cover image Desert Fabuloso

Desert Fabuloso

Lisa Lovenheim. Plume Books, $7.95 (269pp) ISBN 978-0-452-25927-0

The protagonists of this first novel are two affluent, neurotic, homosexual men whose love affair, such as it is, mainly consists of self-pitying monologues and is set against the backdrop of Santa Fe's ""artsy'' crowd. Dull, Jewish, middle-aged John Aaron, a real-estate developer, becomes obsessed with young, stunningly handsome Bradley Robersonstet III, who spends much of his time drinking and complaining about his mother. With his barbed witticisms, manic-depressive Bradley bears an uncharming resemblance to Oscar Wilde. It's difficult to care about either character, particularly because the author vacillates between scorn and sympathy in her attitude toward their rather pedestrian problems. (March)