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bisexualbookshelf's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Thank you to Penguin Press for the gifted ARC!
"Anyone's Ghost" by August Thompson presents a narrative that attempts to delve into the intricacies of love, friendship, and masculinity, but falls short of truly resonating with me. While the novel explores some compelling themes, its execution leaves much to be desired.
From the outset, I found the prose to be overly embellished, as if striving for a level of creativity that ultimately feels forced rather than genuine. While there are moments of brilliance scattered throughout, they are few and far between, overshadowed by passages that feel contrived and prototypically male in their approach. The line about “It seems I was determined to break my own heart over nut” was just never going to land with me.
Moreover, the representation of queerness in the novel feels disappointingly one-dimensional. Instead of offering a nuanced exploration of the queer experience, the narrative reduces queerness to sexual behavior, experiences with homophobia, and self-destructive tendencies. As someone who has grappled with queer trauma in my own life, I'm weary of narratives that sensationalize and romanticize these experiences. The world feeds me enough of my own queer trauma, I don’t need to be served up the queer trauma porn soup in books as well.
The pacing of the novel also leaves much to be desired. The slow-burn exposition of the first 30% of the book feels interminable, making it difficult to remain engaged with the story. Even when the narrative does pick up pace, the impact feels muted by the meandering nature of the preceding chapters. Furthermore, the second car crash, a potentially pivotal moment in the story, is glossed over with only a few sentences, leaving little room for exploration or emotional resonance. By the time the novel reaches its climax, with Jake's death occurring a mere 20 pages from the end, there is a distinct sense of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential.
I also found it challenging to connect with the characters on a meaningful level. Theron, the protagonist, is portrayed in a way that feels overly familiar, his insecurities and struggles with masculinity bordering on cliché. And while I wanted to empathize with Jake's struggles, his character ultimately falls flat, his behavior veering towards unsympathetic and abusive.
Despite these shortcomings, there are moments of insight to be found in "Anyone's Ghost." Thompson's critique of toxic masculinity is particularly noteworthy, as he highlights the damaging effects of societal expectations on young men like Theron. However, the novel's reliance on women and femininity as a cure for toxic masculinity feels reductive and unoriginal, failing to offer any meaningful solutions to the complex issues at hand.
In conclusion, "Anyone's Ghost" is a novel that promises much but ultimately fails to deliver. While it touches on important themes and offers moments of lyrical beauty, its flaws ultimately outweigh its strengths. August Thompson may be a promising new voice in contemporary literature, but this debut work leaves much room for improvement. This book may resonate more with cisgender queer men who have personal experience with the struggles of toxic masculinity and its intersection with queerphobia and heteronormativity. With where I am at in my life with my bisexuality, my gender identity, and my community building, this one simply did not hit for me.
"Anyone's Ghost" by August Thompson presents a narrative that attempts to delve into the intricacies of love, friendship, and masculinity, but falls short of truly resonating with me. While the novel explores some compelling themes, its execution leaves much to be desired.
From the outset, I found the prose to be overly embellished, as if striving for a level of creativity that ultimately feels forced rather than genuine. While there are moments of brilliance scattered throughout, they are few and far between, overshadowed by passages that feel contrived and prototypically male in their approach. The line about “It seems I was determined to break my own heart over nut” was just never going to land with me.
Moreover, the representation of queerness in the novel feels disappointingly one-dimensional. Instead of offering a nuanced exploration of the queer experience, the narrative reduces queerness to sexual behavior, experiences with homophobia, and self-destructive tendencies. As someone who has grappled with queer trauma in my own life, I'm weary of narratives that sensationalize and romanticize these experiences. The world feeds me enough of my own queer trauma, I don’t need to be served up the queer trauma porn soup in books as well.
The pacing of the novel also leaves much to be desired. The slow-burn exposition of the first 30% of the book feels interminable, making it difficult to remain engaged with the story. Even when the narrative does pick up pace, the impact feels muted by the meandering nature of the preceding chapters. Furthermore, the second car crash, a potentially pivotal moment in the story, is glossed over with only a few sentences, leaving little room for exploration or emotional resonance. By the time the novel reaches its climax, with Jake's death occurring a mere 20 pages from the end, there is a distinct sense of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential.
I also found it challenging to connect with the characters on a meaningful level. Theron, the protagonist, is portrayed in a way that feels overly familiar, his insecurities and struggles with masculinity bordering on cliché. And while I wanted to empathize with Jake's struggles, his character ultimately falls flat, his behavior veering towards unsympathetic and abusive.
Despite these shortcomings, there are moments of insight to be found in "Anyone's Ghost." Thompson's critique of toxic masculinity is particularly noteworthy, as he highlights the damaging effects of societal expectations on young men like Theron. However, the novel's reliance on women and femininity as a cure for toxic masculinity feels reductive and unoriginal, failing to offer any meaningful solutions to the complex issues at hand.
In conclusion, "Anyone's Ghost" is a novel that promises much but ultimately fails to deliver. While it touches on important themes and offers moments of lyrical beauty, its flaws ultimately outweigh its strengths. August Thompson may be a promising new voice in contemporary literature, but this debut work leaves much room for improvement. This book may resonate more with cisgender queer men who have personal experience with the struggles of toxic masculinity and its intersection with queerphobia and heteronormativity. With where I am at in my life with my bisexuality, my gender identity, and my community building, this one simply did not hit for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Child abuse and Biphobia
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