This book just didn't work for me. It was slow-paced and I really didn't like the protagonist. The storyline is very interesting, but some of the scenes were hard to digest. When he talks about his time in the military, some of the things he endured are very hard to listen to. Not for the faint of heart. I think my main gripe is the prose. Matt Young is a good writer, but his prose isn't very memorable. Also, the dialogue felt a little underwhelming at times.

Wow, just wow! Another of those debut novels that left me gobsmacked. Having worked with veterans, I understood the struggle Dean was dealing with trying to re-enter civilian life, have healthy relationships, and basically calm the noise in his head after having witnessed what he did during service in Iraq.
The tricky part about books like this is recommending them, especially at my local library where our customer base is all about Amish romances and westerns. This book is beautifully written, but it's also raw, brutal, full of profanity, sex, violence, homoeroticism...I could go on and on.
Bloomsbury, if you ever offer a chance to meet with this author, either in person or via Zoom (which I loathe, but I'll go there if necessary), please let me know.