Book Review - South of Broad

I don't even know where to start with this book!  It was one of those books that I wanted to put down when I was tired because I didn't want to miss ANYTHING.    The story is about ten unlikely friends - the paths that brought them together, the bond that they formed, and how they made each other better - or worse.  The story is told from the point of Leo - the ultimate outcast.  His older brother committed suicide, sending him in complete self destructive behavior which led to depression, prison, probation and therapy sessions.  His mother is the principal of his school, and his father is a science teacher.  The cast of characters follows:

Trevor & Sheba: Twins, move across the street from Leo.  Mother is an alcoholic and absent father is silent stalker.  Trevor is flamboyantly gay and Starla has dreams of becoming a famous actress.

Chad: Comes from wealthy family, but gets kicked out of private school for drug possession.  Attends Leo's school for senior year.  Kind of a jerk, but he has his moments.

Molly: Chad's girlfriend, also kicked out of private school for drug possession.  She was born to be a Charleston Wife - while she loves Chad, she marries him for status, title and money.

Fraser: Chad's sister: Private school basketball hero, described as a homely girl, but I loved her!

Ike Jefferson: Leo's football coach's son.  He is Black, and he and Leo pull the football team together despite desegregation scuffles.Becomes Charleston's first Black Chief of Police.

Niles and Starla: Orphans, brother and sister, "mountain trash" who have run away from previous orphanages.  Leo is commissioned to look after them and help them adjust to school.

Betty: Another orphan who is randomly invited to the first gathering of these people and becomes one of them.

The story begins with Leo meeting all of these people - he is commissioned by his mother to help them all because all of them are new to the high school and it is their senior year (except for Fraser).  They come from different backgrounds, economic classes, everything, but they all form this unbelievable bond.  And of course, they all inter-marry - Ike and Betty, Chad and Molly, Niles and Fraser, and Leo and  Starla.

Conroy chronicles their senior year and then jumps into the future.  Trevor is missing - and dying of AIDS - and Sheba, a famous actress at this point, needs her closest friends to help her find her brother.  They all fly out to San Francisco (except Chad - the bigshot lawyer).  The book flip flops between the group's high school days and "present day"  - it is full of suspense, nail biting suspense, and unbelievable twists and turns.

That's all I'm going to say about it - but this book is well worth the read.  I could relate to the feeling of camaraderie in the book - the high school football games, the parties they throw as adults - family and friends sitting around the piano goofing off.  But it's not all fun and games - you've got Sheba and Trevor's crazy, psychotic father, love triangles, and demons of the past.  I loved every single page of this book!!!!