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terranstorm 's review for:
Summer Sons
by Lee Mandelo
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm incoherent with how much I loved this.
I think what's really brilliant about this novel is the way it's working on multiple levels at once. There's the ghost-lore-family-curse plot. There's the purposeful clash of old wealth and academic attitudes with a sinister twist, and there are the rough guys, their fast cars and party drugs--and imo you really have to work to see where the threat is coming from in all this, when alarms are sounding from all angles for a while there. But at the core of it all, there is Andrew's very personal tragedy, both the immeasurable loss of someone he loved and the grief & regret of self-denial, of lost time where he refused to interrogate his own feelings, hurting himself and others along the way.
That's what I want most from queer horror: there's what it seems to be about, and what it's really about, you know? The "haunting" here is certainly as much about Andrew's sexuality as it is about the ghoulish thirst of the land.
This is honestly the best bi awakening I've ever read in a published work. It's messy as hell but it just really works, how Andrew finally understands his past with Eddieand how they used Del ... understanding the harm of it, the weight of it in retrospect.
Also really enjoyed the characterization of Sam, which I won't speak on too much because spoilers. He manages to both set off every alarm in my head and also makes a compelling, convincing case as a genuinely caring pseudo-parent figure to his cousin Riley, and to Andrew a reliable friendif not more .
Lastly, Andrew is "haunted" for real... and so this is kind of also about letting go. The grief in this is visceral but not saccharine, and when he realizes he needs to put this to rest I find it so fitting how he just does it unflinchingly. Beautiful. Really shows the growth of the character.
I think what's really brilliant about this novel is the way it's working on multiple levels at once. There's the ghost-lore-family-curse plot. There's the purposeful clash of old wealth and academic attitudes with a sinister twist, and there are the rough guys, their fast cars and party drugs--and imo you really have to work to see where the threat is coming from in all this, when alarms are sounding from all angles for a while there. But at the core of it all, there is Andrew's very personal tragedy, both the immeasurable loss of someone he loved and the grief & regret of self-denial, of lost time where he refused to interrogate his own feelings, hurting himself and others along the way.
That's what I want most from queer horror: there's what it seems to be about, and what it's really about, you know? The "haunting" here is certainly as much about Andrew's sexuality as it is about the ghoulish thirst of the land.
This is honestly the best bi awakening I've ever read in a published work. It's messy as hell but it just really works, how Andrew finally understands his past with Eddie
Also really enjoyed the characterization of Sam, which I won't speak on too much because spoilers. He manages to both set off every alarm in my head and also makes a compelling, convincing case as a genuinely caring pseudo-parent figure to his cousin Riley, and to Andrew a reliable friend
Lastly, Andrew is "haunted" for real... and so this is kind of also about letting go. The grief in this is visceral but not saccharine, and when he realizes he needs to put this to rest I find it so fitting how he just does it unflinchingly. Beautiful. Really shows the growth of the character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, Death of parent, Classism
Eye injury