Summer Sons
Ratings35
Average rating4
15
Ratings35
Average rating4
Lee Mandelo's debut Summer Sons is a sweltering, queer Southern Gothic that crosses Appalachian street racing with academic intrigue, all haunted by a hungry ghost.
Andrew and Eddie did everything together, best friends bonded more deeply than brothers, until Eddie left Andrew behind to start his graduate program at Vanderbilt. Six months later, only days before Andrew was to join him in Nashville, Eddie dies of an apparent suicide. He leaves Andrew a horrible inheritance: a roommate he doesn’t know, friends he never asked for, and a gruesome phantom that hungers for him.
As Andrew searches for the truth of Eddie’s death, he uncovers the lies and secrets left behind by the person he trusted most, discovering a family history soaked in blood and death. Whirling between the backstabbing academic world where Eddie spent his days and the circle of hot boys, fast cars, and hard drugs that ruled Eddie’s nights, the walls Andrew has built against the world begin to crumble.
And there is something awful lurking, waiting for those walls to fall.
Reviews with the most likes.
This was a solid slow-burn haunting. I enjoyed the rich atmosphere and the contrast between these highly educated law school students and the meddling-in-the-dark-arts shenanigans. The unease of Andrew surrounded by this other circle of friends was also quite interesting as you don't know if you should really trust their intentions.
The writing style was solid and the plot and the characters well well developed. The setting was dark, humid, and uneasy. The love triangle was a bit much but did add another layer of complication to the whole thing. Someone coming to terms with who they really are and understanding themselves was also a bit of an unexpected underlying theme through this darkness.
will damron is so good and read lee's words so beautiful.
can;t wait to read and listen to more of both
Minutes after finishing reading this book, I declared it a new all time favorite of mine. As someone who loved Fast and Furious, but always wished it was queer, this book was the perfect match to my desire. I loved the characters, the relationship, the unfolding mystery. It was full of incredible queer rep throughout.
The main draw is the relationship between Sam and Andrew. if you love Fast Saga like me, this is the what if story of Dom and Brian your heart is likely clamoring for. If you've never seen the Saga, you will still enjoy the dynamic. It is a beautifully realized exploration of a complicated and wonderful love.
The found family is also pitch perfect. It's impossible not to become enthralled with the dynamic of their little group, the way they care for each other.
The mystery is breathtaking. It kept me turning the pages as I waited to see what came next.
Going a bit deeper, the themes of classism, homophobia–both external and internalized, and the dangers of clingy to grief were exquisitely realized throughout the story. This book was beautiful, start to finish.
This book is probably a 3.5 for me. I could tell the author put a lot if effort into some parts of the book: Like the experience of being closeted. A good job was done of creating a sense of place and the pain of mourning. The friend group and social decisions the MC makes feel very genuine. All the being said, I feel like the author had two book ideas in one book and the story I was wanted : the supernatural research etc. took a backseat. The MC strongly did not approve/ was afraid of the supernatural and avoided dealing with it. I would love a prequel novella. It was like being trapped in car with your friends. You drive past all the stores you want to go to and the car stops at the store your friend wanted to go to.
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