Martin Foreman’s moving novel, The Butterfly’s Wing, was originally published in 1996, and republished by Lethe Press in 2009. It relates the story of two gay men from England, Andy McIllray and Tom Dayton. Andy has a university education, works for an international aid organization, and frequently travels to foreign countries for his job. In contrast, Tom has worked at numerous places as a waiter and is a homebody. Together they own a small hobby farm near London. On one of his trips to Peru, Andy is kidnapped by the Shining Path insurgents. The novel opens about one year after Andy’s kidnapping.
The Butterfly’s Wing is written in diary format. The first half of the novel consists of Tom’s diary entries, and presents his hopes and worries after being separated from Andy for an entire year. Andy’s journal entries—made during his captivity—comprise the second half of the novel. The contrasts between Andy and Tom, highlighted in their diary entries, as well as the ups and downs of their emotions over time, are what make The Butterfly’s Wing unique and memorable. This is a love story, as opposed to an adventure story.
The Butterfly’s Wing is highly recommended for both academic and public libraries serving a GLBT population or building a GLBT collection.
Reviewed by, Paul Hubbard
Retired Public Reference Librarian