Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own

If Andrew Joseph White has no fans, I'm dead. I will eat up ANYTHING this man publishes, and Compound Fracture is no exception.

While definitely not as gory as his previous works (cough cough Hell Followed With Us cough cough), I think the violence in this one hit all the more for me because of the contemporary setting. While what he depicted in The Spirit Bares Its Teeth and Hell Followed With Us was definitely poignant and topical, there was a degree of separation due to the genre, while Compound Fracture perfectly reflects America's current day political situation. Every time Trump got mentioned I felt like I was getting jump scared.

I also really love how, despite the violence and blood feuds and bigotry, this was ultimately about coming together as a community, to fight for freedom and to take care of each other. While it wasn't the same found family that I loved in Hell Followed With Us, the depiction of a biological family that cares for each other and works to understand each other was really sweet to see. Even if it involved murder.

This was originally probably gonna be more of a 4.5, but then I read lines like this: 'The union, the company, the workers, and the strikebreakers. Power and money and control; who gets to get away with murder.'

I will sell my SOUL for his Adult debut. And his upcoming YA books. And anything he writes, really.

"Compound Fracture" by Andrew Joseph White is a riveting and intense thriller that delves deep into the complexities of trauma, survival, and the human psyche.

THOUGHTS

On a technical level, I think this book is much better than Hell Followed With Us (I haven't yet read The Spirit Bares Its Teeth to compare). Up to a certain point, I was enjoying this book much more, too, than Andrew Joseph White's debut though both are brutal to read. This book balances bleak and harsh with hopeful very well. But I reached a breaking point where the melodrama here became too much for me.


PROS
Autism Rep: Miles is autistic, and his immediate family members are, too. Not that you'd hear any of them saying that (except, perhaps, Miles as he comes to reckon with this reality). I appreciated the little ways that it is clear this family have adapted to live together and live in the community, despite the alienation that Miles certainly (and his parents, probably) feels. This book is full of masking, yes, but also healthier coping mechanisms--and an emerging support system that Miles starts to find that can help him to better understand himself and how he fits into the world. And I love that.

Reclaimed History: Andrew Joseph White clearly cares about this history of West Virginia, of the poor and rural community he creates here in this book. He weaves into this story the history of the term "redneck" and its connection to labor movements--something obviously very important to Miles. He reclaims a lot of history that has been twisted to become rather, well, derogatory. And his love for West Virginia, shining through Miles, is clear. Miles recognizes the danger he is in within his community, and at the same time, he's unwilling to give up his home, his history, and his heritage. And he shouldn't have to.

Family Fumbles: Miles's family doesn't get it right when he comes out to them, and as hard as this is to read, it is also more honest than a lot of (idealistic) YA books propose. But Miles's family, though they don't understand and they do hurt him in their responses, don't mean to harm him. His mom wrestles with accepting him as he is. His Mamaw just plain can't comprehend what he's telling her. But when it comes down to it--when Miles needs them to rally around him and understand what, exactly, he's up against--they're absolutely there at his back, ready to jump into the fight when he needs them. And that's so wonderful.


CONS
Transphobia: This book is laced with transphobia. Miles's community isn't exactly open and willing to accept him. Miles is also still transitioning. He comes out to his family in the first chapter, and things don't go smoothly (though they don't go as poorly as they could). His deadname is sprinkled liberally throughout these pages, and this small aggression is really the least of his worries when hate crimes against him prove a very tangible future. If this is something you can't stomach (or don't want to immerse yourself in at the moment), this might be a book to set aside for a later date.

Romantic Subplot: I know some of this ick factor was on purpose. I get that. But the love interest subplot just didn't feel necessary to me, and so because it was particularly uncomfortable to read, I wasn't a fan. Others might disagree, since it does add a layer of complexity here to these characters. I just didn't think the tradeoff was enough.

Unhinged: Don't get me wrong. This book is never exactly "hinged" (and readers heading into an AJ White book really shouldn't expect that). But this book reaches such a frenzied pitch in its climax that I had a hard time enjoying. This book is particularly realist in tone (if extreme at times), so this absolutely wild ending just didn't quite jive as well as it could have with the rest of the book. Not in my estimation, anyway.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10

Fans of Matteo L. Cerilli's Lockjaw will love diving into this twistedly insular small town community. Those who loved Jenna Voris's Every Time You Hear That Song will adore Miles's commitment to his hometown and his messy heritage.

Thank you PeachTree Teen and NetGalley for the ARC!

Wooh this book was a doozy! I wasn’t sure what kind of book this was going to be but I thoroughly enjoyed this tense and tumultuous ride.

Watching Miles try to navigate the shit show of a century’s old blood feud felt like watching a hurt animal fight for its life. Fierce, terrified, and above all, desperate to live. Desperate to be known— to know himself and be accepted by those around him. He was just a kid forced to do terrible things and I loved everything about him.

As always, AJW’s writing was absolutely phenomenal. He’s got such a visceral way of writing that makes you feel like you’re struggling right there with the characters. This was definitely a new setting for me, but 2016 in the Appalachias was truly the perfect setting for this story about cycles oppression and he devastation it wreaks on both sides.

Personally this is not my favorite AJW book, since I like a little more ghosts and monsters in my stories. But this was still really fantastic! Overall 4.5 :)

Proud West Virginian and socialist Miles wants revenge for a generations deep family feud. The local sheriff and his son and friends will do anything to keep their crimes buried deep.

I love AJW. This is my least favorite of his books but it's still great. It's beautiful and viscerally written. It a violent revenge story, perfect for fans of slasher films. I love that this was unapologetically Appalachian and shows that people from West Virginia are not stupid.

Andrew Joseph White has fast become one of my Immediate Yes authors, and this is no different.

White has carved a niche of autistic trans boys surviving in a world that is actively trying to break them, leading them to exact revenge on those who have wronged them. But each offering is starkly different and entirely unique and I am here for it!

What I loved most about Compound Fracture was the realistic portrayal of a family who love their queer kid but just don't 'get it' yet, and their progression towards 'that's my kid and I love them for who they are'. As always, fantastic autistic and queer rep - Miles is so explicitly autistic-coded that I didn't realize that he hadn't realized yet! I felt all the feelings with him as he learned more about himself there.

I wish there was a bit more of a clearer intro to the feud itself, I found myself flicking back and forward to remind myself who was who/who killed who. And I can't remember how Dallas ended up in the car to begin with? I think even an illustrated timeline could've helped.

Either way I love it and will absolutely be recommending. For those unfamiliar with AJW's work I would still recommend reading Hell Follows With Us first - and absolutely check out the laundry list of content warnings. Once you've cleared that, have at it!

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White follows Miles, a young trans man who survives an attempted murder that spurns him into action.

Every book by this author is so different from the last but still has that common thread of a trans teen learning to get by in a world that is against them-just set against completely different backdrops. I really loved the setting of this one. Appalachia is such a unique area of the United States and books that are set in that area usually have great atmosphere.

I really loved Miles as a character. He was complex and had to try and make a lot of decisions that were very difficult. The side characters really added to the story to fully flesh it out. I just loved this book. It definitely leans more into the thriller category and I flew through it. I read it in a single sitting which is not something I do often.

I went into this book blind and that was a great way to experience it. I have read both of this author’s previous books so I kind of knew what to expect. That being said, there is a pretty lengthy content warning list. Should you need to look at that list, the author has it on his website as well as on the Goodreads page for this book.

The cover is a little creepy and there is a dog on it. Her name is Lady and she is so sweet. You don’t need to worry about her through the book. I know that is a big thing for some people so I just want to make sure you know going in that things will be okay for her. Maybe not okay for everyone else though.

Set in the context of the 2016 US elections and Trump’s impending victory, and the increasing boldness of the conservatives, this book was brimming with righteous anger at the direction in which America has been moving towards. There was hardly a moment when I wasn’t worrying for Miles’ safety, and that of those close to him. This book criticises the systems that perpetuate and enable the violence of those in power, their corruption for personal gains, and how it is magnified beyond the county, extending to American violence in other countries. Noah and his friends—do they deserve what’s coming for them, or are they as children also victims of a failed system? If the youths aren’t safe, if they are getting seriously hurt because the system lets it keep happening, then it is the system that has failed. That’s what Miles believes.

tw / transphobia, gore, animal cruelty, murder, (gun) violence

All I can say is, when I finished reading this book, I very badly needed a lie-down. It was: A Lot. I loved that it was so queer and anti-establishment, that it raged against systems of oppression and class inequality. This book had me at the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next, worrying for Miles and Cooper and anyone else who’s been silenced by Davies. It had me smiling at Miles’ mother and extended family coming to terms with his being trans, learning to accept and love him all the same.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the advanced copy.

"Compound Fracture" is an immense story, but one that is happening in the USA today. While it can seem a little far fetched in moments, the point it is getting across is entirely dire and necessary in our current state of governance and society. At times, characters who we were made to love acted violently and out of malice. That is the reality of these issues. When you are fighting to survive, when you are screaming and slashing and begging to live your life in peace, violence and malice become imperative. This book is truly a masterpiece, though dreadful, it might just empower those who need it most.

I don’t know if I can talk about this book without getting emotional, but that is the case with every Andrew Joseph White book at this point. This story is incredible, the intergenerational elements to it were handled so well, and the representation was amazing as always.

I continue to be the target audience for every single book Andrew Joseph White publishes.
I read Compound Fracture deliberately slowly to give myself the appropriate time to fully digest all of the emotion in it. There was not a moment of this book that was not perfectly executed.

Great beginning but after it slowed down to a standstill. Not Andrew's best work but still a really entertaining novel to read

This novel follows Miles, a newly trans boy who's family has been traumatized by the local police for generations. The historical fight has gone on for so long, that it's time for an end. Miles finally puts their foot down and fights back.

I didn't like when Dallas came in. Even though they seemed like a safe space they came on way too strong and obviously made Miles uncomfortable and was super overbearing. Don't they know how awkward the implications are? Yeah I'm not liking him and his family coming into the story. I thought we would concentrate more on cooper and their plans for revenge now.

Ugh and then the bait and switch came 70% where our one good male character just totally flips his switch on us and I hate it so much. But I guess after finishing I get it now?

I didn't like how we just ignored the existence of other actual police officers from other towns or cities? To go the hospital instead of heading to someone's house? Doesn't make any sense there were plenty of witnesses!

Lady, the dog and main character imo, was a great addition to have! I love that she was Miles' emotional support animal as well as protected them whenever it was needed. A good pupper!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book!*

"Compound Fracture" is a very odd book about a trans, autistic teenager who all of a sudden chooses violence and revenge. When reading, I felt like I had missed a prequel because the backstory was so grand. And while I'm all for queer rep and small town revenge, I found none of the characters convincing, the story escalated beyond measure and the ending not only felt unrealistic but also rushed. It was in parts fun to read, other parts were horrible though: transphobia, deadnaming, outing against one's will (also publicly), torture, murder,...

I wanted to like this book but I just didn't.

Content Warnings: Violence, death, gore, gun violence, transphobia, outing, car accident, fire, ableism, pedophilia, deadnaming/misgendering
Representation: trans, trans man, nonbinary, agender, T4T, QPR, nblm, mlm, aromantic, autism
Favorite Quote: “Is he as afraid of losing his power as we are of dying?”
Compound Fracture is a gritty novel that pushes the boundaries of the YA genre. The novel follows an autistic trans teenager named Miles who is in the process of coming out to his family when he accidentally dredges up a generations-long family blood feud. In retaliation to Miles attempting to expose the involvement of the county sheriff in what was passing off as an accident, the sheriff’s son and his friends beat Miles nearly to death. Spurring on the same violence perpetuated by their ancestors.
Upon waking up in the hospital, Miles finds himself curiously haunted by a figure from another time—from the age of mining in his small rural county. This figure becomes a guide for Miles to put an end to this blood feud once and for all, but when the weight of such violence is placed on the young shoulders of a teenager, there are inevitably missteps.
This novel is unabashedly political as it makes the argument that everything is political as people fall in line with the roles that they are thrust into by struggles for power and autonomy. When people are willing to kill for power equate that to being willing to kill for safety and security, everything is political. Miles believes this and approaches the situation around him through a socialist lens. He and the book alike are outspokenly queer, pro-worker, and anti-cop.
Miles’ identity is approached in an exploratory fashion. As a young teenager without the encouragement to explore his identity from his community, Miles is still piecing together who he is throughout the book. There is also a deliberate use of misgendering, deadnaming, and ableism to set the scene of the novel. As a theme in Joseph White’s novels, however, the outlook is not hopeless for queer and neurodivergent youth. Instead, the author gives queer youth the autonomy and strength to break free from the control of their abusers. This book does not pull its punches in doing so.
4.5⭐️

AJW’s latest horror novel centers on Miles Abernathy, a trans teen in Twist Creek, West Virginia, caught in a centuries-old feud between his family and the Davies. Miles’s discovery of a deadly secret about Sheriff Davies sets off a chain of violent events, complicated by the ghostly presence of a long-dead miner.

While Miles’s family is portrayed realistically, with all their messy and awkward moments, some characters come off as exaggerated stereotypes. The supernatural aspects were interesting, especially with the spirit? ghost? Saint, but the pacing of the book is off as it starts strong but drags in the middle, and by the end, the plot feels a bit far-fetched.

Overall, it is an okay read with some standout moments. If you are into character-driven horror with a unique twist, you might still find it worth checking out.

Thank you to Peachtree Teen for the ARC!

I've tried reading Andrew Joseph White's book "Hell Followed with Us" before this and only got up to 20% before I dropped it. The plot was interesting, I heard it get compared to Owari No Seraph which I love. But I didn't like it because although the plot was interesting, the execution was.... forgettable. Then I saw this book and thought, I should give Andrew another try. There's room for improvements and, again, such an interesting plot. However, I had the same problem. I did not care for the writing, I did not care for the characters. The fictional character felt, well, fictional. The plot was good, I'll give Andrew that. This book wasn't bad or anything, it just also wasn't good. I've already forgotten half the book as I'm writing this.

i LOVED the spirit bares its teeth but this... i don't know it just didn't hit the same way.
the whole book i was wondering what the hell this hundred years old feud was about and why did it start and it never is explained.
the whole first 50% of the book is soooo slow i debated wether or not dnfing it, and even though the whole book is more character driven than plot it just wasn't enough? i don't know i didn't vibe with it.
plus since the book is so character driven i expected these characters to have depth or whatever but they seemed like caricatures? the "villains" actions are so exaggerated they seem ridiculous, and miles is ALWAYS right... like this is a 17-years-old boy he CAN be wrong he doesn't have to have the right answer to everything plus his relationship with his family should have been the focal point of the book but they just show up at the last 80%? like what?

I honestly wasn’t sure about this book in the beginning. This is the first book I’ve read by Andrew Joseph White and has definitely piqued my interest about his other work.

Overall, I think the story and themes are very timely - despite the book being set in 2017 (Publish date: Sept 2024), much is still and perhaps more relevant today. It feels like history is repeating itself.

As a Canadian, I don’t have a deep connection to American politics, but I was still able to appreciate and understand the struggles of the community.

I read another readers review that pointed out some potential inaccuracies (I use this word lightly) and less-than-subtle moments of the story, and while I agreed with many of their points, I also understand that this is YA and a certain amount of exposition is okay.

However, some points did feel rather heavy handed and spelled out the themes word for word.

In terms of plot, I honestly wasn’t sure where the story was going most of the time. I wasn’t hooked until maybe 1/3 of the way in. At some points, the actions of the characters felt a little nonsensical and over the top. Yes, it got brutal and bloody and gory, but at points it kinda felt unnecessary.

Miles, the main character, was very refreshing to read about - his journey of self discovery being trans, on the aromantic spectrum and autistic hit a lot of familiar points with me.

Miles’s parents are very refreshing and his family dynamic is fascinating. It was interesting to watch them all grow and react differently to various situations. But, at times, characters also felt cookie-cutter/less layered.

I always find it hard to read books set in present-day and not make things (technology, social media, pop culture references etc) seem cringe or fake. It’s not bad here, which is nice. The characters texts also felt very authentic.

I liked the ‘supernatural’ element a lot and how that tied directly to the history of the family and the area.

In the end, I read the last 2/3 in one day and wanted to know what happened next. I thoroughly enjoyed my read, but also felt that the story had a lot going on, flirted with being unrealistic rather than horror-based, and struggled to focus on its main plot without falling back on exposition.

In the end, 4 stars from me!

*Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book!*

First of all, a great big thank you to Peachtree and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! I loved Andrew Joseph White's previous books and was so excited when I heard this one announced.

I have to say, I just genuinely enjoy the way White crafts such strong characters, and yet they don't overpower the plot or the setting at all. In fact, all the elements just work together almost seamlessly. The main character, Miles, and his family are outcasts from the town they live in due to their intense family history, including a major blood feud, but Miles also feels the creeping doubt of being something else; something other. Miles is explicitly coded as Autistic, but even he isn't totally sure of why he feels so different from everyone around him. The way that this piece of Miles' character shined throughout the book via both his internal struggles as well as the external forces of the blood feud seemed masterfully done.

Something I really appreciated in this book as well was the underlying hope and the passion for rights overturning wrongs. That, even in the most bleak situations, when you think all is lost, there are still people out there willing to support you and make things right again. Especially when this book touched on many possibly triggering topics (see trigger warnings), including everything we tend to see on the news from the political to the gruesome; it would've been easy to sink into a sort of pessimistic view while reading or writing this. So hats off to White for giving a good look at reality while also allowing for optimism to shine through. This book could've been the most depressing I'd read in a while, but after finishing I felt hopeful that things could be different, that bad people can lose and good people can win.

The reason I'm giving this book a 4.5 star rating, and not a 5 star like White's other books is simply that I think I am just a little tired of his formula. While tried and true, I think I'm okay leaving off on this book if this is what the author will continue to put out. I think The Spirit Bares Its Teeth will remain my favorite of the three that are out, though that could change in the future. I don't think Compound Fracture is a bad book by any measure. It's very good, because White is very good at creating these interesting settings and characters and deeply weaving them together to create a plotline that will sink into your bones and haunt you for a bit. I just think I've had enough for now. However, I can guarantee, if you liked one or both of Andrew Joseph White's previous books, Hell Followed With Us and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, and you really want more of his work and style, you will DEFINITELY like Compound Fracture.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read the E-ARC of this fantastic book!

Compound Fracture is a beautiful crafted story with so many wonderful quirks to it! Being from the south and growing up in a middle of nowhere town made this book feel extra personal to me. Miles as a character is so complex because even though he is strong and firm in his beliefs, he’s still a kid who’s growing into his own self.

For most if not all of the book, I was on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t put it down and had to force myself to stop so I didn’t finish it all in one day! A true thriller with substance and character growth.

Compound Fracture is so eye opening to people who don’t live in the south as well. For most of the US we are seen as unsalvageable, conservative, god fearing patriots, when we are so much more than that. We’re queer, we’re proud, and we put up a damn good fight.

I’d recommend this to anyone who wants a good, gorey thriller with southern truths, pride, and queer liberation. This book is for those always willing to put up a fight. (Also the dog doesn’t die!)

(Not on StoryGraph Review) The only valid criticism that I could give is how one or two of the sentence transitions don’t feel cohesive. For example on Page 43, “He says, “And you’ll lose those photos, won’t you?” The burned down theater, where Davie’s ancestors executed mine, is still standing in McLachlan.” It might just be a personal nit-pick but I read over it a few times and still was confused with the transition. But that was it!