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A review by justinkhchen
Yes, Daddy by Jonathan Parks-Ramage
4.0
4 stars
Way, way darker and emotionally charged than the cheeky title and the vacation-vibe cover art suggests otherwise, Yes, Daddy is a nightmarish deep dive into sexuality, trauma, #MeToo movement, and today's cancel culture, all through the familiar thriller trope of 'relationship from Hell'. Jonathan Parks-Ramage casts a wide net with this heartfelt debut; even though at times it lacks the polish and restraint of a seasoned author, one can't help but revel in its ambition.
The stylish writing is another aspect worth highlighting; not only is the narrative told in a particularity unique structure, Jonathan Parks-Ramage has a piercing ability depicting moments of neurosis and hallucination; the controlled chaos in his prose masterfully conveys the contradiction, the enlightened hopelessness of the central character.
While Yes, Daddy succeeds as a collection of powerful vignettes, it is less refined as a cohesive novel. The crux of the issue lies in its protagonist, Jonah. Deeply disturbed, Jonah is crippled by his less-than-ideal upbringing and unrelenting self-loathing. It is tricky treading the fine line between true-to-life documentation, and melodramatic sensationalism, unfortunately there are moments where the book crosses into the later. Jonah's continuing poor decision making plunges him into grimmer and grimmer scenarios, to the point where the character becomes a tragedy caricature, losing all sense of credibility. The book also has a tendency relying on the 'bait-and-switch' with its secondary characters, having them act erratically to generate shock and plot twist, disregarding whether it makes sense or not.
Yes, Daddy is a very solid achievement as Jonathan Parks-Ramage first novel; it defies typical genre convention, tackles taboo subjects head on, and delivers an achingly memorable story about one's self (re)discovery. Even when the story is spiraling out of control, teetering between candid realism and (unintentional) dark comedy, there's no denying the raw passion at its core.
***This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!***
Way, way darker and emotionally charged than the cheeky title and the vacation-vibe cover art suggests otherwise, Yes, Daddy is a nightmarish deep dive into sexuality, trauma, #MeToo movement, and today's cancel culture, all through the familiar thriller trope of 'relationship from Hell'. Jonathan Parks-Ramage casts a wide net with this heartfelt debut; even though at times it lacks the polish and restraint of a seasoned author, one can't help but revel in its ambition.
The stylish writing is another aspect worth highlighting; not only is the narrative told in a particularity unique structure, Jonathan Parks-Ramage has a piercing ability depicting moments of neurosis and hallucination; the controlled chaos in his prose masterfully conveys the contradiction, the enlightened hopelessness of the central character.
While Yes, Daddy succeeds as a collection of powerful vignettes, it is less refined as a cohesive novel. The crux of the issue lies in its protagonist, Jonah. Deeply disturbed, Jonah is crippled by his less-than-ideal upbringing and unrelenting self-loathing. It is tricky treading the fine line between true-to-life documentation, and melodramatic sensationalism, unfortunately there are moments where the book crosses into the later. Jonah's continuing poor decision making plunges him into grimmer and grimmer scenarios, to the point where the character becomes a tragedy caricature, losing all sense of credibility. The book also has a tendency relying on the 'bait-and-switch' with its secondary characters, having them act erratically to generate shock and plot twist, disregarding whether it makes sense or not.
Yes, Daddy is a very solid achievement as Jonathan Parks-Ramage first novel; it defies typical genre convention, tackles taboo subjects head on, and delivers an achingly memorable story about one's self (re)discovery. Even when the story is spiraling out of control, teetering between candid realism and (unintentional) dark comedy, there's no denying the raw passion at its core.
***This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!***