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A review by tay_af
Boys Come First by Aaron Foley
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-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
4.0
A thoughtful and insightful slice-of-life novel, with three compelling main characters and a central focus on friendship and connection which struck me as relatively unique. BOYS COME FIRST follows the lives of three gay Black thirty-something men in modern day Detroit, and ultimately gives a well-written in-depth description of the characters’ struggles and successes, doubts, and frustrations. It’s a great character-driven novel, with compelling engagement with LGBTQ+ issues, Black life, and the complexities of contemporary urban life, with issues like gentrification taking a forefront.
This novel’s greatest strength lies in its deft and dynamic characterisation, as Dominick, Remy, and Troy are all deftly portrayed, three-dimensional, with clear, unique voices. Many of the most compelling elements of the novel, then, lie in way their clearly established individual characters and values can create friction between themselves and their world, as well as just in their interactions.
Occasionally, the pacing felt rushed or less than ideal, especially toward the end. It also took me a while to really get into and begin to engage with the book. Finally, I do question the choice to have one of the three central perspectives in first person and the other two in third person. I had hoped that particular choice would become clearer in the end of the novel, but I don’t feel like it added to the novel in any specific way and was distracting.
Ultimately, Foley’s debut is funny, intelligent, and largely unique. Fans of LESS by Andrew Sean Greer and Issa Rae’s INSECURE will find this particularly engaging.
I was provided a proof of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
This novel’s greatest strength lies in its deft and dynamic characterisation, as Dominick, Remy, and Troy are all deftly portrayed, three-dimensional, with clear, unique voices. Many of the most compelling elements of the novel, then, lie in way their clearly established individual characters and values can create friction between themselves and their world, as well as just in their interactions.
Occasionally, the pacing felt rushed or less than ideal, especially toward the end. It also took me a while to really get into and begin to engage with the book. Finally, I do question the choice to have one of the three central perspectives in first person and the other two in third person. I had hoped that particular choice would become clearer in the end of the novel, but I don’t feel like it added to the novel in any specific way and was distracting.
Ultimately, Foley’s debut is funny, intelligent, and largely unique. Fans of LESS by Andrew Sean Greer and Issa Rae’s INSECURE will find this particularly engaging.
I was provided a proof of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Drug use
Minor: Gun violence