Torres has fashioned this examination of how our stories are told, and how we're often erased (blacked out) from the public and popular history. He uses Sex Variants: A Study of Homosexual Patterns as a way to approach the material, and various erasures from the book’s interview subjects are included within the narrative. Torres's "Blackouts" is a stunning fiction of real-life people and events told through the words and visions of two fictional character who stand in for all the men and women who have been erased from history.

Blackouts is an absolutely wonderful piece of story. It contains tales-within-tales, photographs, film scripts, erasures, and many conversations turning around a death bed scene between an older mentor and his younger apprentice. The stories spiral out one from the other. It is a startling queer imagination, touching histories both imagined and real.

The long wait since We The Animals has been worth it!

Blackouts by Justin Torres is a mesmerizing exploration of memory, identity, and the erasure of queer history. Through fragmented, dream-like narratives, the novel delves into the lives of forgotten individuals, piecing together stories that were lost, suppressed, or altered by time and circumstance. Torres' prose is deeply poetic, blending historical truths with imagined realities, creating a narrative that feels both intensely personal and universally resonant. The novel challenges the reader to question what is remembered, what is forgotten, and why. Thought-provoking and emotionally rich, Blackouts is a haunting meditation on the power of stories to shape identity and legacy.

A masterpiece: all the poetic beauty of Torres's previous writing, plus absolutely incredible dialog and a story that is equally visceral and historical. I knew it was a masterpiece within the first ten pages, and not surprised it won the NBA.

Deserving of all the awards. I loved Justin Torres' "We The Animals" and have gifted it to more people than I can remember. His newest offering, "Blackouts" is an exquisite blend of historical fiction and memoir. Though I read a galley I highly recommend acquiring the physical book, which I picked up the day it was published because it is a gorgeous art object, with a subtle cover and sepia type on ivory pages, meant to evoke a historical document that you are holding in your hands. Blackouts is stylish and experimental and as you watch the threads of the novel connect you become astounded that Torres has pulled it off. It's one of those books that demands a second reading to fully appreciate its entirety. A must read if you are interested in LGB history! Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the advance copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

all I can say that Blackouts while it is intimate, it is tragic and also confusing.

Love the images at some chapters, but somehow this book is just not for me.

incredibly academic and not very accessible honestly! i had a hard time with this one and feel like it had a ton of artistic merit but didnt make for a really enjoyable reading experience. lots of attention required! love the physical form of this book though

I’m so happy I read Blackouts by Justin Torres - a novel I knew I’d love and that won the 2023 National Book Award for fiction in the States!

It plays with form and structure, something I really enjoy when it’s done well. Here, it adds so much poignancy to the books themes - but let me explain more.

The Guardian describes this as a “queer-gothic version of the Hotel California”…which is actually pretty bang on 😂

Tackling real historical figures and events through the eyes of our narrators, Juan and the much younger Nene (a Spanish term of endearment equivalent to ‘baby’), the books central concern is erasure - the very specific erasure of queer voices. In the omission of their histories, in the silence forced by unwarranted shame, Torres pieces together a beautiful, sensory story that takes archival documents and turns them into almost a form poetry, into their own version of a story.

In an institution casually known as The Palace, Juan lays dying. He has spent much of his time interpreting a report known as ‘Sex Varients’ - a real piece of work conducted by queer sociologist Jan Gay. It was made up of dozens of interviews with the queer community, about their lives and desires. But the work was taken over by a team of doctors who changed its tone and purpose, twisting words and medicalising them in ugly ways.

A heavily redacted version of this text, as well as other media like photographs, paintings, articles and so on are interspersed in the book, making for a rich reading experience.

As Juan and Nene swap stories of their lives, we realise Juan has a connection to Jan Gay, and that he is handing his investigation of her work over to Nene, knowing the end of his life is approaching.

Far from being depressing though, I found this book to be a swirling dream; a celebration of body, of touch, of survival, of what it means to be true to oneself. The playful exchanges between the two men, the new ways they find to tell their stories, was unexpected and totally readable.

I loved this book - and would love to see it more widely read outside of America.

"Blackouts" is a raw and visceral exploration of homosexuality, identity, and the complexities of the historical record. Torres masterfully weaves together the lives of diverse characters grappling with their pasts and aspirations for the future. With lyrical prose and unflinching honesty, it's clear why "Blackouts" was awarded the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction. Unforgettable read.

Blackouts is a unique novel that explores mixed media by carefully intertwining photos, poetry, and academic papers. The book focuses on queer history told through erasure poetry. Reading this book felt feverish and messy, like you're trying piece something together. No plot, just vibes.

I am barely smart enough to write a coherent review of Justin Torres' brilliant novel Blackouts, a story that is as much about queer history as it IS queer history. The lives and art of queer folks through the ages are used to tell a surprisingly intimate story about a dying man and his much younger friend/lover at his bedside. It's totally brilliant.

This book is a unique blend of fiction and history. A deathbed conversation between two men--their captivating stories read like scenes in a movie. Juan's stories serve as a primer on hidden queer histories (for the narrator as well as the reader). A surprisingly quick read.

What did I just read? TBH, I am not 100% sure that I can answer that. But I can tell you it was beautifully written, emotional and moving, I loved it, and it was MASTERFULLY structured. This book has layers that would be delicious to peel back and inspect with a book club. I have my own theory about the connection between Juan and the narrator and it sure would be a fun discussion. This book is lovely! It deserves awards and recognition!

Blackouts has a very unique structure and is clearly very beloved, but I never felt engaged with it.

This book is an expanding, archival queer narrative. It folds out and in allowing us to know our inner-realms while look past tropes and easy processing. An essential text of queer loneliness as well. The way Torres writes about the body, yearning, regret, and the past....is absolutely exquisite. This is worthy companion to We the Animals.

Blackouts was an excellent novel that deserves all the praise it's getting. It was a "thinking" book, but I appreciated what Torres was trying to do. I also appreciated the LBGTQ perspective.

"Blackouts" is Justin Torres's latest work, meticulously crafted over more than a decade. The novel unfolds as a poignant conversation between two queer men hailing from different generations, presenting a narrative that transcends conventional forms. Drawing inspiration from oral traditions, the book reframes itself within this context, offering a reclamation and repurposing of the spoken word.

At its core, the novel places the friendship between these two men in the spotlight, their dialogues serving as a form of cultural transmission—a passing of knowledge and experience from one generation to the next. In essence, it serves as a reinterpretation of queer history, dismantling established notions of identity and sexuality while delving into the construction of these concepts.

"Blackouts" emerges as a deeply intertextual piece, where sharp and personal dialogues take centre stage. The narrative exudes a rare blend of generosity and tenderness, creating an exquisite exploration of the complexities of queer existence. The title alludes to the redactions commonly employed in blackout poetry, a technique skillfully woven throughout the volume.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found Blackouts a bit difficult to get into initially, but it was an incredible read. Justin Torres is brilliant!

This book is incredible. I received an advanced reader copy and could not put it down. I will definitely reread it, and the only book I think I’ve ever reread is A Tale of Two Cities (for school). Blackouts is not only disturbingly relevant. It feels right for this time of winter, to me; for this season of heaviness, strife, and war that is happening around us. It is structurally inventive, historically rooted with artistic license, and so deeply felt. If you’re queer, or know a queer/LGBTQ2IA+ adult, and you/they are looking for a bit of a toothy, achey muscle in a good way feeling kind of read to chew on— this is it.

Rich, layered writing. I love the way Torres works with erasure and weaves in real events (Jan Gay! The Sex Variants book!) from LGBT history. Luminous and provocative storytelling. Torres is so damn smart. I wish I'd written this!