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evergreensandbookishthings 's review for:
Now Is Not the Time to Panic
by Kevin Wilson
Kevin Wilson does it again, creating another wholly weird and poignant story. Now is Not the Time to Panic is SUCH a vibe.
The immersive atmosphere of this small town in which a lazy summer goes awry is tangible. Perhaps it’s because I vividly remember those latchkey days of the 80s/90s, grew up with a single mother, older brother, and spent every single day at the community pool.
Despite the palpable GenX of it all, anyone can relate to that awkward teen stage of life that is so perfectly captured by the singular voice of Frances (Frankie) Budge.
“But I was 16. I lived inside of myself way more than I lived inside of this town.”
The intensity of her feelings, rash (but understandable) choices, hilarious dynamic with her older brothers, and obsession with the awkward new boy in town make her leap off the page. The structure of the story being told from her adult perspective heightens the tension of wanting to know how ‘the panic of Coalfield’ unfolds. The ‘panic’ storyline is so utterly bizarre, but SO BELIEVABLE. It is absolutely something that could happen, and is a keen observation on how our society reacts to things we don’t understand.
“We’d created meaning where there was none, but, I don’t know, isn’t that art?”
My favorite book of Wilson’s by a mile - highly recommend!
The immersive atmosphere of this small town in which a lazy summer goes awry is tangible. Perhaps it’s because I vividly remember those latchkey days of the 80s/90s, grew up with a single mother, older brother, and spent every single day at the community pool.
Despite the palpable GenX of it all, anyone can relate to that awkward teen stage of life that is so perfectly captured by the singular voice of Frances (Frankie) Budge.
“But I was 16. I lived inside of myself way more than I lived inside of this town.”
The intensity of her feelings, rash (but understandable) choices, hilarious dynamic with her older brothers, and obsession with the awkward new boy in town make her leap off the page. The structure of the story being told from her adult perspective heightens the tension of wanting to know how ‘the panic of Coalfield’ unfolds. The ‘panic’ storyline is so utterly bizarre, but SO BELIEVABLE. It is absolutely something that could happen, and is a keen observation on how our society reacts to things we don’t understand.
“We’d created meaning where there was none, but, I don’t know, isn’t that art?”
My favorite book of Wilson’s by a mile - highly recommend!