Coyote Summer by Laura KoerberMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the third book by Laura Koerber that I have read and I enjoyed it just as much as the others. I imagine it was inspired by the recently created ‘Me Too’ movement and the story takes the point of view of a young man, Ben, who is about to move on in his life when he goes to college or university. Koerber’s writing is as beautiful as ever, succinct but never boring, intriguing and even magical at times; she manages to get inside Ben’s head and convince the reader of his naiveté during a summer when he comes of age. The trials and tribulations that confront him, his encounters with Puppy and her hippy family, when he has his first teenage crush, and his determination to break with the odious Clint, are all totally convincing. It is also a tale of family dynamics and the confrontations and discussions between Ben and his ambitious, middle-class parents are particularly well-handled. I found the conversation that he has with his father, about not wanting an Ivy League ‘experience’ later in the tale, felt authentic and real.
I found my emotions moving from horror and disgust, to wonder and wry humour, and then to hope and satisfaction at the denouement of the story. Normally I find books written in the first person confusing and unconvincing but Koeber’s narrative, written through Ben’s confusion about what sort of person he wants to become, despite (and because of!) the many influences and pressures that surround him, had me hooked. The characters and conversations are convincing, although I would have liked much more about the Native American culture behind the coyote ‘fairies’ and its mystique. Unfortunately, there were a few proofing issues that reduced my rating from 5 to 4.5 stars. Notwithstanding that, I can completely recommend this adventurous and brave attempt to bring to the fore the issue of, often ‘hidden’ or unspoken, sexual assault through the eyes of a gauche and bewildered witness, Ben O’Rourke.
View all my reviews
RSS Feed
