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ManBug

George K. Ilsley (Goodreads Author)

3.73 · Rating details · 37 ratings · 10 reviews

The first novel by George K. Ilsley, whose first story collection, Random Acts of Hatred, was published to acclaim in 2004. Told in dream-like fragments, ManBug unfolds as a love story between Sebastian, an entomologist with Asperger’s Syndrome, and Tom, a spiritual bisexual who may or may not be recruiting Sebastian for a cult. They navigate their relationship as damaged ...more

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Paperback, 256 pages

Published June 1st 2006 by Arsenal Pulp Press (first published January 1st 2006)

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Apr 01, 2011 Joe rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gay-authors, highly-recommended

Sebastian is a gay entomologist with Asperger Syndrome. Tom is a dyslexic bisexual and (nominally) Buddhist. ManBug is the nickname Tom accidentally gives Sebastian (he meant to say BugMan). ManBug the novel is the story of their relationship. The novel is written in the third person, but it is obviously filtered through the mind of Sebastian.

The story of their relationship is told in short chapters which read like ethereal wisps of stories. There is a story here, and despite the light feeling Sebastian is a gay entomologist with Asperger Syndrome. Tom is a dyslexic bisexual and (nominally) Buddhist. ManBug is the nickname Tom accidentally gives Sebastian (he meant to say BugMan). ManBug the novel is the story of their relationship. The novel is written in the third person, but it is obviously filtered through the mind of Sebastian.

The story of their relationship is told in short chapters which read like ethereal wisps of stories. There is a story here, and despite the light feeling of the prose, there is depth and weight. There are also moments of incredible humor. Familiarity with Buddhism, while not necessary for the enjoyment of this novel, will certainly add new depth to some of the story.

The Kardapa Lampa was both a reincarnating lineage, and a theory Tom ascribed to. The current title holder had been empowered through a series of events whose legitimacy provoked controversy and much bitter debate. People loved him or they hated him. The Kardapa Lampa was either tearing Buddhism apart, or he was a living embodiment of the teachings.

There was no middle way here.

One of the devices that I found interesting was the way that Sebastian saw the world of feelings as colors. Throughout the book, Tom moves from blue to green.

The word "kiss" as it came off Tom's lips was a kind of blue that melted from the edges and faded, but lingered.

The word "Tom" also became bluer after this. Thoughts of Tom were oddly tinged blue somehow, in a new development.

Of course, one can't talk about a novel called ManBug without wondering about its relationship to Kafka's The Metamorphosis. The word "metamorphosis" appears several times throughout ManBug, and change is certainly a major theme in the book. Tom and Sebastian's relationship changes throughout the book, but more importantly, Sebastian's relationship to the world changes.

Another theme of the novel is impermanence, the Buddhist concept that nothing lasts and that everything, even the idea of "I", the ego, is ephemeral and changing. Ever chapter is a fleeting, impermanent thing that often leaves behind no residue. The novel, as a whole, however is concrete and will live in my mind for a long while. ...more

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Mar 01, 2017 Théo rated it liked it

Shelves: lgbt-story

The writing was pretty great, I like the simple and fragmented style, and the story itself was pretty nice and cute at first, but there's so much stereotyping about bisexual men going on, urgh (especially with that ending). I really connected a lot with Sebastian, though.

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Feb 28, 2018 Tim rated it it was amazing

Such an refreshingly honest book written through the lens of an autistic gay man and a dyslexic bisexual man (and their relationship). There is no plot, just insights into life that that an older guy can identify with and a younger man can learn from.

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Jul 13, 2010 George Ilsley rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

Shelves: fiction, gay, autism, spiritual

This book still makes me laugh. I have a great capacity to forget things, so there are surprises galore as I re-read bits and pieces.

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Aug 13, 2011 Kate O'Hanlon added it

Shelves: general-fiction, lgbt

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Gosh how disappointing.
I adored this book so much that I read it in one sitting. The narrative voice was strange, and wonderful and at times utterly delightful. I got sucked in to this strange love affair between a 'gay etymologist' and a 'dyslexic bisexual.'

I didn't totally like Tom, I was more concerned by his somewhat predatory encounters and his cultism than his bisexuality and I blithely assumed that the narrative would prove me right.

It didn't.

I think that if Tom had just left Sebastian fo Gosh how disappointing.
I adored this book so much that I read it in one sitting. The narrative voice was strange, and wonderful and at times utterly delightful. I got sucked in to this strange love affair between a 'gay etymologist' and a 'dyslexic bisexual.'

I didn't totally like Tom, I was more concerned by his somewhat predatory encounters and his cultism than his bisexuality and I blithely assumed that the narrative would prove me right.

It didn't.

I think that if Tom had just left Sebastian for a woman I would have been fine with it. Downer ending, things fall apart, impermanence and metamorphosis. So it goes. We all feel anxious that our lovers might leave us for someone else. And yes, your bisexual lover might leave you for someone of the opposite gender to you.

But there's a subtext at play here is about more than just the relationship between two (now three) people. As he becomes suspicious that the affair may mean the end of his relationship Sebastian mention's a relationship advice column that foretells his situation, Brutal Love. Brutal Love is an obvious parallel of Dan Savage's Savage Love column in The Stranger. Savage, admirable champion of GLBT rights though he is, has in his career said some pretty offensive things about bisexuals. Eg,

"Sorry, but avoiding bi guys is a good rule of thumb for gay men looking for long-term relationships. Outside of San Francisco's alternate-universe bisexual community, there aren't many bi guys who want or wind up in long-term, same-sex relationships — monogamous or not."

There's no reason for Ilsley to invoke the spectre of Savage except to imply that he agrees with him that all bisexual men will go the way of Tom.

(This is particularly hilarious/irritating, since there's also very much an idea among women that bisexual men are just at a pitstop on the road to gays-ville. It can't be both. We all feel anxious that our lovers might leave us for someone else. And yes, your bisexual lover might leave you for someone of the opposite gender to you. But that's not actually any worse than having him/her leave you for someone of the same gender unless you are a homo/heterophobe.)

I have elected not to give this book a star rating because I cannot fault it as a book. It was beautiful. And I loved it right up to the point where it soured and left me feeling sad and disappointed.

So it goes.
...more

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Jul 17, 2009 Corey rated it it was amazing

This quick and dirty plot summary makes the whole of ManBug seem precariously twee, an exercise in quirks and idiosyncrasies, and indeed the duo are spectacularly unique in oddball ways, in particular Sebastian’s additional experiencing of synesthesia, a condition wherein he sees colours in reaction to sounds or words. It’s to Ilsley’s immense credit that ManBug, a novel without a noticeable plot, reads not as overly-precocious experimental fiction, but rather as a funny, sexy, and surprisingly ...more

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Dec 10, 2013 Martin rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-lgbt-lit

Loved it!!! Presenting two of the most peculiar characters I've met in Literature so far...I can offer a paraphrase of 'match made in Heavens' to 'match made in the bugs inhibited labyrinthic Underground' - the latter summarizing the book for me. Mind you: a book that can hardly be summarized, so...the paraphrase is just a perceptional idea after closing up the book; one of many such ideas I have about it.

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Dec 15, 2015 Dasha rated it it was amazing

What original, peculiar, and charming characters! I loved this book. Some of the sexual details went on slightly too long for me, but this is definitely a very memorable read. I loved its sad and happy and somewhat unclear (due to Asperger's) tones throughout, and the insightful connection between insects and humans.

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Oct 01, 2011 Lil' Grogan rated it really liked it

Shelves: humour, 4, lgbt, romance, lol

An interesting, charming voice. The mix of humour, lurking fears, eroticism, obsessions, and bugs gave an interesting peek into the relationship between Sebastian and Tom. Lot of writing was poetic and rhythmic. Some parts were a little trite, but overall I was kept laughing and I liked the development of Sebastian (and his view of the world through colours).

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Oct 09, 2016 Enrique rated it did not like it

Repetitive, boring, focuses on an aspect of natural sciences the author does not know about beyond Wikipedia and tries to use is a witty metaphor for interpersonal relationships but miserably fails. His earlier short stories (collection) were inconsistent and flippant, but their variety was bearable as a couple were almost good. Reading this is just a waste of time.

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About George K. Ilsley

George K. Ilsley

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Winner of the 2015 Lush Triumphant Literary Award for fiction.

Winner of the 2014 Lush Triumphant Literary Award for creative non-fiction.

Author of the novel ManBug, and the short fiction collection, Random Acts of Hatred.

Was a writer in residence, in the Yukon, in winter. And loved it.