May 13, 2024
Thompson debuts with the moody and moving chronicle of a complicated friendship between two young men. In the first sentence, the reader learns from Theron, the 30-something narrator, that his friend Jake recently died in a car accident. Theron then rewinds to 2004, when he’s 15 and he follows his father from Los Angeles to New Hampshire after his parents split. He gets a job at the local hardware store, where Jake, who’s two years older, is the manager. Their meeting is a “sea change” for Theron, who feels a “spike of desire” for Jake as they smoke weed and bond over their love of Metallica. From there, Theron’s obsession with Jake propels the nonlinear narrative as it touches down at different points in their timeline—there’s heartache when Jake bails on plans to visit him in Los Angeles in 2009, and excitement when they finally reunite in New York City a few years later, where Theron has recently graduated from NYU and is in an on-and-off relationship with his girlfriend. Thompson skillfully captures Theron’s vulnerability, especially when the two men finally act on their mutual attraction and later when Theron deals with the impact of Jake’s death. This marks Thompson as a writer to watch. Agent: Duvall Osteen, UTA.
Starred review from December 1, 2024
From the very first sentence, this dazzling debut demands to be listened to. The story begins with teenage Theron spending a summer with his father in New Hampshire, where he meets Jake as they work together at a hardware store. From there, Theron and Jake develop a lifelong admiration for each other that is tender, raw, and gritty as they deeply explore infatuation, friendship, desire, and their longing for the stars to align differently. Relationships simmer in this story and boil over as Theron and Jake traverse existential passions and crises, from car crashes to binge drinking to loving one another. Award-winning actor Lee Osorio narrates the audiobook, and the way he conveys the characters feels autobiographical, as if the writer, narrator, and listener are all sipping drinks together and sharing deep, intimate stories. Osorio's voice is unique and airtight, with a soft edge that entices listeners to relish Thompson's lyrical and reflective writing style. This coming-of-age saga digs up vulnerable parts of every character, brushes off the dirt, and reflects their desires into perfect prisms of light. VERDICT Thompson is an exciting new voice in queer literary fiction, and this is an essential novel to highlight in all collections.--Sarah-Ruth Tasko
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.