Isaac by Curtis Garner is a beautifully written and deeply emotional novel that explores queerness within the intricate landscape of the digital age. Set against the backdrop of a single transformative summer in London, Garner's work brilliantly captures the intensity of late adolescence, where emotions are all-consuming, and every choice feels monumental. The novel is both fearless and nuanced, tackling difficult and sometimes controversial topics as it delves into the life of a young man on a journey of self-discovery and identity. Through its authentic portrayal of adolescent obsession, desire, and the risks of first love, Isaac offers readers an introspective and fresh perspective on intimacy and coming of age in a modern, digitally connected world.

NO SPOILERS:
Issac is Curtis Garner’s debut novel and in places that is quite evident. However, in other places, many other places, it is clear he is a skilled writer with much to say and he says it very well.

The first few chapters didn’t grab me as they seemed to be straightforward accounts of each of Isaac’s dates which, for me, didn’t cover enough inner dialogue. But that does change, and the book becomes something more. The coming of age angle is not wrought with angst but is sympathetically written, even though Isaac has the additional anxiety of being gay in a predominantly straight world.

The story and plot were well formed, but it was sentences like this kept me reading:

“He scrutinised Isaac’s face like it was a word he’d never seen before, that had to be mouthed or spoken aloud before it became a unit of sense.”

I’m certain Garner is going to mature into a strong voice.

One caveat, the writing is often very graphic.

A coming of ages story of the current time. Life's not always smooth and easy but eventually we find out way.

Isaac is a coming of age novel about first relationships, obsession, and finding who you are over a summer. Isaac is seventeen and is just finishing school, waiting to find out if he'll get a place at his chosen university. He starts using an app to find men for sex, but when he meets twenty-eight year old Harrison at a party, he is suddenly infatuated, and their relationship takes over. As Isaac feels more and more that he cannot please Harrison, and pushes away the other people in his life, he has to ask himself difficult questions about what is really good for him.

This is a novel about queer growing up in the modern age, without focusing too hard on the digital elements to distract from the timeless story of unhealthy relationships and self-worth. It is set over a summer, but moves quite quickly through it, and the ending gives enough space to going beyond that time to see how Isaac moves forward, rather than just ending on a turning point without resolution. I liked how tender the ending is, not some romanticised perfect ending but showing signs of Isaac finding ways to keep growing and know that the summer isn't the start and end of everything. Alongside this, there's also Isaac's relationship with his mum, which also faces turbulence, but ultimately is always safety for Isaac to return to. The writing style is straightforward, and the general vibe makes the book feel like the next step to growing up, capturing adolescence and mistakes, darkness and tenderness.

There's some difficult topics explored in the novel, like toxic relationships, abuse, and body image, which are worth being aware of going in, and in particular it shines a light on some of the ways the modern world has impacted these things, without being entirely focused on apps or social media (for example, Isaac's body image issues are more based on real life than because he's seeing a lot of Instagram posts or something). It captures that moment when you think you're an adult but really you're still very much working out who you might even be and how others might see you, and ends with hope.

Set against the vibrant and ever-evolving backdrop of London, this narrative unfolds over a single, transformative summer. Isaac, a seventeen-year-old on the cusp of adulthood, embarks on a profound exploration of masculinity and queerness within the digital age.

This journey offers a fresh perspective on the intricate dynamics of desire and intimacy, adolescent infatuation, and the perilous landscape of first love.

After the inexperienced seventeen-year-old Isaac loses his virginity through a dating app—an experience both disappointing and strangely addictive—he spends his final months before university escaping into a dizzying new world of casual sex with forgettable men.

This pattern of fleeting encounters comes to an abrupt halt when he meets the enigmatic twenty-eight-year-old artist, Harrison, at a party. Isaac is immediately infatuated with Harrison, whose handsome and charismatic presence captivates him.

As their relationship deepens, Isaac finds his sense of self becoming increasingly hazy.

Harrison's demands are unpredictable and ever-changing, leaving Isaac in a constant state of uncertainty as he strives to prove his worthiness. This tumultuous dynamic forces Isaac to critically examine his ideas about love, sex, and masculinity, ultimately compelling him to reevaluate his relationship with himself.

Read this if you enjoy:

🏳️‍🌈 Contemporary Genre
🏳️‍🌈LGBTQIA+ storylines
🏳️‍🌈Coming of age

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

This is a powerful exploration of self-discovery. The writing is gorgeous, capturing his struggles with self-worth and his constant search for validation in his relationships so well.

Isaac’s frustrations & vulnerabilities are laid bare and it’s impossible not to empathise with him. I loved the realness of the characters, particularly the relationship between him and his mother. Their journey as they go through new chapters in their lives feels real and relatable.

Isaac’s experiences with body image, mental health & an abusive relationship with an older man are handled with care, shedding light on tough topics. His naivety can be both frustrating & heartbreaking to witness, but also serves as a reminder of just how young he is to be going through all this.

It brilliantly captures the late teenage experience, where emotions are overwhelming & every decision feels life-altering.

This is a beautifully written, complex story that doesn't shy away from the painful truths of growing up & finding yourself, tackling important issues with both depth and sensitivity.

This book is fresh and timely. It's a unique coming of age story featuring Isaac, a young gay man who's initiating himself into gay life via apps and casual sex. He meets an older man and starts a relationship that makes him reflect on his own identity and needs.

It's a great story and the author's use if language is sublime. I was constantly rereading sections. It's a brutal world that Isaac finds himself him but it's a redemptive story. The theme of identity and life for queer men is explored with intelligence and sensitivity as is the parental relationship.

I loved this book and it's one of my favourite recent queer novels. I can't recommend this enough. Such a great book.

This is an interesting, somewhat realistic coming-of-age novel about Isaac, a sixth former from London, who is dealing with his sexuality. A lot of the novel is focused on his (toxic) relationship with Harrison, an older man, but it is also a depiction of how one's sexuality can be extremely troubling - but also how love can make one behave in strange, often irrational ways.

I enjoyed the story, one that is full of sadness, at times, but also wonder - Isaac, as the protagonist, learns a lot about himself and others throughout the story which is heartening and also true to life (sometimes). There are a couple of issues I have with the book, neither of which are massively significant but do affect the way I feel about it.

Firstly, I don't understand why pretty much every character is a smoker, from Isaac and his best friend, Cherish, to Isaac's mother, to Harrison, Adam and others. Surely, in this day and age, it would be very unlikely - although I do realise that the book may be set at a different time. Also, the part in the book when Isaac goes on a date and disappears to the toilet - and emails his old English teacher. Okay, so he may have disappeared for a while but the email is quite lengthy - I am not sure that this is that realistic!

All in all, I did enjoy it - and I think it will appeal in particular to young gay men, or men struggling with their sexuality. I do feel, though, that parts of it are somewhat implausible. It's a shame that more isn't made of Isaac's real father, Aaron - it seems a bit of a dead-end part of the plot given the build-up to it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Isaac is a book and a character I will never be able to forget. This story is told with such elegant simplicity, it makes it all the more heartbreaking and heart-touching. The insights into everyday life and the young queer experience are stunningly beautiful.

I’m genuinely amazed that this is Curtis Garner’s debut novel. I couldn’t put it down and found myself reflecting on it long after I finished. The writing is exceptional, capturing Isaac's emotional journey so vividly. I could feel his struggles with self-worth and the way he sought validation in his relationships. It brought me back to my own transition from adolescence to adulthood, evoking the pain and uncertainty of that time, along with the all-too-easy tendency to lose oneself in someone else.

What I loved most was the authenticity of the characters, especially the relationship between Isaac and his mother. Their journey of self-discovery as they navigate new chapters in their lives felt so real and relatable. This book is destined to become a queer classic, and I can’t wait to follow Curtis Garner’s journey as an author and see what he brings us next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Verve Books for this ARC!

“Isaac” is the coming of age story of our central character, Isaac, who lives with his mother and stepfather in London. Isaac is gay, in his last year of sixth form, and has recently started hooking up with other guys via Grindr. This is also how he meets Harrison, who he quickly develops feelings for and a relationship with.

This book truly knew how to hit you right in the guts, showing us all of Isaac’s struggles in a way you cant help emphasising with and, unfortunately, relating to.

He deals with body-image and mental health issues, an upset in his family life, and an abusive relationship with a significantly older man.

This is the kind of book that I really wish I would’ve been able to read when I was around the same age as Isaac is in this book, and I’m glad that it exists now for others to read who may be in similar situations. It doesn’t shy away from showing the negative side of things, rather than just glamourising the lifestyle Isaac chooses to lead in the beginning of this book.

I really cherished the way Isaac’s relationship with his mother and his best friend were described, and the author did a wonderful job of showing how having a support system can really make all the difference.

Overall I think this was a lovely, emotional read, and I really hope that the right people are able to find this at the right time in their lives and feel comforted seeing themselves and their experiences represented.

3.5 stars
Isaac is a compelling coming-of-age story set in the digital age.
It is a quick and engaging read, and Isaac’s relatable as the main character.
In some ways, if you like Call Me By Your Name, you might enjoy this book - though, they are very different in their settings.
Characterisation 3.5
Plot 3.5
Prose 3
Themes 5

4.5!⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
A beautiful and poignant coming of age read. Isaac's naievity is frustrating and heartbreaking to read at times, it is easy to forget how young he is as he goes through a tumultuous journey of self discovery.
Skillfully written, relatable and shedding light on some incredibly important subject matter that we don't see enough of! Isaac's relationship with his mother, cherish and later his uni friends are heart warming to read. His disastrous relationship with Harrison on the other hand shattered my heart for poor Isaac. Very very nearly a 5 star read for me, I just wanted a little more for Cherish who was treated pretty appealingly by Isaac at times and didn't quite have the full redemption journey I was hoping on this - however I have battled with this thought as Isaac is still so very young. An important read and excellently executed.

I picked up the novel because I'm curious about the ways in which the young(er) generation imagines growing up/becoming queer. It's sweet. Here, coming of age (graduating high school, going to college, first sex, first love) is interspersed with body image issues (which I found lacking in motivation), family issues (though thankfully not with the main character's sexuality), power relations, and finding a voice through writing. I love it even more because of the coincidence that much of the action takes place in Lewisham, where I stayed when I visited London this year.

Isaac is an uncompromising and vivid portrait of that liminal time between A-levels and university.



It really captures that late-teenage experience, where emotions come the size of articulated lorries and every decision feels vital and precipitous.



Queer readers own memories of first loves and misguided teenage dalliances will certainly be provoked while you read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc. This is a complex and in depth look at a young man discovering himself and his identity. It doesn't shy away from painful things. The writing is great, the characters well rounded. I saw myself and my friends in the interactions between Isaac and Cherish