Compound Fracture - Andrew J White
“But while you’re here, officer, why don’t you hold this railroad spike for me? Hold it in your hand and tell me how heavy it is. Tell me which one of us you’d use it on. See what happens if you try.”
Do you ever read one of those books that you just know is going to follow you for a long time? That’s how I felt reading Compound Fracture. It’s an absolutely gut-wrenching book, but Andrew Joseph White manages to perfectly walk the line with the more disturbing elements, making it just disturbing enough to be honest about the situation without just being all blood and guts / used for shock value at any point. The content warnings can be found on the authors website, which I'll link at the end of this rec. If you're not too bothered by any of the warnings (and some strong language / swearing), this book is perfect. It surrounds Miles Abernathy, a trans, autistic, and aromantic teenage boy who’s a member of a family that’s shunned by the town they live in for their rebellious nature, especially Miles’ great-great-grandfather, who led a miners’ rebellion and was killed for it. After surviving a murder attempt, he ends up going down a rabbit hole that leads him to discovering the history of his town and family alike that those in power have tried to bury. I read most of this book (including the ending) in the summer of 2024 while on a residential trip with my youth club, and I could hardly put it down. It’s such a heartfelt, raw depiction of living as a disabled and queer teenager. If you’re interested in cowboys and queer history, this book has that. Coming of age stories? This has that too. Anarchist and socialist culture and history? Yep. The idea that, while not being particularly nice, sometimes violence is very much necessary to make change? You won’t believe what I’m about to say. I recommend all of this author's work, really, but I wanted to give this one a spotlight (Mostly because I already had this rec pre written and I Am Lazy.)
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