(4) AJ White’s classic easy-to-read writing style and his signature stories surrounding trans and autistic experiences returns in COMPOUND FRACTURE, a bloody tale of revenge in a small town.

I’ll start by saying that COMPOUND FRACTURE takes a different turn from White’s previous books, being heavily focused on politics, rather than the supernatural with politics on the side. It’s more thriller than horror, dotted with ghosts on the side.

The novel follows Miles, trans boy with a family targeted by the Sherif and his impossible dream to survive when the powers are stacked against him. This is the first time where White uses an external supernatural factor, in this case, a ghost, to add that extra bit of twist to the plot. I loved this, but I wish it was steeped more heavily in the fantastical. White uses his trademark gore to amplify the abuse of power and violence against minorities, something that is very prominent in modern society.

The characters are great, as usual. Trans and queer characters are scattered throughout the narrative, and are explored in an uplifted way despite the heavy themes of this book.

It’s a matter of personal preference, I think, especially coming from White’s other books, that makes me rate this one lower. At times, the plot felt a bit slow despite a lot of things happening, and I think this comes from the central conflict centring around one person. Despite this, COMPOUND FRACTURE remains a powerful tale, especially considering it’s queer, trans, and autistic slant.

official favourite book of the year contender right here besties!

compound fracture is a horror/thriller set against a feud between two rival families in a rural Appalachian town with a sprinkling of trans, autistic, non-binary and general queer representation.

i would highly recommend reading the trigger warnings before getting into this book because wow it does not hold back. at times it is absolutely gruesome and vile, while still feeling so rooted in reality it's nauseating, but in the best way.

this author always hits it out of the park when it comes to representation and compound fracture is no different. the explorations of identity within this book feel so raw and real and honest and heart wrenching and just SO MUCH, while still being a super solid horror/thriller and managing to juggle both of those things simultaneously in a natural way.

reading this was like running a marathon honestly. the world this author created was so vivid i really felt like i was there, struggling right along with the characters. even aspects of the story or their identities i personally haven't dealt with were so comprehensible and so empathically described, you just have to feel them and it's a damn wild ride.

thanks to netgalley for providing me with an arc for this book!

This book was amazing. It had me on my toes the entire time, and it took true perseverance to get myself to put it down. You will be enthralled by suspense, charmed by the romance, and fascinated by this West Virginia tale. I especially love the way that the main character was trans and autistic is a way that wasn't the whole plot of the story, or just tossed in the background with no regard. The supporting characters are all complex in their characterizations, and make it easy to see how humans can be both good and bad and do both good and bad. 10/10 ate and left no crumbs.

I am new to thriller novels, and as my introduction to the genre, Compound Fracture had me by the seat of my pants and didn't let go until I was reading the acknowledgements. This is an unbelievably important book to have on shelves. Incredibly dark and raw, this story highlights hardships in a transparent way with a full cast of characters that all feel so very human. Even the bad guys, in all their horror, feel as if they could leap off of the page.

The representation in this book, much like White's other novels, left me misty eyed. As an autistic trans aro person myself, it's insane and wonderful to me to see that kind of representation in a book that's going to be on shelves in no time at all. The nonbinary/trans representation is fantastic and I can't say I've ever read a more accurate depiction of autism before in any novel. Miles' struggles with their autism had me by the heartstrings, because I often felt exactly how he felt.

[Vague spoilers ahead.]

My only real gripe with this novel is that the Saint Abernathy plot point seemed to fall flat as a presence. I found myself forgetting about it often, and it made the climax of the book not have as much oomph as i wanted it to. In a story full of nail biting, harsh realism, having THAT happen at the very end felt cartoonish in comparison. I understand what Saint stands for and how important he is for Miles' journey as a protagonist, I just feel like it didn't need the supernatural angle to do that.

Otherwise, wow! What an incredibly important book. Very dark for YA, but it's refreshing in that sense. I highly recommend it and look forward to getting my own copy once it's out this fall

"It's easy to think there's monsters in the woods when the woods are more than happy to let you die. But I don't believe in none of that, or ghosts, or God, because if I ain't got proof, I ain't budging. [...] But Saint Abernathy's dead, and I've been seeing him for weeks."

This book feels so much like a love letter that I almost feel like giving it a review does it a disservice. As someone who has family from West Virginia, who has relatives that were involved in the coal industry there, this book hits so very, very close to home. Reading of Miles' love for his home and his family despite everything made me wish I knew more about my own family history in a very real and complicated way.

Of all the trans autistic teens that Andrew Joseph White has written about, I think that Miles is the one who hits the closest to home. He feels like someone standing right beside me. Someone I would have known and tried to befriend had I been born later. Every character here feels so real. I think one of AJW's greatest strengths as a write, and something that he keeps proving with each subsequent release, is that every character on the page, no matter how small, has a life and a story. It feels elevated here to a new level simply because of how perfectly he tied these characters to the setting. Every character in this book feels so well-rounded and so real in such a distinct and familiar way. I have met these people. I have stood face to face with these people. I have visited graves of these people.

Compound Fracture has cemented just how unique and creative a writer AJW can be. He is constantly surprising and endlessly unflinching in his portrayal of how the world reacts to those it considers "other." This is the kind of book that would have changed my life if I could have read it as a teenager.

Where do I even start on what this book meant to me?

The messages within this story were so strong and important. I kept screaming about them to some of my friends. I genuinely hope that many trans and/or autistic people will read this book and know that they are worth more than society makes us believe. As a non-binary reader I rationally knew some of these statements were valid and, but at the same time I had to read them to feel it as well. Reading plenty of thoughts by Miles and stuff said by Dallas warmed my heart and gave me hope. Yes, a dark thriller gave me hope!

Apart from the message, the storyline itself felt spot on. I found myself constantly looking for clues, wanting to solve whatever was going on with all these people, resulting in me not being able to stop reading. Before I knew it, over a 100 pages had gone by. The writing style, the lay-out and the sometimes shorter paragraphs made it so much easier for me to focus. Lots of books tend to add a paragraph that lasts for multiple pages in a row, which doesn't help my chaotic brain. Well, this book was not like that at all!

The main character, together with some side characters, sure gained a spot in my heart, while I am ready to strangle other characters. They felt so human and real, with their strengths and their flaws. The representation in this book was amazing as well!

I'd like to thank @ajwhiteauthor, @netgalley and @peachtreeteen for a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Andrew, you’ve done it again. Every time another AJW book hits the shelves, they get better and better. Having read HFWU and TSBIT, I can whole heartedly say Compound Fracture is my new favorite. Miles goes through horrific things as a teenager, carrying that generational curse is already a burden to juggle with. As a queer, autistic person of the South, I was able to identify and share moments with Miles. AJW’s ability to connect and bond with his audience through moments like that throughout the book is what will keep me coming back for more every time. 5 stars, will absolutely recommend to anyone and everyone.

I've loved everything I've read by AJW, so I went into this book with incredibly high expectations- and to say they were met would be no understatement. I sat down and finished this book in one sitting, which isn't something I do very often.

I have a never-ending list of praises for this book, so I'll limit this section so this review isn't too lengthy.

-The way Miles' autism was handled absolutely astounded me. It was the most realistic portrayal of it I've seen in literature. The genuine journey of it, absolutely beautiful. The way it was shown and not told up until Miles himself found out absolutely amazed me.

-The same can be said about his journey with being aro-spec!! I have the same feelings on that as I do with the above point

-The way substance dependence and abuse is depicted is incredibly realistic while not being over-the-top and triggering, very well done and successful

-There were such raw and emotional lines, the way Miles spoke was so personal and real to him, and we'd be randomly hit with these absolutely heart shattering lines that definitely contributed to the beauty of this book

I could go on, but I won't for the sake of whoever may read this. Moving onto the very few cons of the book.

-There was never a scene where Miles was truly and wholly wrong, and that was kind of weird because throughout half this book he was in a manic state, I would've liked to have seen more personal conflict, a situation where we got to see how Miles handled confrontation for an action he took that could've just been wrong.

-I wish we had gotten further into why Cooper acts the way he does, I loved reading his character but ultimately exploring more with his family would've helped me feel for him a bit more.

And that is literally it! Other than that, this book easily climbed up onto my list of recommendations for my friends. I'm excited to buy and annotate a physical copy in September!!

There’s no time to argue. No time to plead or beg. A deer can’t negotiate with a bullet once it’s been fired.

COMPOUND FRACTURE reads like a story told around a campfire; you listen to it with your heart racing as it progresses, the breath stolen from your lungs at every turn in time, when you think that it can't get any more fervent than it already is. White's voice is a living, breathing thing; and his depiction of the trans and neurodiverse experience in the most unforgiving landscapes always makes me want to scream and cry and pull the characters right off the page to protect them from whatever he's going to put them through next. I can only thank him for leaving Lady be. Truly the best girl.

There is nothing to remember, because it’s not allowed to be a memory yet. You can’t reminisce over a scar if it’s still an open wound.

From the perspective of an Australian reader who is very withdrawn from the complexities depicted in Miles' world—and how it mirrors that of the past and current state of time—there's very, very little critique I can offer on the weighty political and geographical elements that make up a substantial part of this story. Nonetheless, in no way does that take away from the hauntingly emotional experience that White builds, both within Miles as a character, and Twist Creek as a place. I'm constantly enthralled by the skill he has at making you care so deeply about the intricate histories he presents, pulling you along by the collar as you descend further and further into this sort of all-consuming darkness; all the while, still managing to slot in the softest moments between the characters, giving them a bittersweet balance as we watch them grow and fight and fall.

The content warnings on this one are severe, and for good reason. But if you can stomach it, please grab yourself a copy of this story. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

Wow. Andrew Joseph White has managed to write yet another amazing story that empowers queer teens.

We see both Miles, his friends and his family grow throughout the story. They are confronted with situations noone should ever have to go through, forcing them to not only react, but to take actions of their own. No character is portrayed as purely good or evil.
This emphasizes the humanity of all the characters and makes readers reevaluate their idea of morality.
With the modern setting, this book opens up a conversation about relevant political topics in America.

an ambitious novel with an interesting premise that tackles a plethora of important issues. it’s super bleak and gory (the visuals of the railroad spike being thrust into a mouth was fucking insane!!) so things could get very intense very quickly. this seemed different from ajw’s previous books, a little less focus on the supernatural although i do wish in this insistence, the supernatural element was either taken out of the story or hammered (pun not intended) better because it felt flimsy to me.

many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an early reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

As a big fan of Andrew Joseph White's other books, I had high expectations for Compound Fracture. It lived up to all of them and more! This book is angry, raw, tough, and visceral. It's got a few things in common with Hell Followed With Us and The Spirit Bears Its Teeth, but also feels very different. Mind the content warnings though, because Compound Fracture goes a lot harder in a few significant ways.

On the night Miles Abernathy—sixteen-year-old socialist and proud West Virginian—comes out as trans to his parents, he sneaks off to a party, carrying evidence that may finally turn the tide of the blood feud plaguing Twist Creek: Photos that prove the county’s Sheriff Davies was responsible for the so-called “accident” that injured his dad, killed others, and crushed their grassroots efforts to unseat him. Miles becomes the feud’s latest victim as the sheriff’s son and his friends sniff out the evidence, follow him through the woods, and beat him nearly to death.

Miles recovers, but at what cost? He becomes torn between the need for his family's safety and his desire to fight the system. Everything gets more complicated when he starts seeing the ghost of his great-great-grandfather, killed by law enforcement after a miner's rebelli0n. It all spirals out of control from there.

Compound Fracture explores the relationship between power and safety, the strength of community, and the lengths one will go to get all three. It questions who is complicit in matters of injustice and how far you're allowed to go to protect what you love. It makes for a tense, thrilling read. I could hardly put the book down once I started. I thought I was going to end up with nightmares because it's all so scary and feels so real. The violence and gore is truly present, but not gratuitous.

The Trans rep was fantastic. I especially enjoyed the reactions of Miles' friends and family to his coming out - mixed and messy, but very realistic. Miles as a character was very fun to read. He makes stupid decisions, but you can understand why. I also adored the anger shining through in every page. As much as this story is a love letter to Appalachia, it's a hate letter to the corrupt systems thriving in America, and makes for a cathartic read.

This book was a very fun read. I loved how it was again completely different in tone & style than AJW’s first two books. The opening lines of the book? Absolute banger.

I liked Miles as a point of view character and especially the way his autistm affected the entire narrative. Autistic characters are something AJW always does well imo, but Miles was definitely his most in-depth autistic character yet. I can imagine that reading about a character like this 5 years ago would have been big for me, and it definitely will be for a lot of people now.

Another thing AJW does well is emotions - both depicting emotions & making the reader feel emotional (especially angry). One thing that I related to on an autism level was how Miles often felt confused about his emotions - not knowing how he feels and what exactly he wants, as well as suppressing them - and I feel like this isn’t something that is explored often in autistic narratives, so that was great to see.

What I didn’t like was, for one, that the villains felt two dimensional. Take everything evil in the world and roll it up into a single cop, and you have Davies. And as if getting rid of Davies would magically resolve all the issues the community had, when a lot of the problems the characters face are systemic. Davies’ son? Carbon copy of his father. Other bad guy? Yeah he’s a pedo & (sexually) abuses his kid sister. This might have to do with the book being YA and therefore more black-and-white in certain aspects than I’d like.

Similarly, I wasn’t a huge fan of how the writing overexplained a lot of things, for example in relation to politics, and certain sections read a bit like a twitter rant. But I think I’ll forgive AJW for that because the book is meant to be narrated by an autistic 16 year old, so I guess it kind of works style-wise. This wasn’t much of an issue with AJW’s previous book but it really stood out in this one - probably because TSBIT was historical fiction and therefore had less specific political statements to make. For the above two reasons I’m really excited for AJW’s adult debut - I’m hoping that it’ll comtain all the stuff he’s great at while being more nuanced.

This book is about the southern, rural American perspective, especially when it comes to politics & poverty, and as a European I’m not as familiar with the dynamics to fully comment. From what I regularly see online, people often dismiss southern & republican states as backward and essentially a doomed cause, and this book is pushing back by writing about queer, trans and neurodivergent characters from the south. It’s really great that a book on these topics is being published, and especially targeted at younger readers. One thing that stood out to me in relation to all this though is that except for one comment about the only Black family in the town being chased out, it doesn’t really address race - the above comment implies an inherent racism in community, but that’s just kind of left alone afterwards, even though the overall message of the book is that southern communities are not inherently bad. The single offhand comment about race felt weirder than if race hadn’t been addressed at all.

Finally, and this is more of a personal thing, I hate to say but I didn’t really like Dallas. They appeared quite abruptly and their relationship with Miles developed so quickly that I never got to feel anything for them. It’s almost as if they were there mainly as a plot device to move along Miles’ self discovery (for example the way he realised he was aromantic) and to be everything that Cooper is not, providing Miles with a neat happy ending. The thing between Miles and Cooper was complicated but it felt organic, and Cooper as a character was flawed but interesting, whereas Dallas felt more like the ideal queer anarchist partner for the main character.

Tl;dr: I had a great time reading this, it’s still one of the best YA books I’ve read lately, but there were quite a few things that bothered me about it. Also I was very gay for Saint Abernathy.

♡ Trans Rights
♡ Family History
♡ Angst with a Happy Ending

First off, the aesthetic of this book was to die for, it fit the vibe of the story perfectly! I loved the blacked out pages at the start of each chapter. I loved this book so much, the writing was amazing, the plot was tense and thrilling and dark, the characters were well thought through. Miles and Dallas being in a queerplatonic partnership made me so happy to read.

The trans rep was absolutely stunning as usual, it showed the raw and ugly sides of being trans and living in the world right now but it also showed the good. The friendships and even the sense of family even if they didn’t quite understand it at first. All the mentions of Miles grandfather being trans was almost healing to read, comforting to see the of it even if this book is fiction. The about of trans people to exist in that time should always be mentioned more. The autism rep was also written so well. The road of discovery with it and realizing things along the way. Looking back and thinking about all the things that finally make sense now that there is a word to describe it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Peachtree Teen, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait to buy the physical copy!!

Spice Level: n/a
Angst Level: 💧💧💧💧💧 (5/5)
POV: First Person
Release Date: 03, September 2024
Rep: Autistic Transmasc (Main Character), ADHD Non-Binary (Side Character), Asexual/Aromantic (Main and Side Characters), Queer (Main and Side Characters)

⚠️ Content Warnings:
Graphic: Gun violence, Police brutality, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Cursing, Deadnaming, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Drug use, Ableism, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Medical content, Animal death, Addiction, Acephobia/Arophobia, Car accident, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Incest, Misogyny, Child abuse, Child death, Vomit, Torture, and Pedophilia

This book will be banned I expect, and hell if that isn't the thing I'm most proud about. This might be the best book by Andrew J White as of the Time I'm writing this.

I'm impressed with White's ability to communicate these viewpoints, I already agreed with them but it seems like they would be easy to digest for people who are less radicalized.

The characters were very understandable in their actions; for instance, when Conner got mad at Miles. While unwarranted and unjustified I understood why a person would do this.

The history and de-stigmatization of Appalachian people/people in red states as all conservative bigots despite the trans people and people who are supportive living in them. I saw myself in miles, a trans person in a red state who's forgotten by the liberals and hated by the conservatives.

A perfect 5/5 in my opinion and I will be doing a literary analysis of miles character soon, thank you Andrew J White for this amazing novel and for seeing us trans people trapped in conservative states.

Completely worth the nightmares.

To be completely honest, I just saw trans and autistic in the summary and blindly plunged into the book. And looking back, this isn't a setting that I would care about.
But I was absultuly intregued. The plot, horrifying as it is, kept me hooked and before I knew it, I had already finished the book. I cared about Miles and his story. The interactions with the other characters were great and I admire his willingness to fight for a better world.
I love that the plot wasn't fully predictable. There were multiple instances where I thought something would happen, but it took a different turn. And the parallels—and the differences—between the past and present completed the story.

The representation was even more than I was looking for; navigating the world as a trans teen and not realising that you're autistic until it stares you right in the face and suddenly who you are finally makes sense. I loved the take on disfigurement. It sucks but it's not the end of the world. And the worst part is other people.

So unless you're unable to handle the possibly triggering topics, I strongly recommend this book.

The best Andrew Joseph White to date!
Move over HFWU and TSBIT, a new kid is in town, and it’s angry, autistic and wants to burn down the system!
Miles lives in a small Appalachian town and comes from a family that has been caught in a blood feud with the local Sheriff for more than 100 years. When Miles gets put into the hospital, just barely escaping death and starts seeing the ghost of his ancestor, things are about to change rapidly.
As a neurodivergent non-binary person myself, I connect with Andrew Joseph White’s books on another level. I’ve enjoyed the first two immensely and was pretty thrilled to have access to an ARC, so thanks to Peachtree Teen for that!
I'm usually not a person to read thrillers, so I was shocked at how much I enjoyed myself. There was a brief episode of 20 pages between page 40 and 60 that the book felt like it was dragging on. Having read the whole book, that was the only real breather one gets, before getting thrust head first into the storm!
In a world experiencing late-stage capitalism, people will need this book to put a name to the helplessness they are feeling in a system that prioritizes money over human lives.
This book is an angry, grim look at the American class system, especially in poor communities. The setting? Superb! The questions asked about the system we all are stuck in? Immaculate. White’s ability to shape such vivid characters and sceneries is unrivalled, and the way in which his sentence craft underline the atmosphere drags in the reader even more.
Compound Fracture is an important book, discussing pressing matters when it comes to family, gender, class structure and capitalism.
Be sure to put it on your TBR for this year!

This book is... It has been a while since I've read a book like this. It's horrible and beautiful.
Miles is an Abernathy, which in his town means a lot, it means his family has to be careful around town, especially around the sheriff. And this is because of a family feud, the miners' riot against the sheriff's family, from 100 years ago.
The night Miles comes out to his parents, he gets almost beaten to death by the sheriff's son and that's where all the new trouble starts.
One thing leads to another and suddenly there are two deaths and a very angry sheriff and son.
Like I said, this book is horrible, not because it's bad, but because it's grotesque, angsty, and gory. The level of detail can be a bit overwhelming. But it's also beautiful because it's about being trans and autistic, finding yourself and love and coming out, finding community, and fighting for yourself, your future and your family.
It's beautiful, I loved it, I was hooked since the beginning and couldn't put it down.

Compound Fracture's coverage of Appalachia and the deep roots of generational feuds, small- town politics, and how history can connect to the present is authentic, brazen, and a must read. The twists and turns of this story are phenomenal and engaging. Andrew Joseph White never fails to entertain and challenge the comfortable.

Andrew Joseph White has done it again. What an amazing and intriguing story. It's like nothing I have read before.
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White tells the story of a queer autistic teen in West Virginia fighting against the system just as his grandparents and their grandparents before them have always done. This book had me hanging on every word with all of its twists and turns. I will continue to list Andrew Joseph White as one of my favorite authors.