I enjoyed this sad, longing book greatly and the narration was perfect. I did feel that this is a story that begs for an intimate look and the writing felt almost detached

This audiobook was just okay. I enjoyed the writing but something just felt like it was missing. It needed some more interest and a quicker pace.

This is probably one of the hardest reviews I've written.
I thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to this book.
My NetGalley app goofed up midway, so fortunately I was able to borrow the audio copy from the library.
Because of my ignorance of much of the political scene during this time period, it made it difficult to immerse myself without first looking up information on people and events, and also watching 2 episodes of the limited TV series.
The TV series is really good in it's own right, but they not only changed "things", they changed the essence of the main characters. So I decided to finish the book after the 2 episodes helped me visualize the setting. I will watch the remaining episodes now that the book is done.
The factual parts of the book are just so sad. I imagine this is what time period the MAGA crowd would like to see in place again. As a retired sailor, I find it ridiculous that same sex relationships were a security risk when affairs between heterosexuals' are so much more compromising, especially between superiors and subordinates. Love is never deviant between two consenting adults, only the way you treat somebody. I couldn't help but visualizing Kevin Spacey throughout......
So on to why I gave this book 4 stars. It is beautifully written, great character development, and discreetly written sex scenes conveying the passion and love without overpowering the storyline. It's a heartbreaking story of a heartbreaking time in our history that unfortunately lingers still today. It's great historical fiction in my opinion.

This book was just okay for me. The fictional historical aspect of this book was pretty interesting especially for the time period that the book took place in but at times was rather long winded and hard to stay interested in. As for the relationships between the characters, the dynamic between them was interesting but the Timothy Laughlin character was on the weak naive side while I felt that the Hawkins Fuller character took advantage of that only to deceive him in the end. With these factors, I felt that this was just an okay read for me. Also where this book is told in a flashback format, I wanted to know more about the main characters in the time gap between when the past time story concludes and present time occurs.

A tragic piece of historical fiction, tracking the love story of two men during the time of McCarthy, the "Red Scare" and the "Lavender Scare". Their ups and downs, the truth of what gay men were forced through during this time, and the role of guilt , religion, and societal pressure are traced throughout this complicated novel. It is beautifully written, and the words produce magic. I do agree with other reviewers who mention that the text does sometimes get bogged down in hearings and committees in Congress, etc. but I did not find them boring in any way.

I was able to listen to the newly-recorded audiobook for this novel, and loved it! The narrator was wonderful and made the story come alive! Thank you to NetGalley for making that available.

I am now going to venture into the television show that is based on this novel.

I really love this book, especially the historical political storyline. It was very intriguing and very interesting, because it’s an argument we don’t see very often in books or movies.
But I fell in love with the characters, especially Fuller. He’s so complex and simple at the same time. He’s a fine politician, he doesn’t want to compromise that and at the same time he loves Tim so much that he doesn’t want him change his intere life just for him. So he rejects him and that breaks his heart forever (and mine too).
I appreciate that Tom doesn’t die from AIDS but form another disease.
However I really like this book, he makes me cry and I never forget it!

Book 45 of 2023 - ✅! Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Mallon & Dreamscape Media for the ALC of Fellow Travelers in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly: I fast-tracked Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon to the top of my reading list, when I saw the pilot episode for the Showtime mini-series of the same name, and I was completely blown away by that first episode. (The show had basically been on my radar since they started casting it, so it was a highly anticipated show for me and it absolutely did not disappoint, but I digress…)

Fellow Travelers (the novel) primarily takes place during the Second Red Scare & Lavender Scare in American History, in Washington DC. As someone who loves historical fiction and romantic dramas (and after watching the aforementioned pilot episode), I would consider myself in the target demographic of people who’d enjoy the book. I will say the novel does lean heavily into the historical fiction side of it, more so than the romance - I personally didn’t mind that (at this juncture), and I learned a lot, but it’s something that those looking specifically for the romance element should be aware of. Timothy “Tim”/“Skippy” Laughlin is a bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed Fordham grad and devout Catholic, who goes to DC in the hopes of working for Joseph McCarthy and fighting communism. Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller is established in the political world, within the State Department. Their initial meeting is the catalyst for a years-long love affair, and both of them having to live double lives during this time in the US government’s history.

Mallon’s writing is captivating and extremely well-researched. Tim and Hawk are fully developed characters, and the supporting characters felt very dimensional, especially Mary. I wanted to protect Tim at all times - his desire to do good (albeit aligning himself with people who would absolutely turn on him on a dime) and his emotional depth often tugged at my heartstrings.

[SPOILER ALERT: I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending of the book because it seemed like everyone was “happy enough,” though not truly happy. Hawk was the person who had Tim’s security clearance revoked, which was unnerving. /END SPOILER ALERT]

I’m told that the book and series have different endings and they’re already being told a bit differently, so I’m glad that I 1) read the novel and 2) I’m watching the show so I can experience both of these pieces as their own separate works.

4/5 ⭐️ for the novel overall and 2/5 🌶️ on the pepper scale - I think I was expecting more 🌶️, but that was solely based on watching the first episode of the series. 🥛 👓 🇺🇸

#FellowTravelers #NetGalley

3 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

“Fellow Travelers” By Thomas Mallon

📕 Edition: Audiobook

A story of faith, love, and betrayal set against the backdrop of McCarthy's reign of terror. Though not what I initially anticipated, it was a compelling exploration of an important era in American history. 📚🇺🇸. While I expected a focus on romance, the novel primarily delved into the intricate web of political intrigue in 1950s Washington, D.C. The budding relationship between Timothy Laughlin and Hawkins Fuller took a back seat to the drama of McCarthyism.

The story unfolds amidst a cast of larger-than-life figures like Richard Nixon and Joe McCarthy. Mallon's vivid portrayal of this era made it feel like I was living through the tumultuous political landscape of the time.

I would advise potential readers to check for content warnings, as the novel touches on themes that may be sensitive to some.

Thank you @NetGalley, Thomas Mallon and Dreamscape Media for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.