A review by johndiconsiglio
What Belongs to You by Garth Greenwell

3.0

An American teacher in Bulgaria has a rendezvous with a gay hustler in a museum bathroom. That’s the opening scene in this small but extraordinarily intense novel. Their relationship—fueled by a kinda scary sexual obsession along with surprising moments of tenderness—spans years & serves as a touchstone for the author’s introspective take on desire & danger. There’s a Death in Venice feel to the tightly controlled prose. I don’t shock easy, but there were moments here that made me wince. I’m not sure what to make of it, but it’s undeniably gripping.