annewalk reviewed Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
Visceral
5 stars
A beautiful gut punch of a read.
Paperback, 223 pages
English language
Published Nov. 10, 2018 by Arsenal Pulp Press.
Off the reserve and trying to find ways to live and love in the big city, Jonny Appleseed, a young Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer, becomes a cybersex worker who fetishizes himself in order to make a living. Jonny's world is a series of breakages, appendages, and linkages - and as he goes through the motions of preparing to return home for his step-father's funeral, he learns how to put together the pieces of his life. Jonny Appleseed is a unique, shattering vision of Indigenous life, full of grit, glitter, and dreams.
Off the reserve and trying to find ways to live and love in the big city, Jonny Appleseed, a young Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer, becomes a cybersex worker who fetishizes himself in order to make a living. Jonny's world is a series of breakages, appendages, and linkages - and as he goes through the motions of preparing to return home for his step-father's funeral, he learns how to put together the pieces of his life. Jonny Appleseed is a unique, shattering vision of Indigenous life, full of grit, glitter, and dreams.
ahynes1 reviewed Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
Review of 'Jonny Appleseed' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This book has sections of literary brilliance and the main character is wonderfully developed. Yet at times, I found the book tedious. Perhaps it is just because I read it from my position as a cis-het Euro-American boomer male, but the sex scenes seemed excessive as if the author was stuck writing gay smut fic. This seemed to support a detrimental narrative that "all gay people ever talk about is sex". In spite of this flaw, the book is well worth the read
This book has sections of literary brilliance and the main character is wonderfully developed. Yet at times, I found the book tedious. Perhaps it is just because I read it from my position as a cis-het Euro-American boomer male, but the sex scenes seemed excessive as if the author was stuck writing gay smut fic. This seemed to support a detrimental narrative that "all gay people ever talk about is sex". In spite of this flaw, the book is well worth the read
Subjects
- Two-spirit people
- Indigenous peoples
- Fiction