The turbulent Saturday chronicled in Patrick Ness’s passionate and disturbing novel is like a day spent by many 17-year-olds in semi-rural America: going for a run, working in a superstore, feeling nervous about meeting their ex at a party, grabbing opportunities for clandestine afternoon sex.
But for Adam, nothing is simple. His home life as the son of an insecure and unsuccessful evangelist preacher colours all his experience. His parents would rather share their house with a herd of pink elephants than accept that he is gay and the family rule (“the Yoke”, as father Brian calls it) is built on denial and hypocrisy.
As Adam inches closer to freeing himself from the Yoke by accepting himself as worthy of love, a parallel drama is unfolding. A local girl, Katie, was recently murdered, and her spirit is roaming the neighbourhood. Adam crosses Katie’s path in the local forest, already notorious for meth factories and about to unleash its demons. He draws strength from their mutual desperation, just as he found his childhood best friend through a shared near-death experience.
The frank and loving account of Adam’s encounter with his boyfriend is a highlight but for me the crux of the novel is a scene between father and son when it becomes clear that Brian cannot offer Adam unconditional love and support, but perhaps he once could. A richly layered tale of finding your true family and knowing when to give up on ideals.
• Release by Patrick Ness is published by Walker Books (£12.99). To order a copy for £9.74 go to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0330 333 6846. Free UK p&p over £10, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of £1.99
