If I'm honest, I have a real hard time reviewing books that I fall completely in love with. Much like the quintessential crush, it's hard to objectively convey your feelings for something when you quite simply adore it. In fact, I become a bumbling idiot, at a loss for words, like a pre-teen girl with a boy band infatuation. Sky Gilbert's Brother Dumb is my grown up literary version of a boy band (but with far more substance,) and admittedly, I've fallen real hard. The book is undeniably a "best of 2007" pick, and despite the hype around his radical departure from previous gay scene lit offerings, it is sheer brilliance - the kind of book a writer yearns a lifetime to create.

When I set out to constructively review Brother Dumb I had the best critical intentions, but sadly I knew within the first few pages that I would fail, the weight and insight of its beautifully and honestly rendered prose making it more a beloved companion than a piece of fiction. As a result it has become the book I carry with me, a text to consult in times of crisis, the kind of read that finds its way into your favorites list and never leaves. In many ways the book is one created with writers in mind; a first person narrative with a protagonist facing the insidious failings of fame, critical acclaim and creation, and in turn seeking the solace only solitude and real love can bring. This "radical departure" creates a fictional memoir universal in its messages; in fact it has been very accurately described as "a how-to manual for meaningful critical engagement with the real world."

Sky Gilbert is primarily known to Torontonians as an outspoken gay activist with a diverse list of credits; a visit to his website reveals roles such as writer, filmmaker, playwright, director, actor and "Jane," drag queen extraordinaire. Co-founder of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Gilbert had an eighteen-year run as its Artistic Director before departing to pursue personal projects. And pursue he did, becoming an even more controversial and outspoken artistic force in the queer community. Brother Dumb, the latest addition to his endless list of credits, should successfully solidify him as a vital creative force not only in the queer scene, but in Canadian literature in general.

Sky Glibert will featured with Zoe Whittall, who has just released her first novel Bottle Rocket Hearts, as part of This is Not a Reading Series at the Gladstone on Wednesday night. I'll be the pre-teen girl in the front row with the "I (heart) you, Brother Dumb" sign.

SKY GILBERT and ZOE WHITTALL in conversation with MAGGIE MACDONALD Host: ELVIRA KURT Wed, May 2, 7:30-10pm (doors 7pm) Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St W, Toronto Free