Blackouts
A Novel
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Granta Books
Published:2nd Nov '23
Should be back in stock very soon
In Blackouts, two men confront their intertwined queer histories while exploring themes of memory and erasure, revealing deeper societal narratives.
In Blackouts, the narrative unfolds in a poignant exploration of memory and identity through the lives of two men, one young and one old. Juan Gay, on his deathbed, has chosen to spend his final days in The Palace, a once-grand asylum now fading into the desert. Here, he encounters a young man who, despite their brief meeting, has lingered in the shadows of Juan's life. As they share stories in the twilight of Juan's existence, they delve into their intertwined histories, revealing lost loves, familial ties, and the broader societal narratives of queer experiences.
The novel intricately weaves together personal recollections and historical accounts, as the young man discovers a censored manuscript that belonged to Juan. This manuscript, Sex Variants: A Study in Homosexual Patterns, serves as a gateway to another story—the life of Jan Gay, a radical queer anthropologist. The manuscript's blacked-out passages echo the struggles faced by those who dared to challenge societal norms, highlighting the erasure of queer voices in history.
Blackouts is a haunting meditation on the complexities of memory and the impact of systemic oppression. By blending fact with fiction, the author invites readers to confront the narratives that shape our understanding of the past and question the legacies we inherit. This emotionally rich tale not only illuminates the personal struggles of its characters but also serves as a broader commentary on the histories that often go unrecognized.
Drawing on documents and images from real-life pioneers, the hugely ambitious Blackouts is an intimate, playful account of an old and a young man talking; but it builds into a rich, poetic reclamation of cultural inheritance -- What to read this autumn: 2023’s biggest new books * The Guardian *
Erotic and beguiling... An intelligent, loving, and genuinely subversive work -- Eleanor Catton
Enigmatic, spine-tingling, imbued with inky atmosphere and radiant disclosures - a book like a magic trick -- Jeremy Atherton Lin
All intelligence and surprises. Ambitious, disarming, full of a kind of daring that winks as it passes-as if David Wojnarowicz rewrote Nabokov's Pale Fire and then left it for years in an abandoned building, just for you -- Alexander Chee, author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel
A master of the urgent, surprising sentence... A narrative that is as much about what is on the page as what has been painstakingly cut away... A stunning achievement of re-creation, imagination and tender, tender care. Read it and feel held -- Angela Flournoy, author of The Turner House
I'm crushed out on Justin Torres's writing: charming, sexy, soft, and full of truth. His words cut like Cupid's arrow -- Brontez Purnell, author of 100 Boyfriends
Blackouts is unequivocally brilliant, bold, and structurally inventive. Justin Torres has written a shamelessly vital novel that reminds us all not to give up on ourselves, on one another, or on our stories -- Angie Cruz, author of Dominicana and How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water
I felt deep joy in reading Justin Torres' new novel of queer histories and erasure. Shapeshifting and ambitious, it's super special and speaks to where we are now, through our collective queer past -- Niven Govinden
Wonderful. A dexterous, searing exploration of queer lives that leaves you quietly reeling -- Irenosen Okojie
ISBN: 9781847083975
Dimensions: 216mm x 135mm x 22mm
Weight: 429g
320 pages