Monthly Book Recommendation
A genre-bending debut that doesn’t pull any punches.
Moving forward, on the first Tuesday of the month I’ll replace the standard weekly reading list with a standalone book recommendation. This will usually be the top book I enjoyed the previous month, but in the case that I encounter a bunch of duds, I’ll come through with something that I believe is a must read. I’ll (try) to keep it short so you can get back to tackling your TBR stack. Have a good week!
Book: “Ponyboy” by Eliot Duncan
How I Found It: Somehow I managed to not have read any of the National Book Award Longlist Finalists this year and have made quick work to remedy that. A loyal library member, I joined the waitlist for the finalists. This was the first to materialize as “ready for pick-up.” Alas, the literary gods once again were looking out.
What It’s About: We meet Ponyboy in Paris where he’s two-stepping on the brink of a meltdown. A trans man, Ponyboy struggles in his relationship with dreamy artist Baby who refuses to acknowledge his fully authentic and realized self. The couple moves to Berlin for a change of scenery, a gallery job for Baby, and a writing workshop for Ponyboy. Shit gets dark. Ponyboy’s reliance on drugs and alcohol swells as he spins into a self-destructive tornado, isolating himself and loved ones. His desperation for full, unchallenged love remains unmet. He’s swallowed by thankless nightlife vampires and unfeeling companions, driving him deeper into addiction. The cycle persists, though Ponyboy’s self-acceptance seems to eddy in an encouraging direction. He returns to Iowa, his hometown, to confront his demons and becomes reacquainted with his mother and spies hope at the end of a dim tunnel.
Why You Should Read It: The prose is lyrical and gauzy, like waking up in the early evening after drinking wine in the sun all day. I’d argue that this book is as much a poetry collection as it is a novel. Each sentence is like hiking an overgrown path, you’re not sure where you’re headed, but somehow you arrive at a breathtaking cliff and the cascading view held beneath it.
Who It’s Not Right For: This novel is overflowing with trigger warnings including sexual assault, addiction, sexual discrimination and suicide ideation. That said it’s not entirely demoralizing, so if you can stomach the hard stuff, you’ll end with a big reward.
Who It’s Right For: Sofia Coppola fans, Ethel Cain listeners, and those who were able to read Tove Ditlevsen’s trilogy without wincing.