Memorial is Bryan Washington’s follow-up to Lot and his is first novel. Like Lot, Memorial is set in part in Houston, though a portion of the story takes place in Japan as well. Switching between Benson and Mike as narrators, the novel traces the seeming unraveling of their relationship as well as their own journeys of self-discovery.

Washington’s style of short phrases and paragraphs that alternate between deeply profound and sometimes comical translates well to this story. You can really feel Ben and Mike’s emotions, especially their frustrations with and worries about each other and their families. I loved how the story begins with Ben’s POV and then switches to Mike, filling in the gaps left by Ben’s perspective.

Despite the deep emotions within the story, I sometimes felt at arm’s length from the characters, something I felt with Lot as well. In particular, I never quite understood Ben and Mike’s relationship and how we were supposed to feel about them. Are we meant to root for them? Or just watch things slowly crash and burn? Maybe this ambiguity is part of Washington’s goal here.

Overall, this book will tear your heart apart and leave you to pick up the piece. But Washington’s prose will make you enjoy having your heart ripped to shreds