I was fortunate to receive an e-arc of Compound Fracture and I (like all his other works) devoured it with insatiable hunger. Andrew Joseph White never fails to grab the reader’s emotions in his grasp and mess with them until you are left like your innards are gouged out. White uniquely explores different nuances and experiences of gender and neurodivergence within all his works and this is no exception, it’s brilliantly written exploring tranness in less progressive states, the pressure to mask as to not appear “special” and the confusion surrounding being a teenager trying to figure out your sexuality.

My roommate was also lucky enough to receive the arc and they said something that stuck with me. They said that Compound Fracture is “an ode to the working class”, I could not put it into better words myself. I was speechless from the first paragraph, it perfectly encompasses the feeling of desperation, fear, belonging and most importantly ANGER when fighting in a class war, especially one with corrupt authorities in power.

The characters are so easy hate and love, every one of them are completely unashamed of who they are and what makes them different. The book screams “I am disfigured, I am trans, I am queer, I am a socialist and I am neurodivergent! And what of it?”. Or in some cases “I’m a gigantic asshole!” (Looking at you Pig) Its chaotic and heart warming, no, heart melting. It delves into themes of family learning and growing alongside together, LGBTQIA+ people always existing, and falling in love with a place and its people in spite of the problems it has.

Although it had less “horror” than his other works, at the end of the day capitalism and cops are the real horrors.

Thank you Netgalley for the bragging rights this opportunity gives me.

Compound Fracture is a young adult thriller about an autistic trans teenager in West Virginia seeking vengeance in a decades-old feud. Miles Abernathy lives in an Appalachian town ruled by Sheriff Davies, where the Abernathys have been fighting ever since Miles' relative Saint Abernathy was killed in a public execution following a miners' strike. When he's beaten almost to death by the sheriff's son and his friends, Miles is forced to confront the violence of the town and the price you have to pay to fight against injustice and cruelty.

Fans of Andrew Joseph White's other YA novels will see similarities here, with the trans teen boy protagonist and harsh violence of the narrative, but Compound Fracture is a less of a horror or supernatural story, and more of a grounded one, with the horrors being more about power and violence in rural Appalachia. The narrative is pretty straightforward, with a generally recognisable young adult novel plot of fighting against something and growing into yourself, just with a much more brutal reality than the typical YA book. As someone who no longer reads much young adult fiction, I find myself drawn to Andrew Joseph White's books because they offer something different, something with more edge and violence. In this one, the community-finding and identity-exploring elements are carefully combined with the thriller-like plot as Miles is drawn into violence, and it makes for a gripping read.

A lot of the class and politics in the book isn't something familiar to me as a UK-based reader, and the narrative simplifies a lot in order to be a compelling YA novel, but there is some interesting nuance around people drawn into violence and hatred. There's a lot of big things covered in the novel—opioid addiction, poverty, alcoholism, disability—alongside the difficulties of being trans and queer in the USA, and the book explores Miles' family's reactions to his coming out without offering hopelessness to trans teens reading the book. This isn't the first YA novel I've read that explores what happens when teenagers are forced into larger community violence and issues (Angeline Boulley's Firekeeper's Daughter was in my head when reading this book, for example), but I think it's a great way for young adult fiction to go beyond what are normally seen as the interests of teenagers and YA fiction readers specifically.

Compound Fracture was probably my favourite Andrew Joseph White novel so far, despite the fact I'm usually more of a horror fan. There's a lot to get into and I liked how many different things the book played with, even when things had to be simplified for the sake of the story or chosen perspective.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree for the E-ARC!

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
Being released 03/09/24

This book is another shining example of AJW’s phenomenal use of queer rage to create a story of fighting back.

AJW uses the real-world issues and fears presented to queer people and other minority groups to create another brutally real, yet completely captivating thriller. This book follows Miles, a young trans boy, as he tries to survive a generational feud in his small-town. Using a blend of slow-built suspense and accumulating dread Compound Fracture highlights the horrors of what it means to simply survive when the world you’re born into is built against your very existence.

With some fantastic representation and the underlying message of a community banding together to fight back. This book really is a (sometimes horrifying) love letter to marginalised communities.

As an autistic person, the inclusion of not just one, but many autistic characters who get to be autistic is such a rare treat. AJW really is the best author around for autistic rep right now. Seeing the invisible battles and the recognition whilst also getting all the thriller and drama from the rest of the book is always done so incredibly.
Monstrous stories told through an autistic lens is such a unique perspective that you can’t help but be transfixed.

And if I couldn’t talk highly enough, the addition of Lady, the most loyal good-girl the world has ever seen (and the constant fear of her safety throughout the story) made me love this story even more.
“But she does more than that. She puts herself between me and other people, so I always have breathing room, and lays on my feet if she thinks my heartrate is getting too quick. She’s a living thing to be around when people are too much. I think she can tell I have a hard time every now and then, even when nobody else does.”

Yet again, AJW has established himself as a master of the queer revenge plot. This book will leave you angry at the world, punching the air and simultaneously holding your breath while wanting to scream.
“I guess what I’m saying is, I’m sorry it’s so difficult. We shouldn’t have to fight so hard to exist. We deserve better.”

There are so many more great aspects of this book I haven’t touched on for the sake of spoilers but if you enjoy revenge plots, queer rage, fighting against the establishment, or are generally a bit mad at the way the world is – this book is for you.

#compoundfracture #netgalley

Compound Fracture is White’s third novel and it follows Miles Abernathy who is transgender. He lives in West Virginia and is a sixteen year old socialist. One night Miles writes an email to his parents coming out as transgender. He goes to a party and takes photos with him that show Sheriff Davies was responsible for the accident that injured his dad and killed others. There has been a feud going for a hundred years which started when Miles’s great-great-grandfather Saint Abernathy incited a miners rebellion which led to his execution. This feud leads to Miles being beaten nearly to death. Miles keeps seeing the ghost of Saint and he ends up killing one of the boys that hurt him. Miles needs to decide if he can end the cycle of cruelty that faces his family.

This was the first novel I’ve read from this author and I will definitely be reading more. This is 5 stars and I loved reading it. The story definitely doesn’t shy away from difficult topics so if you are sensitive to transphobia or physical violence then tread carefully with this. The politics in this were very strong which I liked. Miles is a strong socialist and is not to be swayed from his opinions. The book does not shy away from heavy topics. I liked the general vibe of this book, in a strange way it felt very comforting to me. The vibes were strong in this and the setting was well done. I liked the way Miles came to understand he was transgender. I just really enjoyed reading this and i have to give it 5 stars because it was compulsively readable and I just loved reading it. Plus this is the first young adult novel I’ve given 5 stars in almost a year so that tells me it was good because it stood out to me.

As the mother of an autistic trans child myself, I was interested to see how this book was written and it didn't disappoint.

The story is so beautifully written, despite dealing with some quite disturbing and upsetting themes, including dead naming and the vicious attack that Miles experiences.

The small town he lives in very much feels like one of "those" small towns and adds to the atmosphere of the story, which follows Miles as he tries to make sense of the feud between his family and the Sheriff's.

Excellent book that is also very relevant today.

Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for approving my request to read an arc of this book

This book follows Miles, a trans and autistic boy on a mission to right the wrongs done to his family, friends and his town from the likes of the Sheriff and his ancestors. After Miles is viciously attacked he starts hearing and seeing the ghost of a soot covered man. This book was very tense and exciting. But please be aware before reading that, like Andrew’s other books, this book deals with dead naming, misgendering, violence, death and general harrowing moments.

5 star read for me. So so so good! Such a good book. Loved every second of it. This author is fenomenal.

When I look back at my initial expectations based on how it was promoted, this book indeed meets the expectations; it is a pageturner.
My first book by the author, and as much as the plot and characterisation, the writing style mattered. I found the first 100 or so pages engaging and wonderfully paced. Despite the gruesome events and the themes, heartwarming tenderness was at the core of the writing. Miles was a character whose voice matters. I liked his parents a lot! This is a great YA read - certain themes and the incorporation of the supernatural are not tiring. Thanks to the author’s craft, I did not find the gore elements shocking or disgusting.
The setting and the premise are curious as well. As an older adult, I wished to see more layers and depth in the story and characterisation, however this is excellent for younger adults.

This was so goooooooood! I have read all of the authors books this year and I honestly think this was the best one yet!

The way AJW writes family dynamics is just exquisite. This one was particularly effective because the whole family and all the people in the town felt so real. Whilst I was reading this it felt like a ya version of The Searcher by Tana French (If I'm bringing up that name, please know it's essentially that's the most complimentary comparison I could ever make). It's about small towns but a very particular type of small town and in a very particular time. It's clear the author knows his subject down to the bones.

I liked Miles as a main character and the way he learned about himself. I maybe wanted more of Saint but I understand why that wouldn't work, but that addition worked really well within the story. I think where this book shines though is the discussions around like, legacy and the way certain places like this are shaped by the past. How hard it is to break the cycle of abuse and corruption and what that does to generation after generation. It's an inherited trauma. That comes through so raw on the page.

I loved reading about trans and queer rage, but how that isn't always totally black and white. If you've been thinking about picking one of the authors books up I would honestly recommend this one. Can't wait to see what he comes out with next.

Finding the right words to capture the brilliance of a perfectly executed book can be a daunting task. How does one convey the intricacies of a narrative that seamlessly intertwines a critique of a capitalist system upheld by cruelty with a vibrant tale of self-discovery amidst gore and pain? And let's not overlook the profound sense of recognition that Andrew Joseph White's work consistently evokes, resonating deeply with both autistic and trans individuals like myself.

This book doesn't hold back—it confronts the reality of a world where fascists perpetuate horror while simultaneously delving into the systems that shape them into such figures, for they do not emerge in isolation. It's not merely about surface-level reforms; it's about excavating the root causes of societal decay, recognizing that these traumas are nurtured by the very structures that govern us. Violence begets violence, yet who provided us with the tools for destruction?

In essence, this book is a masterpiece—a testament to its brilliance. And while it may seem redundant, I cannot help but reiterate: I adored every aspect of it.

I finished this book a few days ago but I am still hurting and honestly unsure of how to do justice by this book in a measly review, Andrew Joseph White has done it again. This is a brutally honest exploration of the harrowing lives of small town Appalachian communities trapped by poverty. We follow Miles, a trans boy who can't catch a break between struggling with embracing his queer identity, lost friendships and protecting his family against police brutality, all while navigating life as an autistic person.

This is horror in the most confronting and terrible form, one where instead of escaping from the state of our world, we are plunged into the darkest, messiest depths of lives oppressed by the capitalist, individualistic, one-size-fits-all world we have made for ourselves. The author clearly loves his home and loves people and wishes for a better future as we break the cycles of cruelty we live in by telling the stories of the ones usually erased. This is an example of how YA can have so much darkness and depth but is highly relevant to younger readers, who are smarter and more resilient than a lot of adults give them credit for.

Thank you to NetGalley, Daphne Press and the author for this advance reader copy. I leave this review voluntarily.