Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you also to the publicity, editorial, art and production staff of Grove Atlantic.

Overall Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“John of John” by Douglas Stuart is a gripping, queer tale of secrecy and defining the terms of manhood. The novel will be released May 5 of this year and will be the novel that keeps you up at night. Stuart proves his genius as a writer with this work that intertwines the contrived relationship between a father and son on a rocky mountain side. This novel is a page turner that holds everything the reader needs to become the book of the summer.

Plot

John-Calum Macleod, or Cal, is a recent college graduate who is returning home to his father, John, and grandmother, Ella, when money runs dry. Upon returning home Cal is faced with sheep, deep rooted Presbyterian beliefs from his father and a neighborhood bent on secrecy and prayer. Cal’s childhood home, the Isle of Harris, reminds him of what he has lost, a mother who fled and what he has left: lovers and freedom.

As Cal settles into life living with his father and grandmother, he struggles with his desires to explore gay relationships on the island, and to live up to his father’s expectations of manhood.

Writing

While the main draw to Stuart’s writing is how complicatedly complete his depiction of queer love is, this novel is also full of beautiful accounts of religious experiences, fatherhood and femininity.

On religion: Cal experiences the reality of growing up a queer man, in a town that is rooted in the shunning of sin. His town is so Protestant at its core, that they still use sabbath chains – chains that tie down playground sets to prevent children from playing and disrupting the Sabbath. John is a prominent member of the church, and much of daily life revolves around keeping face in the eyes of the neighbors. Stuart sets the scene for a religious narrative to play out against conflicting identities.

On fatherhood: John’s own story is narrated separately from his son’s. This allows the audience to feel John’s own hurts, desires and regrets through the lens of a father. Expect to feel the push and pull of a father and son relationship as Cal and John both see the same instances from their own eyes.

On femininity: The women in this novel live in a place where they are not allotted their own autonomy. Stuart manages not only to capture the experiences of men on the island, but also shares notable glimpses of women who stand up for themselves. Stuart does not let the traditional setting take away the female characters’ voices.

Final Thoughts

Stuart has outdone himself. While I could sing Stuart’s praises for how devastating and beautiful this book was, it is also worth noting that the plot of the book is drop dead interesting. My jaw was simply on the floor. These characters’ lives and desires are uniquely intertwined in ways that will keep you gasping in surprise. Stuart doesn’t wait until the end to throw a big plot twist; instead the entire novel is full of explanations and teases. The ending is just another wave hitting the coast of these two men, sudden but complete.

This is the perfect novel for readers looking to fill their space with queer representation, atmospheric religious turmoil, questions of identity or just characters so honest you can’t help but feel for them at their worst.

*Rating based on writing quality and overall enjoyment of the book. At no point in reading did I feel that something was missing or that more work could have been done to the story.