In Tongues
A Novel
by Thomas Grattan
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Pub Date May 21 2024 | Archive Date Jun 21 2024
Description
"Thomas Grattan is a master of plot—that rare ability—which makes In Tongues a real roller coaster: funny, sad, shocking, and, finally, quite moving." —Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance
A young gay man upends the lives of a powerful art-world couple in this steamy novel of self-discovery.
It’s 2001, and twenty-four-year-old Gordon—handsome, sensitive, and eager for direction—takes a bus from Minnesota to New York City because it’s the only place for a young gay man to go. As he begins to settle into the city’s punishing rhythm, he gets a job walking rich Manhattanites’ dogs. But it isn’t until he stumbles into the West Village brownstone of two of his clients, the powerful gallery owners Phillip and Nicola, that Gordon learns how much the world has hidden from him—and what he’s capable of doing in order to get it for himself.
A lush, heart-quickening novel about family and art, sex and class, and the terror of self-discovery, Thomas Grattan’s In Tongues chronicles Gordon’s perilous pursuit of belonging from the Midwest to New York and, later, to Europe and Mexico City. As he floats further into Phillip and Nicola’s exclusive universe, and as lines blur between employee, muse, lover, and mentor, Gordon’s charm, manipulation, and growing ambition begin to escape his own control, in turn threatening to unravel the lives, and lies, of those around him.
Anchored by winsome lyricism, glinting intellect, and a main character whose yearnings and mistakes come to feel like our own, In Tongues crackles with fierce longing and pointed emotion, further confirming Grattan as a rare chronicler of young adulthood’s joys and devastations.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
"One of the funniest novels in recent memory . . . Grattan’s novel is probably the most entertaining—not to mention cleverest—depiction of the art world (fiction or nonfiction) in quite some time, even if it never directly addresses the art world at all. The rare book that you’ll force yourself to put down just so you can savor it, this will quickly become required reading for New Yorkers and anyone who aspires to become one." —James Tarmy, Bloomberg
★ "In this fine, affecting novel, Grattan's subtle, true portrayals and sharp dialogue make a highly enjoyable read even more so." —Annie Bostrom, Booklist (starred review)
★ "Affecting . . . [Gordon] has a memorable voice: funny, dark, and eventually chastened. The novel builds on the self-involved, sometimes cruel protagonists of Edmund White’s early work, though Gordon learns to rein himself in instead of committing more mayhem. This story of a miscreant who grows up will stick with you long after the last page." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"[An] impressive sophomore novel . . . In the author’s skilled hands, Gordon’s bad judgment and sentimental education make for terrific reading." —Publishers Weekly
"At first, In Tongues reads like a comedy of manners—a cute young man moves to Manhattan and takes a job as a dog walker/assistant to two older men from the art world. But then we watch the sexual, ethical, and monetary inequality turn dark. Thomas Grattan is a master of plot—that rare ability—which makes In Tongues a real roller coaster: funny, sad, shocking, and, finally, quite moving." —Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance and The Kingdom of Sand
"Funny, touching, and authentic, In Tongues is about trying to survive in a declining society, a novel that should become the touchstone of a whole generation." —Edmund White
“Uncommonly vulnerable, In Tongues is a witty exposition of what ails all of us. Thomas Grattan does away with any false neutrality by detailing the raunchy violence of ambition. This is an excellent novel that sifts through the detritus of life and gives it vibrant meaning.” —Zain Khalid, author of Brother Alive
"In Tongues contains one of my favorite kinds of plots; the interlude that changed me forever. Thomas Grattan masterfully elucidates the life of an elegant hero—shattering friendships, sudden lovers, surprising moments of grace. Reading In Tongues felt like a deliciously banal and dangerous afternoon I never wanted to end. I love this beautiful, horny, honest, glamorous novel." —Marie-Helene Bertino, author of Beautyland
"Thomas Grattan has written a rare beauty of a novel, both thrillingly sexy and heartbreakingly human. His gift as a writer lies in his ability to reach deep into the messy flesh of his characters and extract all the awkward, barbed parts of them that make them feel so alive. With In Tongues, Grattan brings fresh wit and insight to the beloved gay, New York, coming-of-age novel. If you don’t see yourself in these pages, good luck to you." —Christopher Bollen, author of The Lost Americans
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780374608187 |
| PRICE | $28.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 288 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Troy W, Librarian
In Tongues is one of those rare, meandering, slice-of-life novels that exceeded my expectations at every turn - with every passage, character, and scene so real and true, I couldn't put it down. I don’t think I’ve read a queer lit fic novel quite like this and I feel like it's a book I've been waiting my whole life to read.
The narrative focuses mainly on the daily, ordinary events and relationships that shape a life: subtle dramas and tensions; messy decisions that lead from one event to the next; finding out about the kindness and cruelty of other people - and also of ourselves. This book needed no superb drama, dark humor, or wild plot points because it so perfectly and precisely reflects the stuff of life itself. Thomas Grattan writes in prose so crisp, complex, and nuanced, that there was no stopping me from turning the pages to find out what was happening next.
In the novel we follow Gordon, a young gay man who gives up his life in the Midwest during the early aughts to start again in NYC. As he discovers an unforgiving city threatening to swallow him whole, he joins in new circles of friends, employers, and lovers that change the trajectory of his life. As he fumbles his way through these new worlds and relationships, he makes very human, yet very questionable choices. Gordon was one of the most real and complex narrators I've had the pleasure of reading in a while.
Absorbing and atmospheric, this novel focuses on the tensions between what the people around us want vs. what we want for ourselves, family and chosen family, the limits of love and care, the influence of other people on our lives, whether we are the hero or villain in the story of our lives, and so much more. A subtle, profound, and quietly melancholic reading experience.
Thank you to the folks over at FSG & the author for access to the digital arc on NetGalley.
Reviewer 630346
ohhhhhh I loved this book so much!!!
I just put it down and already have the impulse to re-read, so soon.
I felt deeply for the protagonist Gordon, a character who starts off so strange (I laughed so so much during the earliest pages), and who quietly transforms into a mature, but always searching, man. This is a quietly devastating book. And a huge leap forward from Grattan's debut (which, don't get me wrong, I loved! but this feels vastly different). I can't wait to read whatever he does next.
Thanks, as always, to the publisher for the e-galley! I can't wait to have a physical copy myself next year.
Meg B, Reviewer
In Tongues follows Gordon, a young gay man, as he leaves Minnesota and travels to New York City. We follow his almost-daily routine, as he gets one job and then another, makes new friends, finds lovers, and walks dogs all over the City. As Gordon flounders and floats across city streets and through art galleries and between apartments and studios, we have the pleasure of coming along for the ride.
The story takes place (mostly) in New York City in 2001 and Grattan's writing captures the feeling of being in the City at that time in a way I haven't experienced before. I kept finding myself picking the book back up, just to take a peek at where Gordon's choices would bring us to next, what little slice of the City we'd discover together. Through Grattan's writing, we are joining in Gordon's life with him, and there was something indescribably enjoyable about that experience.
I have absolutely nothing but praise for In Tongues. If I could read 500 more pages about Gordon and his adventures in the pockets of New York and across the globe, I would. Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the eARC copy of this book.
Reviewer 1201421
Thomas Grattan moves queer literature forward with this tale of Gordon, an evil twink whose robustly rationalized strategic decisions lift him from a boyfriend's midwestern apartment (and the couch his ex bought that Gordon likes to think of as his) to the financial wing of New York's art scene, by way of some generous lesbians. You'll find no starving artists at the dinners and birthdays Gordon infiltrates, just well-heeled people who profit off them. In case you forget who Gordon is along the way and start to feel for him and his missteps along his social climb, he'll be quick to remind you and lose that goodwill. Grattan's prose and storytelling captured and held my attention for a one-sitting read. Enchanting, damning, and beyond engaging. Like Emma Cline's The Guest but for gay people.
Thank you to FSG for access to the digital arc on NetGalley, this will be the talk of my group chats.
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