It’s rare that a book meets my exact expectations laid out by the blurb and the cover, but this is one of those times. I expected beautiful writing, an introspective character-driven story, and an exploration of queerness through art and self-expression. Lauren John Joseph delivered on every one of those counts and I’m incredibly grateful for it!

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Our main character - known to us only as Bibby, a nickname used by a former lover - is reminded out of the blue of said former lover, who has since passed away, and reflects on their relationship. It was a very formative relationship for them, if not a particularly healthy one, that found its way into every aspect of their life.

Lauren John Joseph has created an incredibly evocative work of fiction, immersing us in the bohemian lifestyle of the queer scene in the early 2000s. You can’t help but be transported there, and while I’m sure I’m not the only queer person who has romanticised this lifestyle at some point or another, it is presented with all its reality here.

The only drawback of this book for me was its length. Usually I complain that books aren’t long enough - this one was perhaps too long, and would have packed an even stronger punch had it been a hundred pages shorter. That being said, it’s an astounding work of queer literary fiction, and I can’t wait to see what Lauren John Joseph writes next.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.