Incredibly unsettling, but in the best way! I loved getting perspective from a neurodivergent main character, and the story kept me invested (and stressed) the whole time!

*3.5 but rounding up to 4*
I've read all of AJW's book, and will definitely be continuing to auto-buying all his work! That being said Compound Fracture didn't work for me in the same way as the others mainly I think because of pacing and without spoiling the book the slightly too neat resolution. AJW has said that the ending of his YA stories will never be too grim because he wants trans youth to have hopeful stories which I think is really admirable! But some of the book is incredibly grim in a way that I couldn't buy the ending. I do think there's a certain level of simplification that has to be done for a YA story and there are some complex issues brought up in a way that I think teenagers will be able to digest and further research, the ending in itself could be part of this simplification. Also read the trigger warnings, I found this one much more graphic than his other work.

I read Andrew Joseph White's previous novel, Hell Followed with Us, in February and loved it. So when he posted on social media that the ARC for his upcoming novel was available, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. While no one would call Hell Followed with Us a light read, Compound Fracture is unquestionably heavy. I spent the last 100 pages teary-eyed. I say this admittedly having not yet read White's first novel, but I believe this to be his finest achievement thus far. I don't want to say too much because I think that this story should be experienced, but I hope that Miles is as inspiring to other readers (especially young trans people) as he is to me.

4.5/5 (rounded down)

I absolutely love all of Andrew Joseph White's books. They all feed the undiagnosed autistic, very out as trans twelve year old version of me who lives in my body to this day. And because of this I'm going to start with the one thing that bothered me and then talk about how much I love this book because I want this to end on a good note.

Cooper's arc felt, as a reader, unsatisfying, and deeply so. It felt very flat including the ending. I think I understand from a narrative perspective why it happened this way, but it still didn't sit right with me. It made me feel a little hollow, not in a sad way, but it an "okay, that happened" sort of way.

Despite Cooper's arc, I do love this book. I love Miles for all of his black and white thinking and anxious habits because that's who I was when I was his age. I love Miles hopelessness and anger, because that's also who teenage me was. I love Dallas and all the pieces of myself Dallas also represents. I love Lady because I think so many of us want a dog like that. I love the relationship to the police everyone has and the supernatural element of the ghost following Miles. I love the black pages and the chapters where there's only a sentence before we move on. All of Miles' family felt real in the way they needed to feel real.

I could keep going, picking tiny details until there's nothing left of the book to pull out, but I'll just say this. "Compound Fracture" was worth the read and it makes me wish I had stories like this when I was younger.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for allowing me access to this book early and for the experience of reading my first ever ARC.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-copy on this book!

Ok, so I don't really know how I feel about this book . On the one hand, it was written very well. This book juggled a bunch of different themes (gender, sexuality, generational violence, community, etc) but I actually didn't mind it. I feel like normally when I read a book that is trying to tackle a lot of different themes at least one part feels underdeveloped or just isn't very engaging, but that wasn't the case with this book. Also, this book helped me to understand what aromanticsm is, so that was cool. Miles was also very vocal about being a communist. I thought his monologues would annoy me, but they actually worked quite well because of the type of character that Miles is. It felt less like the author trying to push their views on the reader and more like a young character who was simply expressing their frustrations and trying to find their place in the world.
Now, as for why I have mixed feelings on this book... it is so dark. I literally had to put the book down on multiple occasions and step away for a bit. This book put me in a bit of a reading slump because I just didn't want to read it. I <i>couldn't</i> read it. I have read White's other books, so I knew it was going to cover dark themes and have some horror scenes and what not, but this was next level. There were 2 scenes in particular that made me feel like I was going to be sick (and many others that made me nauseous). I just don't know... Honestly, even just reflecting on it now to make this review is making me feel a little nauseous again. I don't really read a lot of horror (I literally only started getting into the genre because of White's other book The Spirit Bares Its Teeth), so maybe this amount of disturbing imagery is normal. But if that's the case, I'm gonna have to bow out and go back to my fantasy books because I think it's too much for me.
While I think this book is written well and has a good story, it was a struggle to get through. If you are thinking about giving this a read, I recommend going over the trigger warning first to make sure this book is for you.

This book is outstanding and feels like a much-needed story about what being a community means, after the years of political unrest tearing the country apart. The plot at times feels like Heathers but is set in the dystopic wasteland that the world felt like it fell into after the 2016 elections when the world felt off-kilter and like it was ending, but individual people and communities had to find a way to make the world bearable and keep surviving.

White's attention to detail is key to world-building, and each new thing the reader learns about the world flows seamlessly into the story and never feels awkward or like forced worldbuilding. The characters feel like real people, and the history of Twist Creek would fit in perfectly within an American history book. Beyond that, the characters are compelling, and White's writing allows the reader to sympathize with their plights, and smile as the characters grow and learn.

At times the plot feels almost overwhelming with how much is happening, but it works quite well because it reflects the way reality often feels, with medical, political, and safety issues, all coming up at once and not giving a person a chance to breathe. The characters handle it with grit and keep hanging on even as the world feels like it is falling apart.

Overall, the book was fantastic, and Miles is an amazing protagonist to experience the book with.

This is out of my usual genre, and I wasn’t expecting much, all though it did sound interesting. This is a triumph. Andrew Joseph White you have done it again!

(4.5 stars, rounding up to 5)

This book was so amazing and definitely lived up to Andrew Joseph White’s standard! I have read and loved both of his previous books and I can’t wait to buy this one and put it with the others on my shelf.

As an autistic transmasculine person, Miles as a character was super relatable to me. His irritation at having to read social cues, his stim habits like chewing on a shoelace around his wrist and rocking, and how distraught he was at activities others consider no problem, such as showering, all hit so close to home for me. I will never get tired of the way White writes autistic characters. His transness was also so well represented in my opinion, from his reaction to finding out his ancestor was trans to the conversations with his parents about it (Chapter 22 made me tear up and I had to pause reading for a good ten minutes to breathe, just btw.) I also really related to Miles just as a teenager, with how confusing that time is and how much built-up anger and irritation Miles had built up.

I also loved so many of the characters in this book (as with all White’s books.) Dallas, Amber, and Miles’ parents, just to name a few. They were all so complex and well-written, and I just loved them. The plot didn’t fall flat, either, it was incredibly engaging and kept me hooked! This book was such a well-done thriller.

In conclusion, this is a book I think any autistic or trans person should add to their collection, as well as a great one for allies of those communities to expand their perspective. I would recommend it to almost anyone. I feel so glad and lucky I got to read it early!

Thank you #netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White @ajwhiteauthor is a YA horror novel, but it's also a novel about familial love, the political nuances of Appalachia, unions, police brutality, and intergenerational trauma. It follows Miles- a left wing trans boy in Appalachia and the descendant of a socialist coal miner killed by police for union activity- as he is attacked by the descendent of the cop that killed his ancestor, begins seeing his ancestor's ghost, and seeks vengeance against those out to harm him and his loved ones. 

I've really enjoyed all of Andrew Joseph White's books but I really connected with this one and it may be my personal favourite. I liked how it went into how circumstances shape people, examined the idea of vengeance and of necessary violence vs unnecessary cruelty, and how it challenged a lot of the stereotypes around Appalachia. I liked the nuances in the characters' flaws and personalities.

I also liked how not only was the protag Autistic, but that it dealt with a lot of the issues commonly faced, like how some of our family members are often undiagnosed and the barriers to obtaining a diagnosis. As well as what autism acceptance coming from others can look like.

Not really much else to say besides that this is great and you should read it!

#compoundfracture

I thoroughly liked this book, but I also found it difficult to read more than a few chapters at a time. I liked the characters, the plot, the world building, and White's writing style, but I think the emotional response to this story overwhelmed me frequently.

Miles' story is an important one. While the main plot is about his family's multi-generational feud with the sheriff's, the real story is about Miles coming to terms with his own identity as an individual and how the people in his life respond to that.

At no point could I have predicted all the twists the plot would take, but that's something I've come to terms with in White's writing.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend reading this book.

I absolutely loved The Spirit Bares its Teeth. I was so excited to read this novel by Andrew Joseph White. Unfortunately it was really hard for me to get into. I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley allowing me this ARC. I wish the story would have hooked me like other of White’s books. I do think if you enjoyed Hell Followed Us then you will also enjoy this one.

In Compound Fracture Andrew Joseph White takes us to a forgotten small town in West Virginia with a blood feud spanning a century and the teenagers at the center of it now. Miles comes out to his parents as trans the same night he sneaks out to a party with evidence that an "accident" his father and some close family friends were involved in isn't what the sheriff claims it was only to end the night in a hospital bed, having had his own "accident" just as the summer starts off.

I found the start of this book reminding me what it felt like to be right at the end of high school, on the edge of becoming a new person, only for Compound Fracture to backslide into a horror story that had me sick to my stomach with worry and dread. By the halfway point I was certain that the only way it was going to end was with everyone dead (even sweet Lady, the dog that I knew was going to be okay). You understand exactly how the cycle in this town was born and how it continued on and on until it landed squarely on Miles' shoulders.

This is a love letter to parts of America that many people are happy to write off as a lost cause, and AJW's love for West Virginia practically bleeds off the page. At times, parts of this book almost feel more like a memoir than a YA Horror. It's clearly personal for AJW. The messages of this book are about as subtle as a brick through a window, but that's kind of the point.

By the time we meet Miles, he's firmly rooted in his political ideology and what he thinks those around him deserve. He encounters some things that may rattle this idea, but he's never really moved from that conviction. A lesser book would maybe have made Cooper the main character. I find his anger easier to understand, I remember being seventeen and that spitting mad at the world. I think the inner narration does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed, and Miles has a very good understanding of how the history of Twist Creek brought him exactly to where he is today. This does have the consequence of action scenes pausing for a big chunk of monologue that can leave the pacing feel haphazard at times.

Overall, I think this is the least fantastical of AJW's work up until this point, and it would serve as an excellent entry point to the uninitiated. I also think the message that the southern states are not full of people that the left can write off as a lost cause is an unfortunately important one right now. Miles still has a lot to discover about himself over the course of this book, so there is also a quiet, beautiful coming of age story to be found entwined with the horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for the eARC.

Set in rural West Virginia with a plethora of complicated characters and a trans main character, this novel packs a strong emotional punch while still having horrifying moments. Miles has it hard enough coming out as trans but a family feud, class issues, and a list of violence keeps that from being his only issue this summer. It was a strong and very entertaining novel, I absolutely loved it.
Gosh the representation of queer and neurodivergent characters was so well done. It feels authentic and doesn't feel forced in, they feel like real experiences the characters have. Especially the way autism is portrayed and the ways different characters view it. I especially enjoyed the representation for an aromantic character who isn't also asexual. I really enjoyed the use of language in the book to immerse you more into Miles perspective and the setting. The discussion of class issues and generational trauma were compelling and helped to add to the struggle in the novel. The only thing I might criticize is the overly evil behaviors of the Davies, though to a degree it still feels based in reality. It just feels a little exaggerated. But it adds to the story rather than detracts in my opinion.
This is a strong recommendation from me to any trans or autistic readers, but also just any reader who wants a damn good Appalachian YA horror. I'm definitely going to buy a copy upon release!

Once again, Andrew Joseph White shows that he is one of the best authors out there. Compound Fracture is raw and tender, harsh, and accepting. White balances generational trauma with the joys of finding oneself even in the darkest of times. I've never felt so fully eviscerated by a novel, and I can't wait for his next book so I can experience the feeling all over again. Compound Fracture will take you to the darkest edge of humanity while holding you firmly and whispering that you are never truly alone.

I absolutely adore Andrew's previous works, both Hell Followed with Us and The Spirit Bares its Teeth were 5 star reads for me.

Compound Fracture did not make the same impact on me. While it still had the tone I enjoy, the plot felt a little too simple and overly character driven. I found all of the issues the story discussed really interesting and wanted to know more about the background characters.

I also really loved the families, chosen or blood, that were portrayed in the story. The good and the truly awful were represented in this book and it was very interesting to delve into the complexities of how different characters interacted with their families.

Lady is best girl.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for an arc for this book.

AJW may be my favorite author of all time. His characters are written so beautifully and the tension!!! I keep finding myself so immersed in the world, even though I usually don't like violence at all.

This book was less horrory than Hell Followed With Us. I think that's why I kind of prefered that one, but I still adore this one.

The things AJW writes about are so relatable, it's actually frightening. While HFWU was more fantasy/scifi (still realistic 😭), this one was even more realistic and therefore more disturbing.

I love love love Miles and Dallas. I hope Lady is getting all the hugs and kisses.

Genuinely so happy about the trigger warnings in this book, I don't think I need them that much, but it's so considerate and necessary, it should be much more common in my opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

3.75/5 rounded to 4 stars.

I’ve been a big fan of Andrew Joseph White’s writing for a long time. I devoured Hell Followed With Us in a day when it came out. Spirit Bears It’s Teeth took more time, but both tore something visceral out of me at multiple points. I loved thé found family aspects of them and the objective horror of the situations they found themselves in that leaned heavily on the supernatural happening around them.

Compound fractures is a little different. The supernatural element is very much toned down compared to the other two. Not that I mind. Saint is really interesting as a character and I am very much left wondering if he was real as a specter or part of Miles’ trauma.

The book was a little slow at times. I found myself struggling to get through some parts due to it. The character moments were important, I know, but the overall threat felt very minuscule until the last third of the book. Everyone was jumpy over it, but it was hard to stick to the line.

If you like gore, though, there is plenty to be had. Andrew never fails to write good body horror and it’s something I love about his writing. One character death had a visceral reaction from me, and the sense of Justice is, as always, really solid.

The social commentary in the book comes off a little heavy handed at times, but very solid over all. It’s very “history repeats” in terms of messaging, where social well-being and community wins out over the cycle of violence, thought it took a lot to finish.

A beautiful novel. AJW impresses me more and more with each new release. The language is gorgeous in how precise it is, and the horror of classism is tackled in an absolutely perfect way. One of my favorite books of the year!

Andrew Joseph White's COMPOUND FRACTURE will knock the wind out of you. Like his other books, COMPOUND FRACTURE is dark, but this novel in particular refuses to pull any punches (literally and figuratively). This is not a lighthearted book--there's graphic violence and transphobia--but it's masterfully crafted and an important story for the current political landscape. My only criticism is that its discussions of workers' rights and socialism/communism occasionally come across as preachy. As an educator, I can't imagine adding this book to my curriculum (the parent blowback would be FIERCE), but I can certainly see myself recommending it to specific students.

"Compound Fracture" by Andrew Joseph White is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. White masterfully crafts a tense and suspenseful narrative, filled with unexpected twists and turns that will leave readers guessing at every page. With complex characters and a compelling plot, "Compound Fracture" explores the darkest depths of the human psyche, offering a chilling glimpse into the mind of a killer. Fans of thrillers won't be able to put this book down.