Unforgettable
This is the first Rechy novel I've read and it was gripping, real, detailed and deep. I want to read all of his novels now. Having said that, I think I'll have to read this one twice since there are clearly layers of meaning, meta-themes going on that transcend the concrete narrative.
Also, I think it's too limiting to put Rechy in the gay literature genre. I'm a hetero, and would have missed this if not for a good friend of mine recommending it.
Ironically, I think all Christians should read this book and contemplate his characters' searches for meaning, being saved, and resurrected to a better life.