Palaver is about an unnamed son, living in Tokyo, who is unexpectedly visited by his estranged mother from the U.S., ten years after they last saw each other. Her arrival disrupts his carefully kept distance from the past, as he juggles a secret relationship with a married man and long nights at a local gay bar. While the son resists reconnection, his mother quietly begins building a life of her own in Japan, forming a tentative friendship with a neighborhood bistro owner. As they share space and memories, both are pushed to confront old wounds and consider what reconciliation might look like.

I’ll start by saying I enjoyed this, and a lot more than I expected to after starting it. Palaver is a slow, dual-POV character-driven story of quieter moments and delicate relationships evolving over time. As the story bounces between past and present for both characters, we’re drip-fed events in the past that led to the relationship being what it is today. I enjoy stories where the author respects the reader’s intelligence and leaves some dots for us to join ourselves. The relationship between mother and son is complicated and raw. Both have made mistakes, and both are frightened about the vulnerability needed to put them right. You find yourself routing for and against both characters at various points which make the wins in this story feel earned and meaningful. 

I also enjoyed immersing myself in Japanese culture. I’ve never visited the country myself (yet!) but you can tell the author has a fondness and respect for the country and its people. I also loved the pictures of Japan interspersed among the story.

Palaver is also wonderfully and unashamedly queer - with all the colour and darkness that our community experiences. There’s a messy but honest authenticity to the gay experience the son lives through; and as a queer reader I found that hooked me in. I think readers, especially those in the LGBTQIA+ community, will connect with this story; alongside those who know what it’s like to feel lost, directionless and have complicated relationships with others. This won’t be a book for everyone, and I can imagine unless this book is FOR you, it won’t be to many tastes. 

As a final aside - this is another books that doesn’t punctuate speech. While not a problem for me, I’m aware this is an immediate dealbreaker for some so one to be aware of.

Ultimately, this was an enjoyable book I found myself eager to return to between reading sessions. It hasn’t changed my life, and isn’t one I’ll likely reread, but was an enjoyable and engaging reading experience for the time I had it.

Thank you to FSG and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy of Palaver by Bryan Washington - at the time of writing (May 2025) due for publication in November 2025.