing and insecurity and even some violence. His carefully drawn characterizations and raw tone make the drama of Dade's life feel urgent and very real. The allure of the illicit, decay and regret are only a few of the irresistibly dangerous themes woven into the mix, and readers will watch in rapt fascination and dread as Alex draws a willing Dade into his dark world. The results of their pairing aren't exactly pretty, but they're honest. One of the best in a new generation of LGBTQ novels, it can stand alongside Peter Cameron's and Brian Sloan's. (Fiction. YA)
"A fascinating and dreamy first novel." -New York Times
"Bold. Engaging. Heartbreaking." -Ellen Hopkins, New York Times bestselling author of Crank
"A brilliant account of alienation and angst in the heartland." -Quest Magazine
"Nick Burd reaps a bounty from The Vast Fields of Ordinary." -Vanity Fair
"Burd is a terrific writer+he is a new talent to watch." -Booklist, starred review
