A review by mixedreader
Blackouts by Justin Torres

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 Aligned with a recurring metaphor in the text of behind below the surface of water, I felt submerged, willingly, just a reach away from gasping the full air of the story. And that feels purposeful and necessary for this book that is queer storytelling personified. 

A young man befriends a man close to his last days, living in an institution called the Palace. Juan tells the young man stories, particularly of a woman named Jan Gay, who studied homosexuals and behavior; the research of which is collected in a book called Sex Variants. Juan describes how her work/history was attempted to be erased, and he passes the torch of this work to the young man. Between this history, they trade stories, recounting relationships and transgressions, becoming closer. 

Blackouts includes art and snippets from Gay’s text, huge chunks blacked out that create mystery. Torres plays with genre/narrative is a fascinating way, as a few nuggets of historical truth anchor this underlying story. However, Torres is most concerned with emotional truth, with connection and sense of responsibility. His allegiance in this novel is to the non-linear, survivalist, fragmented reality queer folks live. He writes in the spirit of not being forgotten. 
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