Compound Fracture (Review)

A review of Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

I have never read a book that so profoundly spoke to the piece of me that calls this corner of the world home, specifically my childhood in rural Ohio. Compound Fracture takes place in a small rural West Virginian town, following the life of a young trans boy, 16-year-old Miles Abernathy.

What was new and fascinating to me was the inter-generational conflict that Miles was faced with. Though I grew up in rural Ohio, my family were transplants from elsewhere, Michigan, suburban West Virginia and Alaska. However, I was no stranger to intergenerational grievances, witnessing them between classmates in my high school. I was always an observer, never embroiled in it as Miles is.

Compound Fracture cracks open a window to the reality of the all encompassing police state and it's effect on small town lives, what it means to be queer in rural America, and encourages resistance in a time when it seems hopeless.

The Abernathys were and still are systematically opposed by the rich and powerful for years; Miles is haunted by the ghost of his ancestor, Saint Abernathy, a mysterious miner who was brutally murdered. Now, with a legacy of turmoil, he must find a balance between justice and vengeance. Fueled by the fires of those around him, Miles finds himself with blood on his hands.

Part murder-mystery, part ghost story, Compound Fracture is a page-turner that will keep you hooked till the end. White's characters are always fully fleshed out and jump from the page in voices familiar to young queer readers.

Miles reconnects with an old friend, another victim of Sheriff Davies misdeeds. The smoking gun, photographs of the Sheriff at the scene, opens an Appalachian Pandora's Box and Miles is subjected to the storm that follows.

Compound Fracture, though marketed and pitched as YA, exists in the sweet spot between YA and adult fiction, the lesser known 'New Adult' genre that is often dismissed by publishing houses and readers alike. This bridge between youth and the dark reality of adulthood is so important, especially for queer folks in our tumultuous political climate.

This is not a story of black and white, good and evil, but rather the grey messy in between we all inhabit and what it means to do the right thing.

Compound Fracture is slated to release September 3rd of 2024. You can preorder a copy here - support the author, your reviewer and an independent bookstore!