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At the same time, the rare experience of unfamiliarity, with no pandering cues or explanations, made me realise how many books cater to the white gaze - something which Jonny Appleseed steadfastly refuses to do. This slight off-balancing was not an unpleasant feeling but helped me to feel immersed in the story.

I found myself Googling things or asking fellow book club members. This meant that, as a white woman, I experienced a sense of defamiliarisation while reading. The writing style is effortless and almost poetic, managing a strange beauty even in the story’s grimiest moments.Įvery chapter is rich in indigenous Canadian cultures. At book club, we also agreed that Joshua Whitehead writes sex scenes much better than a lot of straight, cis male writers portraying male/female sex! Sometimes the graphic sex could be a bit ‘too much information’, but on the other hand, positive representation of sex between queer individuals is much-needed. The novel is unapologetically sensual, exploring what it means to have a body as a two-spirit and genderfluid individual. The final portrait was messy, unfinished, and achingly human.

Yet in this book, it really works!Īlthough the non-chronological flashbacks could be confusing (this is not a book to read when you’re tired!) I relished piecing together different fragments of Jonny’s story. Lack of a well-defined plotline would usually put me off, making me think the story might wander and fail to engage me throughout. The first person narrative from his perspective feels very intimate, as though he is inviting readers into his life, his memories, and his deepest thoughts.Īs you can probably tell from the synopsis, the plot of the novel is quite loose. This novel was one of our recent Bristol Girl Book Group picks and it certainly proved popular! We all found Jonny to be such a magnetic character. In these heady few days of nostalgia, reminiscence and self-examination, Jonny is forced to confront how hard it can be to grow away from your roots.

Jonny Appleseed follows the central character, Jonny, an Indigiqueer youth trying to pull together enough money to return to the reservation for his stepfather’s funeral.