Narration: 5 Stars
Story: 4.5 Stars

(Mini-Review) Neel Patel's short story "Townie" took me completely by surprise - it's a rare occurrence whenever a story can make me audibly gasp, & I was truly shocked by the ending of this. Patel's writing was hypnotic, that's the best way I can describe the overall feel of this story. I was totally & utterly invested in both Amal & Bridgette & was really curious to see how their friendship would ultimately play out. Without giving anything away, all I'll say is I've never felt such a fast switch between empathy & hatred for a fictional character before.

Spoiler

Seriously, I did NOT want any kind of redemption whatsoever for Bridgette, but I understand why Patel left the ending as open as he did - people get away with horrific things all the time, as atrocious as it is.

Queer friends, proceed with caution with this one - it's dark, but Patel succeeded in spades in telling an impactful, realistic story that showcases an uglier side of humanity. Highly recommend if you're looking for something that's short yet discussion-worthy. I'm looking forward to reading Patel's debut novel!