sophia_mt 's review for:

Family Meal by Bryan Washington

4.0

hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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“Some people set the key of their lives inside you and simply turn.”

Family Meal follows 3 queer Black and mixed men in their struggles in love, identity, and grief. Bryan Washington’s characters feel real, and their use of actions when they couldn’t use words felt human.

This story is refreshingly queer normative, and paints a diverse and vibrant Houston as its backdrop. I loved Washington’s flowing style of writing, which made this book very quick to read.

I enjoyed this book, but I wanted it to go a little farther. Characters would hurt themselves and others with things unsaid, but I never felt like I got the cathartic moment of those truths finally being revealed. Still, this book was beautiful and poignant, and I would definitely read more from this author.