A review by charlesalexander
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A stuttering storyline. (also lowkey was this whole book

an allegory for STDs?

)

Mandelo sets the scene so nicely, with lively, interesting characters and then somehow manages to fumble again and again. 

He creates intrigue and then doesn't know what to do with it, reduced to indecipherable rambling. And when I say indecipherable, I mean it. Summer Sons' prose is...tortutous. 

There are glimmers of inspiration in the wordplay, but mainly consists of unweildy run-on sentences. It's genuinely impossible to follow along as you sort through an incomprehensible jumble of word vomit.

I see the vision, and I wish I could fully savored Mandelo's creativity, but the execution was poor. A solid 100 pages could have safely been cut. 

Halfway through the book the plot goes nowhere, no new revelations--there's no need for a carrot and stick at this point, I'm already clearly invested.

The ending left me wanting more, mainly because I liked what Mandelo was trying to do...again, execution fell flat.

What Mandelo excells at it is the rich interpersonal relationships he builds into his world. There is no lack of steamy tension between any given characters. I am admittedly a big fan of men fighting instead of admitting they want each other. (Thank you Dorian Electra 🙏)

Hopefully didn't rake this book through the mud too much, contrary to all I've said I enjoyed it and that was why I was so riled up. Also love Riley, wish we got a full book about him 😋 

I'm not opposed to gingerly exploring more of Lee's work, I do need a break after this headache of a book ☝️