When the novel opens, 26 year old Dennis Monk is back living in his parents’ house in Buck’s County, Pennsylvania. Monk sheepishly observes that when his father was 26, he had been with the post office for four years and had a wife and an apartment. Even Monk’s younger brother, Owen, a recent college graduate, has plans: he is off to San Francisco with a buddy to “get tech jobs,” although he comes to realize that you “can’t show up in Silicon Valley and get a job off the street” so he decides to move to New York and get a finance job and, later, plans to drive to Corpus Christie and find a job on an oil rig.

Monk is a recovering alcoholic. He totaled a car at twenty-one, lost his first job at twenty-two, and booze killed his best friend at twenty-three. After eight years of “ceaseless boozing,” he is now 7 months sober. After his skeptical parents kick him out of their home when he fails to secure employment, the novel follows Monk as he shares housing with old friends, many of whom seem to have lives more precarious then Monk’s, takes on a series of odd jobs, and visits the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of his youth.

What makes the novel special is Monk’s wry insights. When he describes Marc Dogana, a guy with whom he had spent a lot of time drinking and with whom Monk is couch surfing, he says, Dogman was an accountant in the Philadelphia office of one of the country’s largest banks. Boring job with a modest salary, “but the Dogman presented himself like a Wall Street bond trader in 1987 — a figure of surplus and insouciance.” Deagler eschews the typical alcoholic redemption arc and, instead, focuses on how Monk handles his fragile sobriety in a novel that is laugh out loud funny. Thank you Astra House and Net Galley for an advance copy of this captivating novel that introduces readers to the unforgettable Monk.

This book is deep, heartfelt and even a little funny. The book follows 26- year-old Dennis Monk’s itinerant first year of sobriety. He is forced to leave his parents’ house where he was staying and ends back in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. He spends his time couch surfing with friends and bouncing around between jobs, trying to find his place in the world without alcohol. The story unfolds in a realistically unpredictable way that reminds you of the complexities of being human. Each of the characters are painted in a believable manner that forces you into the mind of Monk but also makes you pause to reflect on the complicated nature of other humans. The book reminds you of what it’s like to struggle to find yourself in a world that appears to have changed from the one you were promised as a kid. It forces you to see the world from multiple sides and slows down the side of you that wants to judge things that are different. This book is a simple character driven novel that delivers an amazing story with an amazing cast of characters.

This is the story of Dennis Monk. Monk has quite drinking and is drifting around his home town of Philadelphia, sleeping on friends and relatives couches, washing dishes to pay for his meagre expenses and trying to process where he is in life, and maybe work out where he is going. The structure of the novel is novel - each chapter starts with a new residence, but the previous chapters do not actively end with the end of each tenancy.
This was a book that made me (is still making me) think. Monk and his friends are neither likeable nor unlikable, although one of the key features of the book (for me) is that he always has somewhere to go. Ultimately this is a book about growing up, not so much a coming of age novel and a book about the current age. I'm glad I read this thoughtful, occasionally frustrating book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a slow exploration of a first year in sobriety. A lot of this novel was more vibes driven as Dennis interacts with various people to see where he fits in life. Deagler is definitely a talented writer and I thought he constructed a plausible story with a realistic scenario. Deagler’s command of language was also impressive. I couldn’t always relate to Dennis but there might be people that can relate to him more.

Thank you Astra House for the ARC of this one.

Dennis Monk returns to Philadelphia at the beginning of Michael Deagler’s EARLY SOBRIETIES, newly sober. He spends his days horny and spottily-employed and couch surfing in the company of people from his past. People who once tied him to his addiction like it was his only identity, do the same at first to his sobriety, as he struggles to recalibrate his life into something more. For Monk, staying sober day-to-day is hard enough, leaving seemingly no space to even imagine what a future beyond that holds. Each day, a new temptation: the friend that orders booze while he sips on water, the bottle of gin thrust in his hands while an acquaintance flees from a crime scene, the drunk he helps even as their behavior brings out every insecurity he has about his blackout past. A past that includes sins and bad behavior he isn’t sure how to atone for, a death of a friend whose ghost he can’t seem to leave behind. There is a certain part of Monk that can’t seem to work out whether his addiction inherently means there is something bad inside of him, whether taking away the drink will leave behind a violence rotting in his soul. “Addition and sobriety are different cities,” a friend tells him, and it seems this mirrors his experience of returning to Philadelphia as well, as he rediscovers a changing and gentrifying city and people he thought he once thought he knew inside of it.

EARLY SOBRIETIES can be described as a series of connected chronological encounters. I like how time is loose here; there is a leisure to it, and when I say “leisure” I mean in an anti-capitalist way, because while Monk is rebuilding the small components of his life he is also rejecting what one character calls tough love, as in pull-yourself-together-and-get-a-real-job-like-a-real-adult. EARLY SOBRIETIES really shows us that the precarity of addiction doesn’t always allow for this. It is not easy to like Monk at times; his judgment of himself sometimes reflects as judgement on others, but you can’t help but root for him, because he is trying, trying with the people around him, fighting the individuality of addiction, of sobriety, of disability. Trying towards the possibility of a future stretching out before him each day he remains alive.

Thank you again Astra House for sending me this gifted book! EARLY SOBRIETIES is out May 7.

I love how every chapter felt like a short story. Dennis is one of the most frustrating but lovable characters I have ever read. This is an easy read and makes you root for everyone who has ever had an addiction.

Thank you so much for this arc. It really means a lot to me because I am in recovery. This book really pulled at my heart strings and brought back memories and feelings from when I was getting sober.

I have 13+ years of sobriety, thought this book would be good to read, and found out I didn't really enjoy the book. Follow the year-long journey into sobriety, a book of couch hopping, and the highs/lows that happened to Dennis Monk. I would have enjoyed stories of his drunken shenanigans, but the author didn't go there. Sobriety is hard, especially without AA helping you learn from others.
Thanks to Astra House and NetGalley for this ARC.

Gah, I loved this book so much. I rarely enjoy collections of linked short stories, which I would consider this to be, but Deagler's character drew me into the mess of his world. This is a book that made me think about young life, sobriety, and Philadelphia differently. My favorite moments came in the interactions between people who he thought he knew and people who thought they knew him and the disconnects that took place. I'll be thinking about his carpet removal of the old house for a long time, and the way it idolized work (in a way not dissimilar to the book's commentary on the post office). All this to say, read it. This book is funny and true and great.

Thank you NetGalley and Astra House (maybe my new favorite indie) for the ARC!

I don't normally love coming-of-age stories about dysfunctional young men (did we not grow up with so many of them), but this book reeled me in with one of the best opening lines I've read all year: "Like all mailmen, my father hated James Farley, William Kendall, and Herodotus." It's just out of nowhere--I know nothing about mailmen, this guy's father, or any of these three characters/historical figures, but now I want to! This is a great book about the often simultaneous challenge of adapting to one's adult self and kicking a brutal addiction (while trying to build a career as a journalist). Places and spaces are described stunningly, from kitchens to landscapes, but even more so the fight to stay alive when the world assumes you have your whole life ahead of you. And, as our protagonist adds about wrestling away one's life from the jaws of death..."Then what?" Looking forward to much much more from Michael Deagler!

The protagonist, Dennis Monk, goes through some pretty wild times as he works his way back to sobriety. Deagler’s novel attempts to tell the story of recovery through humor and self-reflection. I didn’t find it to be as engaging as I thought it would be. The interactions with old friends and a possible relationship felt a bit forced. Deagler tries to tell the story in a way that doesn’t really work for me. He tries to paint a picture of recovery that’s full of insight, but it just falls a little short.

“Early Sobrieties” by Michael Deagler is a raw and striking debut novel that delves into the themes of redemption and recovery. The story follows Dennis Monk, a 26-year-old man who is about to spend his first summer sober. As he navigates his newfound sobriety, he grapples with the challenges of rejoining sensible adult life, while also confronting his past through run-ins with former classmates, estranged drinking buddies, and prospective lovers. Deagler’s novel offers a poignant and unflinching portrayal of the complexities of addiction and the journey toward recovery. The author’s ability to capture the internal and external struggles of the protagonist adds depth and authenticity to the narrative, making it a truly intelligent work that offers profound insights into the human experience.

One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is its ability to shed light on the day-to-day realities of early sobriety. The story avoids sensationalism and instead focuses on the nuances of Dennis’s experiences, offering a realistic and relatable portrayal of the challenges and triumphs that come with embracing a life of sobriety. This approach allows the novel to resonate deeply with readers who may have similar experiences, as well as those who seek a better understanding of the complexities of addiction and recovery. While the novel’s focus on the day-to-day realities of early sobriety may be seen as monotonous by some readers, it is this very quality that adds to the authenticity and relatability of the narrative. Deagler’s decision to avoid melodrama and instead focus on the quiet, internal battles of the protagonist is a testament to his skill as a writer, as it allows the novel to offer a truly immersive and thought-provoking reading experience.

In conclusion, “Early Sobrieties” by Michael Deagler is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that offers a raw and unflinching portrayal of the complexities of addiction and the journey toward recovery. The book’s engaging narrative, well-developed characters, and the author’s ability to capture the day-to-day realities of early sobriety make it a valuable and inspiring read for fans of literary fiction. Deagler’s attention to detail, vivid imagery, and multifaceted portrayal of the protagonist add authenticity and depth to the novel, making it a truly intelligent work that offers profound insights into the human experience.

I’m not really sure what I expected from this book but it was a bit of a let down for me. Chapters seemingly ended out of nowhere and it felt like reading a thesaurus.

Let me start off by saying that this book is extraordinarily well-written. Michael Deagler is a very talented writer. I think that "Early Sobrieties" is a great showing of what Deagler is capable of. I was consistently amazed at how beautiful the writing was, even if I did not love the subject matter.

I gave this book 3 stars as I struggled to connect to this story. I graduated undergrad and law school. I think of myself as an educated person. However, I found myself constantly having to look up words that Deagler was using in each chapter. I think it would have been helpful if Deagler mentioned that Monk had an English degree a bit earlier in the story. During the beginning, I was wondering how an unemployed man who went to a "not great" college had a vocabulary that rivals any professor or lawyer I have ever worked with. Mentioning the fact that Monk had an English major earlier in the story would have helped me settle into the story rather than questioning the vocabulary of Dennis.

I found it hard to want to read more than a chapter or two at a time. However, I think this can be easily overcome by marketing the book as character driven, rather than plot driven so that it reaches the hands of the perfect reader. Unfortunately, I think I am far from the perfect reader for this book. Fortunately for Deagler, I think that means there are many people who will find this to be a 5 star read.

early sobrieties follows Dennis Monk during his first year of sobriety. we watch him plot along, trying to figure out his place in the world and where he fits in amongst his friends and family.
an interesting storyline in comparison to other addict/sobriety literature i’ve read. dennis doesn’t do a whole lot, in fact his first year sober is quite tame and boring. it was nice to see a change in pace when it comes to themes like this. a realistic take on sobering up; you feel a little lost and life gets pretty monotonous at times.

This book is as fascinating as it is monotonous. It’s truly just plodding along in someone’s first year of sobriety, which I imagine can be quite boring compared to their lives before. This book for me was a slow delight and a chance to get to know a man named Dennis, a man working hard to get his life back. A refreshing change of pace after other books I’ve read recently.

After many years and many rehabilitation attempts Denis Monk is finally managing to make sobriety stick. Despite many temptations and the struggles of maintaining his new life choice whilst sofa-surfing Denis is just about managing to hold it together. Good writing means it’s easy to believe in Denis and wish him well. By the end of the tale it has become a bit repetitive and I started to stop caring about Denis.

Dennis is 26, has recently started his sobriety journey, and we join him when he's living at home with his parents, who early in the book, kick him out of home.

There's some really beautiful writing in this book, and the journey Dennis is on is a very 'real' one; Dennis is desperately trying to make up for lost time, and find where he fits in the world, and slowly comes to realise that he's expecting too much of life; change demands more of him than he's given.

The story is told through Dennis' various interactions with friends and acquaintances throughout the book, and his struggles with understanding where and how he fits.

This book was well written and had some quite beautiful prose; it was kind of written a bit like a road novel, and it was very character, rather than plot-heavy. I found it wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but I do think people who love road novels, or coming-of-age stories will really enjoy this book.

Thank you to Astra House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Michael Deagler's 'Early Sobrieties.'

Thank you to Astra House and NetGalley for this ARC of Michael Deagler's 'Early Sobrieties.'

We follow Dennis Monk as he spends his first year of sobriety couch-surfing with friends (new and old) and acquaintances all over South Philadelphia after a decade or more of wanton drunkenness.

I wouldn't say that this is an overly original narrative or theme but I can say it's highly enjoyable due to the warmth and humor that the author injects into his characters and story and also for the way in which he makes South Philly and its myriad and changing neighborhoods into one of the indelible characters in the novel.

Monk - a son of a blue collar Bucks County family - is a recovering alcoholic who eschews the 12 steps and figures that his getting sober is reward enough for the people he might've harmed along the way. He starts off in the novel self-righteously proclaiming his sobriety to all and sundry but comes to loathe having to explain himself.

It's an interesting structure, while there are characters who have a thread throughout the book we engage pretty deeply with each new housemate for a while and then, all of a sudden, he's in a new spot with a new housemate and the previous one and the reason for their jettisoning not discussed and we never hear from them again in most cases. I eventually liked it because I think it reflect the disjointed nature and lack of forethought to his meanderings across South Philly for that year.

Monk is a great character - very human and with all the nuances and burgeoning self-awareness you'd hope to see - and all of the consistent and fleeting characters that appear in the book are also very enjoyable - from the blue collar no-nonsense mailman father to sex club owning neighbor we meet briefly towards the end.

I'm not sure what the approach would be but I would love to know more about what happens next for Monk.

Deagler has written one heck of a novel.
As the title suggests, this book is about one young man who gets sober and deals with all that entails.

His parents kick him out of their home when he is newly sober. He relies on the kindness of his friends as he couch surfs with them all. He deals with all of the issues confronting the newly sober in a world that they are navigating for the first time.

He encounters former friends that he drank with, former classmates and others that he knew when he was drunk. He finds sobriety and the accompanying adulthood tough roads to ho.

This book is a good look at what is a really hard time for the newly sober. I have been sober decades and found this book true to form in the issues - and the young man himself.