"Atmospheric and lushly detailed, Demi-Gods captures the wonder and menace of adolescence in ways both unsettling and profound." --Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and A Piece of the World "A brutally beautiful coming-of-age story that sings with language as lovely, wild, and full of ominous longing as the young woman at its center." --Robin Wasserman, author of Girls on Fire It is 1950, and nine-year-old Willa's sheltered childhood is about to come to an end when her mother's beau arrives with his two sons to her family's summer home in British Columbia. As Willa's older sister pairs off with the older of these boys, Willa finds herself alone in the off-kilter company of the younger, Patrick. When, one afternoon, Patrick lures Willa into a dilapidated rowboat, Willa embarks upon an increasingly damaging relationship with Patrick, one that will forever reconfigure her understanding of herself. Demi-Gods traces the tumultuous years of Willa's coming-of-age as she is drawn further into Patrick's wicked games. Though they see each other only a handful of times, each of their encounters is increasingly charged with sexuality and degradation. When Willa finally realizes the danger of her relationship with Patrick, she desperately tries to reverse their dynamic, with devastating results. Daring, singular, and provocative, Demi-Gods announces the arrival of one of the most exciting new voices in contemporary literature.
Reviews with the most likes.
Not nearly as dark and disturbing as some of the reviews made me believe this would be. It's the story of a strange pull between step-siblings, experienced in a handful sexually-tinted, slightly abusive encounters across their adolescent / young adult years. There's a power-dynamic that tilts in his favor, which ultimately leads to a break in their connection. Though a scene towards the end shows, that they would have been compatibly after all. So I am sad they didn't get to fully explore their kinks ;)
The background, an coming-of-age in the 50ies in a dysfunctional family, was interesting. The dynamic with the mother was intriguing, but never felt fully outlined, or pushed towards its potential.
One of the reviews described this book as capturing a feeling of teenagerhood and the 50s/60s weirdness and I think that is a fair description. Sure it's a little weird and sexually out there as well, but it reads smooth. (except that one paragraph that uses grubby twice in a row :p)
