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A review by phoebe_phorreal
This Town Sleeps by Dennis E. Staples
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Alright, I'm aware that this book is convoluted despite being short, but I'm going to go along with other reviewers and say that it's still easily readable despite that. Also, I'm a fan of books that make my brain hurt, so maybe the convoluted storylines and lack of focus was actually a plus for me?
This story follows two gay men, but I feel like the summary doesn't quite do it justice. There's a lot of moving back and forth between generations, and the themes of things like toxic masculinity, grief, and the byproducts of oppression combine to make a poignant novel that feels longer than its-barely 200 pages in a good way. The themes and their exploration absolutely make this a five-star book for me, and even if Marion may not always be the most engaging character, there are plenty of other intriguing characters which we get a glimpse of, such as Marion's mother, Hazel.
Tommy Orange, in his review of this book, called it "the dream that is this novel," and I felt that this pretty much summed up the feeling. At certain points chilling and at others filled with biting wit, the way Staples plays with time and Marion's ambivalence at points of the story (he's often pulled along by the plot) combine to create a dreamlike feeling befitting the title, one where past melds with present. This style of writing and the choices made by Staples may not appeal to all readers, but they certainly appeal to me.
This story follows two gay men, but I feel like the summary doesn't quite do it justice. There's a lot of moving back and forth between generations, and the themes of things like toxic masculinity, grief, and the byproducts of oppression combine to make a poignant novel that feels longer than its-barely 200 pages in a good way. The themes and their exploration absolutely make this a five-star book for me, and even if Marion may not always be the most engaging character, there are plenty of other intriguing characters which we get a glimpse of, such as Marion's mother, Hazel.
Tommy Orange, in his review of this book, called it "the dream that is this novel," and I felt that this pretty much summed up the feeling. At certain points chilling and at others filled with biting wit, the way Staples plays with time and Marion's ambivalence at points of the story (he's often pulled along by the plot) combine to create a dreamlike feeling befitting the title, one where past melds with present. This style of writing and the choices made by Staples may not appeal to all readers, but they certainly appeal to me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Homophobia