The Love Song of Nathan Crane

Had my eyes on this one for a while and decided to grab it for National Book Buying Day. Perfect timing for Hispanic Heritage Month too!

Nathan Crane is a typical young adult. Handsome, somewhat charming, normal. Sure he’s had some issues with love in the past, and sure his life at home isn’t perfect, but who hasn’t gone through something like that?

When Nathan meets Christine, the new girl at school, they instantly connect, and while he walks her to class, they agree to meet up again for lunch. The friendship is fast and strong, and Nathan is immediately taken with her, even ignoring Marlene, who so obviously is interested in him. One night at an alcohol-infused party, Christine is a little too generous with herself, and Nathan leaves upset—which also hurts Christine. But when Nathan finally lays his heart out to her, she’s quick to turn him down. Already coming undone throughout the novel, Nathan starts to crack and splinter, spiraling into a deep, dark descent.

Personally, I happened to really enjoy the fact that the relationship has some building before the initial rejection starts. In that way, it’s a lot deeper than the blurb gives it credit for. Christine is interested, she’s flirtatious, she’s engaging, she just doesn’t want to be with Nathan. For me, it just gives the story a much needed layer where it allows for Nathan to not just be this colossal creep.

However, once Nathan has gone over the edge, and settled on his plan, there’s nothing left to keep the creep from showing, and god is he awful. Perhaps Reyes’ best writing yet, this is a fantastic showcasing of infatuation, toxic masculinity, and a torturous upbringing coalescing into all out obsession. If Nathan can’t have Christine, no one can.

Nathan’s spiral gives Reyes the room to give us some unique and gruesome kills. From self defense to unfettered cruelty. And while I wouldn’t say I had fun with them, as I was so investing in the creep factor, this is a set of spree killings that really do show just how unhinged the main character is. There is a small paranormal plot line that the reader is never really sure about throughout the story. It’s quick and small, and I found myself wondering why it was there. The twist it brings really worked for me though, and it adds to Nathan’s craziness once you understand.