An honest look at aging while queer. The writing and setting are appropriate for the subject. This book will stay with me.

I enjoyed THE KINGDOM OF SAND, and was surprised at some of the lighter, funny moments that were told through the story that follows a gay man who moves to Florida during the AIDS epidemic.

Overall, it was well written and an honest and emotional story that tackles hard hitting subjects, but also brings the heartwarming side of life too.

*many thanks to Macmillan Audio and netgalley for the gifted copy for review

i’m back from minneapolis & while i’m still not feeling 100% (stomach has been off since the race!), i’m back with another very overdue review to kickoff the long weekend.

the book follows a nameless gay man who moved to florida during the height of the aids epidemic when his parents needed help but has stayed even after they have passed. telling stories of what it’s like growing old in a small town, the book centres around his friendship with earl, a man he met cruising 20 years ago. together, they watch classic films, gossip about the neighbours, and can truly be themselves. as earl’s health begins to decline, our narrator distracts himself from the fact that when earl passes he will be truly alone, by visiting walgreens & engaging in sex at the video porn store.

i haven’t read any of holleran’s novels that made him so popular, but i did really enjoy this one, enough that i want to read his other books. the narrator’s dry wit paired with the compassion & love he feels for earl were beautiful. it truly is a book about loneliness and the need for human connection, and i felt myself relating to the narrator more than i thought i would.

Soulful, searchingly intelligent, and surprisingly funny, this novel hit home for me in a powerful way. I loved it. The audio production is excellent.

If it wasn't for the rambling and the stream of consciousness, which I don't care for, I would have rated this book a five. This novel is linked to Holleran's brilliant book "Grief." However, this is not a brilliant novel. Loneliness, sadness, and death pervades this book, which sometimes can be exhausting for the reader, as well as depressing. Although, the writing is at times beautiful there were sections that I felt were pointless and repetitious. As a reader, I felt that at times I was in a loop. How many times do I needed to be told that the narrator needed to hire a car service to get to the airport, or that Earl's house lights were on or off? Thank you to NetGalley, FSG, and Macmillan audio for the advance copy.

This was a very well written, emotional, and honest story of an aging queer man, Earl, and the middle aged man who befriended him. I’ve never read anything about the experience of aging and this story beautifully captures the multiple facets of this process. The friendship between the narrator and Earl is just so refreshing.

Sincere thanks to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this frank take on life as gay man of a certain age in rural Florida. Holleran paints a raw and realistic picture of life that never glosses over the less night and shiny aspects of life. This story feels like reading a diary. The straightforward manner of storytelling highlights the realism of this story.

The narration matches that storytelling style with a frank and straightforward delivery. It feels emotional but not overly weighted with emotion. The narrator captures a nuance of underlying emotions in what one the surface may seem like a fairly benign interaction or event. I enjoyed the audio and the novel and would recommend both.

A much anticipated follow up that delivered but completely sets itself apart from the authors previous novel. The context is a little somber and sad, with such a focus on the minutia of aging, longing, and how we hold on to life lines when life is fleeting. There are not enough novels about queer senior experience.