e-Book Reviews Toward The Beginning

Lesbian Historical Novel

TOWARD THE BEGINNING

Historical women's novel

by Veronica Cas

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Full Review of TOWARD THE BEGINNING

Lesbian bars serve as a reference point for some women and are a place of torment for others. An old lesbian bar in Los Angeles is a central point of reference in Toward The Beginning, which is one of the most unusual, yet enormously fascinating, historical novels I have yet to encounter. There is no men bashing here but respect for all people, regardless of their issues or pain. "Women needing other women, finding them and not knowing how to keep them, to love them." This is a novel of love and self-acceptance that I highly recommend.
— Cindy Penn, www.wordweaving.com

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September 23 2004

TOWARD THE BEGINNING is a different sort of book. Although there is nothing to be found on the Net in the way of biographical detail about Veronica Cas, apparently the novel itself contains autobiographical elements - although how much is fact and how much fiction I was unable to ascertain.

A lot of the action of the book takes place in a lesbian bar in Los Angeles. Not long after World War 2 a teenaged girl from Chicago wanders into the bar and is befriended by writer Lory. Phyllis falls in love with Lory who declares her untouchable because of her age. Phyllis decides she cannot sacrifice her future for the sake of Lory so returns to her home to complete her education.

Rusty is Phyllis' best friend. The two have decided they are lesbians but are not lovers. They form the ambition to move to Los Angeles when they are older. They feel they will be able to move amongst women of their own orientation and thereby investigate their own identity. Phyllis intends finding Lory whom she hopes will still love her.

Things do not happen quite as planned. Rusty goes to the bar where Phyllis encountered Lory and meets a woman with whom she falls in love. Phyllis eventually arrives in Los Angeles but is unable to locate Lory. She and Rusty become part of a group of women who frequent the bar. One of the women is a teacher who has fallen in love with one of her students, beautiful Mandy, a girl who is sure of her orientation despite the lesbians feeling she is more likely heterosexual.

There are a number of very real issues raised in the book. The fear of discrimination was apparently quite indisputable to the lesbians of the time. Issues involving young people deciding on their orientation are raised in the book and deserve consideration, as do the almost equally important issues of how to tell one's relatives and friends. Should people simply move away from home in order to live an appropriate lifestyle without 'shaming' friends and family at home? How do gays regard loyalty to partners and to their own community? What happens if a young person thinks he or she is homosexual but then realises that is not truly so? Should they tell their heretofore partners or remain loyal to them? And a very important issue - where do people go in order to meet others of a like mind and spirit?

In short, as an informative work, this novel is worth reading for the insights it gives into lesbian lifestyle and problems. Straight readers (such as I) will probably find a lot of it confusing and purists who appreciate the English language will not find it comfortable reading.

-- Denise Pickles (Australia), Mary Martin Book Shop, www.marymartin.com.au/crisep.html

This book was nominated for this award.

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214 pages
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Paperback 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" 214 pages	USA	Canada	Overseas
$14.95 Plus Shipping and Handling