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Multiple award-winning author VanPatten returns with a collection of short stories boasting well-developed characters and masterful storytelling. In “The Art of Martinis,” Jeremy Pitt is an awkward, lonely young man without any meaningful friendships, self-confidence, or direction in life. With an absent father, an alcoholic mother, and disinterested older siblings, Jeremy’s home life is devoid of stability and nurturing. Having struggled academically in high school, Jeremy finds himself in a dead-end job with no prospects and no plans for the future until Randy, an author with a perpetual smile and an appreciation for the perfect martini, befriends him. This is a beautiful, emotionally evocative tale that demonstrates friendship’s power to change the trajectory of one’s life.
The rest of the collection is an eclectic blend of LGBTQ+ fiction set in the imaginary small town of Mañana, nestled between California’s Merced and Madera. VanPatten uses a creative writing style and an engaging cast of characters to explore diverse topics and themes. “Christmas Eve” is a story of unconditional familial love and acceptance that simultaneously contrasts racially motivated police brutality with the protective role officers can play during crises. “Penguins” delves into the ego defense mechanism of projection and illustrates how childhood trauma manifests as adult insecurities.
Alternating between first-party accounts and third-person narration, this collection touches on the use of comedy as an outlet for trauma-induced emotional pain and paints a vivid picture of growing up as a gay male in a homophobic society. Brief interludes into the genres of mystery/thriller and fantasy make for highly entertaining, innovative storytelling that readers will thoroughly enjoy from start to finish.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review