Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
This gave me such a serious book hangover.
It’s marketed as a southern gothic, but I did not find it either that atmospheric or romantic (it does deliver on supernatural and romance, just not in the gothic-typical way). What I enjoyed about this book was that it’s a character piece, exploring complex relationships, and how they effect the way we see ourselves.
We start the story with Andrew moving down to Nashville with the aim of trying to find out what happened to his best friend in the months they were apart that lead to his apparent suicide – all while Andrew is deep in denial that Eddie would have killed himself. But, at the same time we are wondering what exactly their relationship was as it seemed to have a lot of blurred lines.
The author then starts introducing fast cars, bad boys and the supernatural. But while Andrew is trying to piece together Eddie’s life and death, he is also being confronted on all sides by questions about himself and his relationship with Eddie. Being forced to examine things he has always kept boxed up in his mind. Forced to examine who he was, who he thinks he is and by the end of the book who he wants to become.
For me what made the ending most poignant, given the themes of grieving, was how he deals with the might-have-beens of that lost future.
There is nothing sweet about the romance, that is not what these characters are like. But it is vivid and heartfelt. I’ts one of those stories where the love interest sees the protagonist. Sees through their bullshit and defensive walls, to what they need and offers it without being asked or making a thing of it.
True kindness may be the most heartbreaking and sexy thing in the world.
It explores themes like coming out and identity, grieving and the shape of healthy relationships. There is a strong theme for juxtaposition; the cultured world of Vanderbilt against the rough and tumble one beyond it, pure academia against the supernatural, kindness against masochistic aggression. Specifically how people can contain these antithesis within themselves, and how none of these things are what you would expect. All while being beautifully written, with lots of subtlety and a plot that keep moving at a good pace.
It has kept my brain occupied for days and that is really the best thing I can say about a book.
Own copy to be acquired.
