Home After Dark
A Novel
Format:Paperback
Publisher:WW Norton & Co
Published:4th Oct '19
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£21.99(9780871403155)
This book offers a raw exploration of adolescence, focusing on Russell Pruitt's struggles in a harsh environment and his quest for belonging. Home After Dark is a poignant tale.
In Home After Dark, the narrative delves into the tumultuous journey of adolescence, exploring the darker aspects of growing up in a seemingly idyllic 1950s America. The protagonist, thirteen-year-old Russell Pruitt, finds himself navigating a world filled with brutality and betrayal after being abandoned by his mother. As he follows his father to California, Russell's quest for a better life leads him to Marshfield, a decaying town rife with danger and malice. Here, he faces not only the harsh realities of his surroundings but also the cruelty of his peers, who target him for being different.
The story unfolds through a vivid tapestry of images and experiences, immersing the reader in Russell's struggles as he grapples with loneliness and the desire for acceptance. The couple, Wen and Jian Mah, who take Russell in, represent a glimmer of hope in his chaotic life. However, Russell's betrayal of their kindness by stealing from them adds a layer of complexity to his character, highlighting the moral dilemmas faced by adolescents in distress.
Home After Dark is a powerful exploration of the human condition, blending elements of literature and cinema to create a unique storytelling experience. It challenges readers to confront the often-overlooked brutality of youth and the profound impact of environment on personal development, making it a thought-provoking read that resonates long after the last page.
"David Small’s tale of a sad, isolated teenager and his angry father is timely in the age of Donald Trump... All of the power of Home After Dark lies with his meticulous pen and waterproof ink drawings... Among his influences, besides the work of Egon Schiele, which he loved as a younger man, are directors such as Hitchcock, Polanski, Bergman and Antonioni, and his exquisite holding shots, stunning closeups and extended silent sequences do bring the movies immediately to mind; at times, you fancy you might almost hear the whirr of the projector." -- Rachel Cooke, Graphic Novel of the Month - The Observer
"A master graphic storyteller who has certainly captured male adolescence in 1950s America. Having to think about dodging high school bullies every day sure resonated with me! And Russell’s sexual predicament was handled in a very original way." -- Robert Crumb
"... [In] the profound and moving Home After Dark... Small subtly tackles unsubtle themes—gender roles, sexual awakening, immigration, racism—in spare prose and beautiful Hitchcockian-angled panels. Home After Dark is touching, heartbreaking and one of the more nuanced looks at male adolescence in American literature since Holden Caulfield was expelled from Pencey Prep." -- Times Literary Supplement
"Small’s forte lies in the silent, cinematic montage, where each image echoes with Russell’s loneliness. It’s a hauntingly harsh coming-of-age tale." -- Siobhan Murphy - The Times
"This is not a California – or a childhood – that anyone in their right mind would ever dream of... This book is utterly superb. Only a person with no feelings at all could fail to buy it." -- Strong Words
"... Home After Dark is well crafted. Small is a talented cartoonist and the opening sequence particularly impressive as Russell stares at his reflection in a Christmas bauble, trying to recognise himself. And the dream sequence in which his desire for Kurt breaks through is as clever as it is truthful." -- The Scotsman
"Set in America in the years after the Korean war it’s a coming-of-age story that takes in parental separation, bullying, and sexual awakening. Nothing new there, you might say, but Small’s vision of his protagonist Russell Pruitt is starkly told, dark in mood and action. The art is scratchy but the scratches cut deep." -- The Herald
ISBN: 9781631496271
Dimensions: 229mm x 180mm x 28mm
Weight: 773g
416 pages